How to Map a Network Drive on Mac

Wondering how to map the network drive on Mac? You’ve come to the right place. In this post, we have covered a detailed guide on a network drive and how to use a Network Attached Storage (NAS) drive on macOS.

Let’s get started. 

Also read: FIX: Windows 10 Could not Reconnect all Network Drives.

What is a Network Drive on Mac?

A Network Attached Storage (NAS) is a storage device that connects to a home or office network.

So, rather than downloading and copying the same data across multiple devices, you can use a network drive instead of sharing the data in a single folder. You can easily share the location of this folder using a UNC path so that other devices can also access the data. Whether you are using a smartphone, tablet, or computer, the network drive can be easily accessible across devices. Unlike external hard drives, NAS offers a more flexible and secure way of managing your Mac’s storage.

A Network drive can be an ideal alternative to cloud storage to share your files across devices securely. A Network Attached Storage drive offers you better security features than cloud services and can be used by multiple users across multiple devices.

Let’s quickly learn how you can set up a Network Attached Storage drive on Mac.

Also read: How To Delete Your Hard Drive Browsing History.

How to Setup a Network Attached Storage (NAS) Drive on Mac

To map the network drive on Mac, you must first configure the router. Follow these quick steps to proceed:

Connect the external storage drive to the router’s USB port.

Now, we need to find out your router’s IP address. Here’s what you need to do:

Tap on the Apple icon and select “System Preferences.” Select “Network”.

Switch to the “TCP/IP” tab in the Network Properties window. Note the IP address placed next to the “Router” field.

Launch any web browser and copy the router IP in the address bar. You will then be redirected to your router’s manufacturer’s website, where you can easily configure the settings.

Also read: How To Fix External Hard Drive Not Showing Up In Windows 11

How to Map Network Drive on Mac?

So, once you’ve configured the router and connected the external drive to your Mac, here’s how you can map a network drive in just a few simple steps:

Open your Mac’s Finder and press the Command + K key combination. A new window will now appear on the screen. You can also select Go> Connect to Server to open this window.

Now, enter the network drive path that you want to map in the “Server Address” field. Hit on the “Connect” button to map the network drive.

Enter your credentials and then hit on OK to mount the network drive.

Once the network drive is mounted, you can easily access the data via the desktop or the sidebar in the Finder app.

Also read: How to Uninstall OneDrive on Mac.

How to Automatically Connect to a Network Drive on Mac?

So, we have learned how to map a network drive on Mac. Here comes the next step. To automount a network drive on macOS, follow these quick steps:

Tap the Apple icon on the top menu bar and select “System Preferences.”

Select “Users and Groups.”

Image source: Setapp

Switch to the “Login Items” tab. Tap on the “+” icon to add a new entry.

Select your network drive from the list and then hit on the “Add” button.

The network drive will automatically stay connected to your Mac even when you reboot your device.

Once you automount the network drive, all the users can easily access and collaborate on shared documents across devices.

Also read: How to Wipe a Mac Hard Disk Drive

Conclusion

This wraps up our quick guide on how to map network drive on Mac. Using a Network Attached Storage (NAS) drive is pretty simple. It can be a huge alternative to cloud services as you can easily access the data across multiple devices. Also, when sharing large volumes of data, using a NAS drive is considered much more flexible and secure compared to cloud services like Google Drive and Dropbox. So, in terms of handling larger and heavy-sized files, the NAS drive becomes the clear winner!

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