Mapping a Network Drive

Overview

This article will detail how to map a shared network drive on Windows 10, Windows 11, and MacOS. If you are attempting to connect to a network drive on campus, please ensure that you connect to the respective VPN, whether it be the TAMU VPN or the TAMHSC VPN.

Texas A&M network drives SHOULD NOT be mapped to personal computers or devices that are not controlled, managed, and updated by a Texas A&M University Technology Services group or a departmental IT organization (ex: Engineering IT). These IT groups can verify that all necessary and required security updates, antivirus, and malware protections are properly maintained on the machines they manage. Mapping a network drive onto a machine not managed by the university exposes these drives, the data on them, and potentially the other users of those drives to unnecessary security risks.

If you need access to a Texas A&M network drive from a personal computer or device, use Remote Desktop (RDP) to connect to your on-campus workstation. If you need RDP access, contact your departmental IT group.

Windows 10

1. Right-click the Windows icon located on your taskbar.
2. Select File Explorer
3. Click on This PC
4. Click on Map network drive... located on the ribbon of the File Explorer Window
5. Select the drive letter of your choosing
6. Input your file path of the network drive provided to you (e.g. \\tamu\drive01)
   1. Note: For ease of use, you may select "Reconnect at sign-in" so that Windows automatically attempts to reconnect to the network drive every time you log into your computer. Additionally, if connecting to the drive requires a different set of credentials than what is used to log into Windows, check the box, Connect using different credentials.
7. Click Finish

Windows 11

1. Right-click the Windows icon located on your taskbar.
2. Select File Explorer
3. Right-click on This PC
4. Select Map network drive...
5. Select the drive letter of your choosing
6. Input your file path of the network drive provided to you (e.g. \\tamu\drive01)
   1. Note: For ease of use, you may select "Reconnect at sign-in" so that Windows automatically attempts to reconnect to the network drive every time you log into your computer. Additionally, if connecting to the drive requires a different set of credentials than what is used to log into Windows, check the box, Connect using different credentials.
7. Click Finish

MacOS

1. Open a Finder window by selecting the Finder icon located on the dock
2. On the menu bar, click Go
3. Select Connect to Server
4. Input your file path of the network drive provided to you (e.g. smb://tamu/drive01)
   1. Note: Make sure to prefix the provided file path with smb:// if not done so already
5. Click Connect