How to map drives to dynamic ip addresses

[Mark]

Hi,

I am in a university department, and we want to map some network drives
across the local departmental network. I have done this by identifying
the computers whose drives are to be mapped via ip addresses.

The problem is that the department has run out of fixed ip addresses, so
the computers need to remain dynamic. This means that the networked
drives work fine as long as they aren't turned off for more than 24
hours. However, if they are, then they will likely be given new ip
addresses and this will break the network drives.

Is there a way to network drives using dynamic ip addresses, or some way
to update the ip addresses automatically if they do get changed? Is
there another way to map the network drives that will avoid this problem?

 

[Butterfield]

Hi,

I am in a university department, and we want to map some network drives
across the local departmental network. I have done this by identifying
the computers whose drives are to be mapped via ip addresses.

The problem is that the department has run out of fixed ip addresses, so
the computers need to remain dynamic. This means that the networked
drives work fine as long as they aren't turned off for more than 24
hours. However, if they are, then they will likely be given new ip
addresses and this will break the network drives.

Is there a way to network drives using dynamic ip addresses, or some way
to update the ip addresses automatically if they do get changed? Is
there another way to map the network drives that will avoid this problem?

Use the UNC name not the i/p for mapping. for example:
net use U: \\server01\storage

 

[Kurt]

Yes, you map to the computer name instead of the ip address, i.e.
net use g: \\desktop-01\myshare.

...kurt

 

[Harry]

but do keep in mind that before enabling u have computer browser service
running and any firewll if present on systems doesn't block the ports used
by WINS (port 445)
Harjeet

 

[Richard Sharma]

Does the computer you are trying to map a drive from the server see the
server computer name too?