Questions
- How do I connect to a folder on the network to access my files from on campus?
- How do I map or open a network drive on my computer?
- How do I connect to the Microwave file server?
- How do I browse to a shared network folder in Windows 11?
- How do I connect to a server from the Finder on a Mac?
- What is the full path I use to reach a department or personal folder on the network?
Environment
This article applies to Bowdoin faculty, staff, and students connecting to a network file location on the microwave.bowdoin.edu file server from a Bowdoin or personal computer.
- Windows 11
- macOS (Sequoia or Tahoe)
- You must be on campus, or connected to the campus network by VPN, to reach a network drive.
Resolution
Connect to a network drive in Windows 11
- Locate the Search bar in the lower-left corner of the screen.
- In the Search bar, type the network location you would like to browse to, then press Enter. For example, to reach a department folder other than your own that you have permission to access, type
\\microwave.bowdoin.edu\
- A File Explorer window opens with the network location you entered. You can then browse the files or folders from there.
Hint: If you know the complete path to the location you want, you may enter it directly. For example: \\microwave.bowdoin.edu\dept\ccenter\documentation\
Important: In some cases you may need to enter the complete path if you do not have permission to the parent folders containing the location you are trying to access.
Connect to a network drive on macOS
- Click the Finder icon in the Dock.
- From the Go menu in Finder, select Connect to Server.
- Enter the server address in the form
smb://microwave.bowdoin.edu/ followed by the full path of the folder, replacing yourusername with your Bowdoin username. For example:
- To connect to the department drive, type
smb://microwave.bowdoin.edu/dept
- To connect to your personal folder, type
smb://microwave.bowdoin.edu/home/yourusername
- Click Connect.
- In the username field, type
bowdoincollege\username, replacing username with your own.
- Enter your Bowdoin password in the password field.
The network drive appears as an icon on the Desktop.
Note: While you may not need to enter the fully qualified domain name for a network location on campus, it is good practice to do so to avoid naming issues. Type microwave.bowdoin.edu rather than just microwave. This is especially useful when working from off campus using the VPN.
Additional Help
If you need further assistance, you have several options:
- Bowdoin Bot: Chat with Bowdoin Bot directly from any KB page for instant answers.
- Phone: Call the Bowdoin College Service Desk at (207) 725-3030.
- In person: Visit the Tech Hub in Smith Union during business hours.
- Submit a ticket: Request assistance through the Service Catalog.