The NET Command is used to connect to a File/Printer Share as follows:
Join a file share (Drive MAP)
NET USE [driveletter:] \\ComputerName\ShareName /PERSISTENT:YES
NET USE [driveletter:] \\ComputerName\ShareName\folder1\folder2 /PERSISTENT:No
Make all future connections persistent (auto-reconnect at login)
NET USE /Persistent:Yes
or
NET USE /P:Yes
Make all future connections non-persistent (reconnect with login script)
NET USE /Persistent:No
or
NET USE /P:No
Join a file share (Drive MAP) - with a long share name
NET USE [driveletter:] "\\ComputerName\ShareName"
Connect a user to their HOME directory
NET USE [devicename | *] [password | *]] [/HOME]
This requires the users Home server/folder to be defined in ADUC
Join a password protected file share (Drive MAP)
NET USE [driveletter:] \\ComputerName\ShareName[\volume] [password | *] [/USER:[domainname\]username] [/PERSISTENT:No]
In the above command /USER can also be specified as:
[/USER:[dotted domain name\]username]
[/USER:[username@dotted domain name]
In a script, to map a drive and wait until the mapping has completed before continuing:
START /wait NET USE [driveletter:] \\ComputerName\ShareName
This will be a little slower, but ensures that files can be read from the mapped drive.
Join a Printer Share
NET USE [LPTx:] \\ComputerName\printer_share /PERSISTENT:YES
Join a Printer Share - with a "long" share name
NET USE [LPTx:] "\\ComputerName\printer_share"
Disconnect from a share
NET USE [driveletter:] /DELETE
Examples
NET USE H: /Home
NET USE J: \\MainServer\Users\%Username%
NET USE W: \\MainServer\GroupShare /Persistent:No
NET USE \\MainServer\SharedPrinter
Notes:
NET USE command can map a network printer to an
LPT port (for DOS type applications that print to a port.) but this does not
add the printer to Control Panel - Printers.
By default all mapped drives have a 15 minute idle session timeout, you can modify this with the NET CONFIG command. In windows XP the explorer icon will change to show this change in status, this behaviour is to improve overall performance.
Alternatives
Windows Scripting Host (VBS/WSH) provides alternative and arguably better commands:
Wsh.MapNetworkDrive
Wsh.AddWindowsPrinterConnection
Drive Descriptions
Recent versions of Windows display a drive description for each share, this can be edited in the Explorer GUI. The text is stored in the registry.
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MountPoints2\##ComputerName#ShareName _LabelFromReg=<description of drive mapping> (string REG_SZ)
"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference - Robert Frost
Related:
CON2PRT - Connect or disconnect a Printer
Wsh.MapNetworkDrive - Map Drive [ example script ]
Wsh.AddWindowsPrinterConnection - Connect to Printer [Examples]
NET - Manage network resources
NET SHARE - Create file share
OPENFILES - List or disconnect open files, local or remote (Win XP)
PUSHD - map to a drive share
RMTSHARE - List or edit a file share or print share (on any computer)
RUNDLL32 - Add/remove print connections
SHARE - List or edit a file share or print share
WMIC NETUSE - WMI access to drive mappings
fsmgmt.msc - List or disconnect open files - (Win XP GUI)
Drmapsrv - Drive Share for use with Terminal Services (Win 2K Server Resource
Kit)
Slow Network Browsing (XP)
Equivalent bash command (Linux): lpc - line printer control program
