Configure and access shared folders on Windows
Learn how to configure shared folders and access them on Windows over Meshnet.
In this article, you will learn how to configure a new network share and access a folder shared from another device using Windows.
You can choose from two different methods of setting up shared folders: through the graphical interface or using the PowerShell command line.
GUI
PowerShell
To configure a shared folder using the graphical interface, perform the following steps on your Windows device:
- 1.Right-click the folder that you want to share and select Properties.
- 2.Navigate to the Sharing tab and click the Share button.
- 3.Click the dropdown arrow, choose Everyone, and select Add.
- 4.Select Share and click Done.
- 5.On the Sharing tab, click the Advanced sharing button.
- 6.In the new window, select the Share this folder checkbox and enter the name of the network share in the Share name field.
- 7.Click Apply to save the changes, and OK.
You have successfully configured your folder for remote guest access over Meshnet. Now your shared folder can be accessed by the network path provided in the Sharing tab.
You can use the PowerShell command line capabilities to share your desired folder by taking these steps:
- 1.Open PowerShell as an administrator.
- 2.Run the following command to create a shared folder:New-SmbShare -Name "<ShareName>" -Path "<path/to/folder>" -FullAccess "Everyone"Make sure to replace
<ShareName>with your desired share name and<path/to/folder>with the path to the folder you want to share. The output should display the details of your new network share. Example
- 3.Use the command below, replacing
<path/to/folder>with the path from step 2, to grant access to the folder:cmd.exe /c 'icacls "<path/to/folder>" /grant Everyone:(OI)(CI)F /t'
You have successfully configured your folder for remote guest access over Meshnet.
Tip
By default, Windows requires a username and password for network shares. You can remove the password protection in your Windows settings.
For Windows 11:
Right-click the Start
button and go to Network connections > Advanced network settings > Advanced sharing settings > Password protected sharing.
For Windows 10:
Right-click the Start
button and go to Network connections > Network and sharing center > Change advanced sharing settings > Turn off password protected sharing.
Once the network shares have been configured, they can be accessed by your Meshnet peers.
- 1.Copy the device's Nord name directly from the app by clicking it.
- 2.Press the Windowskey + R on your keyboard to open the Windows Run menu.
- 3.Enter
\\, paste the Nord name, followed by a backslash (\) and the name of the network share.The format must match the network path in the folder’s sharing properties, replacing the device’s name with the Nord name. Example\\secret.meerkat-himalayas.nord\MeshnetFolder
- 4.Depending on other devices' settings, you may be asked to enter a password in order to access shared content. If no password is set, you will be able to access shared content straight away.
At the moment, each time you want to access the network share, you will have to carry out the previously explained procedure. However, the share can be mounted directly on the operating system for convenient access at any time.
- 1.Copy the device's Nord name directly from the app by clicking it.
- 2.Open File explorer and select This PC from the menu on the left.
- 3.Click the Morebutton and choose Map network drive.
- 4.From the Drive dropdown list, select a drive letter.
- 5.In the Folder field, enter
\\and paste the Nord name followed by a backslash (\) and the name of the network share. Example\\secret.meerkat-himalayas.nord\MeshnetVideos
- 6.If the network share you are accessing needs a username and password for authentication, select Connect using different credentials. Then, enter the required credentials and click OK. Otherwise, click Finish.
The added mounted network share will now be visible in This PC, under Network locations.
