Access a Department Network (Microwave) Drive

Questions

  • How do I access a network folder from my personal computer?
  • How can I get to my J: drive from home?
  • How do I connect to the J: drive at home?
  • I am using my own computer; can I get to my J: drive?
  • How do I access my department drive?
  • How do I get to the J: drive?

Environment

This article applies to Bowdoin faculty, staff, and students connecting to a department (J:) drive on the microwave.bowdoin.edu file server.

  • Apple macOS (Sequoia or Tahoe)
  • Microsoft Windows 11
  • Linux

Resolution

Important: If you are connecting to a network drive from off campus, connect to the campus network by VPN before trying to connect.

macOS

  1. (Optional) If you are at home, connect to campus using the VPN first.
  2. Click Finder in the Dock.
  3. From the Finder menu bar, choose Go, then Connect to Server.
  4. Enter smb://microwave.bowdoin.edu/dept and click Connect.
  5. When prompted, enter your Bowdoin username and password and click OK.
  6. After a few moments, a Finder window opens showing your department drive contents.
  7. Browse into the folder you would like to access.

Windows

Note: You cannot use the J: drive shortcut when you are off campus. Follow these steps to connect.
  1. (Optional) If you are at home, connect to campus using the VPN first.
  2. Click the Start menu (lower-left corner with the Windows logo).
  3. In the search field, enter \\microwave.bowdoin.edu\dept and press Enter.
  4. When asked, enter your Bowdoin username in the format username@bowdoincollege.edu. It is important that you use your username followed by @bowdoincollege.edu.
  5. Enter your password and click OK.
  6. After a few moments, a File Explorer window opens.
  7. Browse into the folder you would like to access.

Linux

  1. Open a terminal shell.
  2. Run the following commands with root privileges. Replace USERNAME with your actual Bowdoin account (for example, "jsmith"), and do not include "@bowdoin.edu". Note that there are no spaces between USERNAME, the comma, and "domain=". For example, to mount the department drive:
    • mkdir -p /mnt/dept
    • mount -t cifs user=USERNAME,domain=BOWDOINCOLLEGE.EDU //microwave.bowdoin.edu/dept
  3. Enter your Bowdoin account password when prompted.
  4. You will find the Microwave volume mounted under the /mnt directory.

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.
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A Starter Folder Structure for a Department Team
This article gives a department a structure to start from when moving shared files off the Microwave (J:) drive into a Microsoft Team. It includes two worked examples, the naming and nesting rules that keep the result usable, and guidance on what belongs in OneDrive instead.
Connect to a Network Drive on Campus
Instructions for connecting to a Bowdoin network file location on the Microwave file server from a Windows 11 or macOS computer while on campus. Covers browsing to a shared folder in Windows and mounting a server address in the macOS Finder.
Find a File in Teams, SharePoint, or OneDrive
This article explains how to search for a file in Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive, and what each search box actually covers. It also lists the common reasons a file that exists does not appear in your search results, and what to do next when no search turns the file up.
Troubleshoot Connecting to a Microwave Network Drive
Troubleshooting steps for faculty, staff, and students who cannot connect to a network drive on the Microwave file server, such as a department (J:) drive, personal (H:) drive, or course folder. Covers network location requirements, stale mapped drives, connecting by full path, and restarting the computer.
Using GlobalProtect VPN on macOS
Step-by-step instructions for connecting to Bowdoin's VPN using the GlobalProtect app on a Mac. Covers first-time setup, connecting on subsequent uses, and disconnecting. Requires GlobalProtect to already be installed.
Using GlobalProtect VPN on Windows
Step-by-step instructions for connecting to Bowdoin's VPN using the GlobalProtect app on a Windows 11 computer. Covers first-time setup, connecting on subsequent uses, and disconnecting. Requires GlobalProtect to already be installed.
What Not to Move into Teams
This article explains which kinds of files stop working, or lose data, when they are placed in a Microsoft Teams channel. It lists the file types a department should leave out of a migration from the Microwave (J:) drive and names where each type belongs instead.

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Network File and Folder Permissions
Request access to a shared network folder, or ask to have access removed. Used for the department and shared drives IT manages.