If you are looking for a way to add a network location or map an FTP drive and access files & folders on an FTP server, in Windows, natively, then this post may help you. You will be able to have one-click easy access to your files on networked locations via the Windows File Explorer.

How to Map FTP Drive

You can create or map a drive directly to your FTP site from within Windows.

Windows 11

To start mapping a network drive in Windows 11:

Open File Explorer
in the left Navigation bar, right-click on This PC
Select Show more options from the context menu
Next select Map network drive.
Alternatively, click on the 3-dotted See more link at the Explorer top menu bar
Select Map network drive
The wizard will open.

TIP: Network Drive Control lets you set up Advanced Drive Mapping Options

Windows 10

Open File Explorer > Computer (This PC). Right-click and select Map Network Drive.

You can also use the Map network drive button:

It offers options to:

Map network drive
Disconnect network drive.

Having done this, in the wizard box which opens, type the FTP address or the path to your Network drive or browse to it using the Browse button. Your folder Properties must be set to Shared in order to map it as a network drive. You will get the setting under Properties > Sharing tab > Advanced Sharing > Check the Share this folder option.

Check the Reconnect at sign-in option to make the mapping permanent. If you plan to use credentials from the networked computer to access the shared folder, check the Connect using different credentials option and click OK. You will be asked to enter the username and password Next.

You will now have to enter the credentials for the user account, using the following format in the username name field so that your system knows which networked computer it is going to connect to – Computer\Username. Browse to your network folder for mapping and click OK.

Once you have done this, you will be able to see it in Explorer.

To map an FTP site, click on the Connect to a website that you can use to store your documents and pictures link to open the Add Network Location wizard.

Here you have to choose a custom network location and specify the location of your website, specify the login credentials that may be required and name the mapped FTP drive.

Read: How to map a Drive using Group Policy Preferences.

Add Network Location

If you wish to add a Network Location, when you right-click on My PC (See the first image), select Add a network location. From the Map FTP Drive box, you can also select the link at the bottom that reads, Connect to a website that you can use to store your documents and pictures. The Add Network Location Wizard will open. Click Next and then Choose a custom network location. Click Next again. Now specify the Internet or network address or browser to the location. Click Next.

Uncheck Log for anonymously and give the username & password. Click on Next. Give a name to the networked location, when asked. Click Next again. Now select Open this network location when I click Finish.

You will be asked to enter your credentials, and once you do so, you will be connected to your network drive or your FTP drive or your website.

This is quite useful if you need to connect your computers together for sharing files, store files online or run a website.

Read:

Map a Network Drive using Command Line

To map Network Drives using the command line, in an elevated command prompt, you have to run the following command:

net use x: \\server\share /persistent:yes

Here x is the drive letter, and the /persistent:yes parameter makes it permanent.

You can read more about the Net use command, which lets you connect a computer to a shared resource on Technet.

Read: How to clear Mapped Network Drive Cache.

Map a Network Drive using PowerShell

To map Network Drives using Powershell, you have to run the following command:

New-PSDrive -Name x -PSProvider FileSystem -Root \\server\share -Persist

You can read more about New-PSDrive, which helps you create mapped network drives on MSDN.

NOTES:

The folders you map should be set to SHARE before you can access them via drive letters
If you are trying to access a drive from another computer, it should be ON and running; even if the computer is sleeping, you cannot access that drive
You should know the credentials of the folder, computer, or website you are trying to map or connect as a network drive
Download FTP Drive tool from KillProg.com. It makes several things including adding a drive letter easier
You may want also to check out FtpUse, a free tool that helps you map an FTP server as a Local Disk Drive.
Use Network Drive Control to make Windows automatically map network drives by network name when you log in
Visual Subst is a free tool that lets you easily create Virtual Drives for your Folders & map Cloud Storage as Virtual Drives.

Also see:

If you want, you can also download and use one of these free FTP Clients for your Windows PC. How to set up and use SIP Server on Windows may also interest some of you.