With Network Client, members of your workgroup can exchange information using shared directories. Shared directories are directories to which all users on a network have access. You use shared directories the same way you use the directories on your local hard disk, except that you have to connect to shared directories before you can use the files on them.
To use a file in a shared directory, you need to know the name of the computer that contains the shared directory and the name of the shared directory that contains the file you want. After you establish a connection, you treat the shared directory as if it were a disk drive on your computer.
You connect to a shared directory by assigning a drive letter to it.
To connect your computer to a shared directory
1. Display the pop-up interface as described in the preceding section.
2. In the Path field of the Disk Connection pop-up, type two backslashes, the name of the computer, and the shared directory that you want to connect to.
For example, to connect to a directory named Public on a computer named Rene, type \\rene\public in the Path field.
If you're not sure of the name of the computer or directory you want to connect to, you can browse through a list by choosing the Browse button (press ALT+B, and then press F1 for help). Browsing will show you only the computers in your workgroup.
3. To assign a drive letter to the shared directory, choose the Drive field by pressing ALT+V, type the drive letter you want to use, and then press ENTER.
If you do not specify a drive letter for the shared directory, Network Client assigns the first available drive letter.
4. If you want to connect your computer to the shared directory every time you log on, make sure an X appears in the Reconnect At Startup check box.
To select or clear the Reconnect At Startup check box, press ALT+R.
5. To connect to the shared directory specified in the Path field, choose the Connect button by pressing ALT+C.
You can also connect to a shared directory by typing net use at the MS-DOS command prompt. For information on the net use command and its syntax, see the Help for net use.
For information about browsing for shared directories and disconnecting from a shared directory, press F1 in the pop-up interface, or see the Help for the net view and net use commands.
Note
Your workgroup may include computers that share directories but do not appear in the Browse dialog box. You can try connecting to these computers, even though you cannot browse for their names.