Set up a Network Drive

Are you finding yourself surrounded by technology? Write a Smartphone Review, laptops, desktops, Build a Home Theater PC (HTPC), each with their own multiple gigabytes of data. Wouldn't it be convenient if you could share data among all these devices without having to have everything stored on one desktop.
Do you have many users at your work place or business that need to access the same data?

With the use of a network drive you can accomplish all of these things, keeping all your shared data in one convenient place.

Steps

1. Connect the drive to your Configure a Router. Using an Ethernet or USB cable connect your new network drive to your router.
2. Connect the power cable to your new drive and plug it in. Press the power button on the network drive. You should now be able to access your network drive from any computer connected to the network.
3. Make sure that your drive is formatted. Some drives are pre-formatted and ready to use out of the package. If not, just follow the windows instructions for formatting your new drive.
4. Map your network drive. In Windows 7, right click on the start button and choose "Open Windows Explorer". From the Directory tree on the left, click on "Network". From the context menu, choose "Map Network Drive".
5. Choose your device settings. From the "Map Network Drive" window you can choose a drive letter for your drive. Make sure there is a check in the "Reconnect at Log-on" checkbox to automatically detect your new network drive at start up.
6. Enable "Network discovery and file sharing". From Windows Explorer left click on "Network", a bar should pop up informing you that "Network discovery and file sharing are turned off". Click on this bar to enable network discovery and file sharing.
7. If you have disc management software that came with your network drive, now is the time to install it if you so choose.

Tips

• Even if your drive has wireless capability you can get greater transfer speeds being hardwired to your router.
• Your operating system probably does everything disc management software can do, so check out any software thoroughly to be sure that there's nothing you just can't live without.

Things You'll Need

• Router
• Network Drive
• Brains

Related Articles

• Map a Network Drive
• Disconnect a Mapped Network Drive
• Create a Home Network
• Secure Your Wireless Home Network

See also

• Tag People in a Discord Chat on a PC or Mac
• Build a Computer
• Use Your Own Router With Verizon FiOS
• Check Computer Specifications
• Find out How Long Your Computer Was On
• Install a Modem
• Make a Simple Electric Generator
• Protect a PC in a Thunderstorm
• Set up a Private Network
• Install Drivers for Hardware from a Website

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