

A network drive extends a computer's storage space without taking up the computer's resources.A network drive provides a central storage location that makes it easier to back up all important files from all networked computers.


#Mapped drives download
All other computers can download and upload files through the Local Access Network (LAN). Examples of network drivesĪ network drive can be located on a local external hard drive, network-attached storage (NAS) device, a networked computer, or a dedicated server.įor example, in a home, you usually set up another computer or an external hard drive as a network drive. After the network drive has been mapped on a computer, the shared network drive is accessed the same way as a local disk drive, but data is transferred from a remote computer, server, or other networked devices to your computer over a network connection. Most of the time, a network drive requires credentials to enter. As a result, the network drive can appear in the disk management tool and file management tool for centralized access and control.Īll networked computers and users can use this shared storage with the correct network path. A mapped drive is a network drive assigned a drive letter in Windows or a mount point in macOS.
#Mapped drives how to
How to connect to a shared network folder on Mac?Ī network drive is a shared storage device that can be accessed by two or more computers on the same network. You are familiar with local storage devices such as hard disk drives, solid-state drives, SD cards, and USB flash drives for file sharing and backup, but do you know network drives can complete the same job? This article will tell you the definition of hard drives and compare them with local drives.
