How to Map Network Drive in Windows 10?

Let’s talk about it, how to Map Network Drive in Windows 10?

As computers take over the world everyday users are seeking ways to get straightforward and quick access to data.  They want ultimate ease and all their data at a single click. Especially those who have confidential information need to ensure their data stays safe and they can access it from other systems, too.  This is where network mapping comes in.  Network mapping is how systems like Microsoft Windows correlate a local drive letter (A -Z) with a shared storage location to another computer system, also referred to as a File Server, over a network.

What Does Network Mapping on Windows 10 Mean?

Mapping a network drive is the method of connecting a network drive to Windows 10, enabling it to show the drive as if it was physically connected to your computer. In this article, we will detail you how to map network drive in Windows 10.  Network drives, also labeled as Network Attached Storage (NAS), are a priceless tool for computer users, be they professionals or merely using PC for leisure.

A hard drive engaged with your Wi-Fi router enables its contents to be accessible for all your devices connecting to a similar network. If your business compels you to share files between team members, or you wish to stream music from one room to another, mapping a network drive is a solution.

While the idea of associating storage to your internet connection can sound rather complicated, there is nothing to worry about because it is the easiest thing to do  We will explain everything in step by step detail and show you how to map a network drive in Windows 10 accurately. Read on and find out the best way to promptly connect to a drive and distribute files. So without further ado…

Guide to Map Network Drive in Windows 10

Step 1: Connect Your Router To Your Network Drive.

Most drives might offer some instructions, but normally, the process is similar. Plug your drive in via the power adapter, and then connect it through the network cable to one of your router’s ports.

When you are done, you can now proceed with mapping the network drive process.

Step 2: Click on ‘This PC’ in Windows Explorer

Click on the file explorer (or press the Windows Key+E), then go to the sidebar to the window’s left. Open ‘This PC’, and navigate to the tab reading ‘Computer’.

Furthermore, you can search for ‘This PC’ with Cortana. Via the main window, create a note of the letters appointed to each drive – this will be useful in avoiding the creations of any duplicates in the next step.

Step 3: Click ‘Map Network Drive’

This step will authorize you to choose a letter to allot to the drive. You must be careful and do not use C as this is generally the local computer store, and D to F are commonly allocated to different removable media like flash drives or discs. You must be careful in choosing the letters and this will steer towards less complications and confusion along the way.

Step 4: Browse Your Network Drive

Click on the ‘Browse’ button then you can navigate towards the drive within the pop-up network menu. However, if this is your first time mapping network drive, you will probably have just the one listed, however, you might need to scan through numerous by name if you already have a few of them.

Step 5: Create or Locate a Shared Folder

Within your drive, there will be different options for shared folders or you can create them yourself. This is where you will ultimately drop your files in for quick access from anywhere, anytime.

For folder creation, right-click, and select ‘New Folder.’ Then, give it whatever title you wish; however, make sure that you remember its title when you want to locate it on another system.

Step 6: Create a Username and Password for Authentication

This will be the required password every time you log into the network drive to access the data. This will keep your data protected and therefore you must keep the username and passcode noted down in case your colleague or someone needs access to the drive. Click ‘Reconnect at sign-in’ so the drive can connect every time you turn on your computer.

While you can ignore this step, it would imply that your folder is available to anyone who can log onto your Wi-Fi network, so it is strongly advised to put a password. It is always better to keep your data encrypted to avoid any chances of a security breach.

Step 7:  Access Your Drive

Select ‘Finish’ and you can now see a new window for the drive, and the letter you allocated back in step 3 will denote it. You might also observe that it includes the shared folders that we talked about in step 4. Hence, you can now open and view the files on the network drive as if they are on a hard drive attached to your computer.

Step 8: Transfer Your Files to the Network Drive

The drive will now list on the sidebar to the left of any file explorer windows, and you can click it open to drag your pictures, documents, videos, or whatever you want. You can also do this as if it would be on any folder and you can cut copy and paste-like usual.

And that’s all! You now know how to map the network in Windows 10.  You now know how to map a network drive in Windows 10. With these simple steps above, you can get your data access in no time without worrying about keeping it safe.

Conclusion

Computer systems are tremendous devices that offer endless options in ways of organizing and accessing data, and mapping a network drive is one of them. It does sound too technical and daunting but it is very easy to do you do not need any additional gadgets. Just follow some quick steps and voila! We hope this guide helps you in telling you everything about mapping network drive on Windows 10. ,