How to Map a Network Drive in Windows 7

   Information

This will show you how to map or unmap a share folder on your computer or shared network folder from a computer on your network to create a shortcut of it as a drive with a drive letter in the Computer window for easier access.

   Note

You will need to be connected to your network to be able to map a shared network folder as a drive from it.

You will be able to map a shared folder on your computer as a drive whether you are connected to a network or not since it's on your computer and does not require a network connection to access it.

EXAMPLE: A Mapped Network Drive
NOTE: For example, this is a shared network folder from a server on my network that was mapped as a drive on my computer.

OPTION ONE

To Map a Network Drive

Method One

Using the Command Prompt

1. Open a command prompt.

2. In the command prompt, type in the command below for what you want to do and press Enter.

   Note

• Substitute ComputerName in the commands below with the actual remote or homegroup computer name that the share folder is on.
• Substitute ShareFolderName in the commands below with the actual name of the network share folder.
• Substitute Z: in the first command below with an unused drive letter you want to be given to the mapped network drive in your Computer window.
• You can use * in the second command below to have Windows 7 automatically assign an unused drive letter to the mapped network drive in your Computer window starting from Z: up.

• net use Z: \\ComputerName\ShareFolderName
• net use * \\ComputerName\ShareFolderName

3. When finshed, close the command prompt. The network drive shoud now be mapped in your Computer window.

Method Two

From within the Computer Window

1. Open the Start Menu and click on the Computer button on the right dark side.

2. Click on the Map network drive toolbar button. (see screenshot below)

3. Select a drive letter that you want to be assigned to this mapped network drive. (see screenshot below)

4. Click on the Browse button. (see screenshot below)

5. Select a listed shared folder on your computer OR a shared network folder that you want to have mapped as a drive, then click on OK. (see screenshot below)

6. If you want to always have the map network drive available in the Computer window, then check the Reconnect at logon box. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: If you do not check the Reconnect at logon box, then the mapped network drive in Computer will be disconnected (unmapped) automatically whenever you log off or restart the computer next.

7. If you want to log on to the network for the shared network folder with a different user name and password than what you already have set for this network connection, then check the Connect using different credentials box. (see screenshot below step 9)
NOTE: Normally you would leave this option unchecked unless you wanted to log on as a different user on the network than the default one you already have set up.

8. Click on Finish. (see screenshot below step 6)

9. If you checked the Connect using different credentials box in step 7, then you will now be prompted to enter the user name and password that you want to use instead to log on to the network with. If you want to be automatically logged on each time you open the mapped network drive, then check the Remember my credentials box. Click on OK after entering them. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: If not, then skip this step and continue to step 10.

   Note

If you are mapping drives/folders on a NAS, then you will need to use something like User-name@User-PC as your username instead + password.

10. You will now have a mapped network drive of this shared folder or shared network folder in Computer. (see screenshot below)

OPTION TWO

To Unmap a Network Drive

NOTE: This will disconnect the mapped network drive to only remove it from the Computer window. It will not delete the shared folder or shared network folder.

Method One

Using the Command Prompt

1. Open a command prompt.

2. In the command prompt, type in the command below and press Enter.


NOTE: substitute Z: in the command below with the actual drive letter of the mapped network drive that you want to unmap (remove) from your Computer window.

• net use Z: /delete

3. When finshed, close the command prompt. The mapped network drive shoud now be removed from your Computer window.

Method Two

From within the Computer Window

1. Open the Start Menu and click on the Computer button on the right dark side.

2. Right click on the mapped network drive that you want to unmap, and click on Disconnect. (see screenshot below)

3. The mapped network drive is now unmapped, and will no longer show in the Computer window.

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

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• How to Create a "Map Network Drive" Shortcut in Windows 7
• How to Create an "Add Network Location" Shortcut in Windows 7
• How to Add or Remove "Map Network Drive" and "Disconnect Network Drive" Options