====== How to connect to a network shared folder ======
This document aims to provide generic instructions for how to connect to a shared network drive from Mac or Windows computers.

===== VPN first, if off-campus =====

If you are off-campus, then you will need to first connect to the UCI campus VPN. Follow instructions here for connecting to the VPN:

  * [[https://oit.uci.edu/help/vpn]]

===== From Windows =====

Windows typically refers to shared folders, network folders, or mapped network drives, so you may see those terms used interchangeably. 

There are multiple methods to connect to a shared folder, but we recommend creating a shortcut to it on your desktop for easy access later. 

  - Right-Click anywhere on your desktop (or if you want the shortcut saved somewhere else, right-click in that folder)
  - Select the menu item **New** -> **Shortcut**
  - In the shortcut wizard, enter the location in this format:<file>
\\servername.ss.uci.edu\sharename
</file>
    * for example, if your shared folder is on our server called "''ironman.ss.uci.edu''" and the shared folder is called "''myshare$''", then you would enter ''\\ironman.ss.uci.edu\myshare$''
  - Click **Next** and then click **Finish** to save the shortcut.
  - Double-click on the shortcut to connect.
  - The first time you connect, it will ask you for your username and password
    * Enter your SS2K account credentials, which is the user account in our school's private network.
    * Please enter your username in this format: **SS2K\username**

===== From Mac =====

On a Mac computer, follow these steps to connect to a network shared folder:

  - Open Finder
  - In the menu bar at the top of the screen, select the option **Go** -> **Connect to Server**
  - Enter the path to the shared folder like this:<file>
smb://servername.ss.uci.edu/sharename</file>
    * for example, if your shared folder is on our server called "''ironman.ss.uci.edu''" and the shared folder is called "''myshare$''", then you would enter ''%%smb://ironman.ss.uci.edu/myshare$%%''
  - We recommend clicking the "''+''" icon to save this as a favorite. Then you can simply select the path from the list to connect in the future.
  - Click **Connect**
  - The first time you connect, it will ask you for your username and password
    - Enter your SS2K account credentials, which is the user account in our school's private network
    - Enter your username in this format: **SS2K\username**

=== Saving the Shared Folder in your Finder side-bar as a favorite ===

After you connect you can click and drag the shared folder into your Finder side-bar. In the screenshot below, my shared folder is called "sscsdept$" and you can see that it is going to be placed at the top of the side-bar.
{{:howto:finder-save-network-folder-to-sidebar.png?400|}}