3. Install the NAS Software

Now that you have checked for IP address conflicts it is safe to carry out the installation. Your NAS drive will not be available at this point to network users. You have to install the NAS software to configure the NAS box so that it can be shared by every PC that is connected to the network.

Insert your installation CD and follow the instructions displayed on the installation wizard to complete your installation.

Note: The instructions to install NAS software may differ from one NAS manufacturer to the other. Refer to the product manual.

4.  Map a Network Drive

Now that the installation is complete, any computer in the network will be able to access the NAS drive. The IP address of the NAS drive will be required to connect, as well as to transfer data.

On a Windows system, NAS drives are connected to the other computers in the network by means of a mapped drive. You can manually search for the NAS drive in Windows Explorer, and then map a drive letter to it. Mapping a drive letter to a hard drive in the NAS drive or a folder on a hard drive in the NAS drive, just means that you set things up so that when you go to My Computer, the part of the NAS drive you want easy access to is displayed, for all intents and purposes, as a drive on your computer. By mapping the drive, even though the NAS drive is connected via the network, when you access it, it’s as easy as accessing a secondary hard drive.

Perform the following steps to map the network drive:

• Open your computer's properties.
  • In Windows XP: Click the Start button, and select My Computer.
  • In Windows Vista: Double-click the My Computer icon on your desktop.
• From the Tools menu, select Map Network Drive.

• From the Drive drop-down list, select the drive letter you want to map. You can choose any letter, so long as it’s not already in use.
• Next to the Folder box, click Browse and browse to the folder on the NAS drive that you want to map.
• If you would like the drive to be mapped each time you log on to your workstation, select the Reconnect at Logon check box.
• If you would like to use a different username and password, click on the Connect using a different user name link. Enter the appropriate username and password and click OK.
• Click Finish to complete your mapping.

Note: To access the folders in the NAS drive you may require a username and password.

Once mapped, the NAS drive can be used like any other local drive.

After following these instructions your NAS drive will be available to all the computers on the network. You can add new folders, read or write data to those folders and also delete unwanted files and folders. It also enables you to manage disk space, setup user and group permissions, and perform monitoring and testing.