Double-click the mapped drive to display the contents of the mapped folder, as shown

Finding Computers on the Network Y ou know how to find files and folders on your own computer, but when you start looking on others’ computers for specific files, you can waste a lot of time. Windows supplies several methods for finding files and folders over the network, including the Windows Explorer, Network Neighborhood, My Computer, and more. Choose the method that is most comfortable for you. In addition, Macs and Linux computers have special methods for locating computers on the network. When you’re working with vari- ous operating systems on the same network, you’ll most likely run into some trouble locating all of the resources you want. This chapter covers some ideas for locating computers, even in hard-to-find places. Using Network Paths As you know, a path is a guide to the location of a folder or file on the computer. C:\My Documents\My Pictures, for example, leads to the My Pictures folder on the C: drive. A network path is one that leads to a computer on the network and then to a folder or file on that computer. For example, \\Sue\My Documents\My Pictures leads to the My Pictures folder on Sue’s com- puter, over the network. The double backslashes tell the operating system to locate the following over the network instead of on the local computer. You have several methods of using the network path in Windows to get to the folder or file you want to locate. Although using the net- work path may not be the easiest method of getting somewhere, it works very well, as long as you know the name of the computer and the path on that computer to the folder or file. You also must have access to the resources and the resources must be shared. Browsing the available network computers and folders may be easier for you. See the sections later in the chapter on using the Network Neighborhood, My Computer, and the Windows Explorer. Tip 14 14 C H A P T E R ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ In This Chapter Using network paths Using Find Computer Using My Computer Using Windows Explorer Using Network Neighborhood My Network Places Finding computers on Macs Finding computers on Linux ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ Part III ✦ Working with Networked Computers Using the Run command The Run dialog box, shown in Figure 14-1, works similarly to an MS-DOS prompt. You can enter a command, folder, or other element in the Open text box, and when you click OK, Run opens the file or folder or executes the command. Figure 14-1: Run a program or open a file or folder in Windows 98. To open the Run dialog box, choose Start ➪ Run. You might want to use the Run dialog box to display the contents of another computer on the network if you know the network path and you’re in a hurry. Typing the path and pressing Enter or clicking OK quickly displays the net- worked computer. Usually, you use the Run dialog box for starting programs. You type in the name of the pro- gram and click OK, and the program executes or runs. If you want to enter a program that’s not in the root directory, you first must enter the path to that command, just as you would at the MS-DOS prompt. For example, you type the entire path plus the program’s name and extension, such as C:\FullShot99\FullShot99.exe, to open that program. You also can type the name of a document with its path — such as Chapter 14 ✦ Finding Computers on the Network Figure 14-2: Access a computer by its IP address. Figure 14-3: Open a shared folder in the networked computer. If you don’t know the path, you can use the Browse button in the Run dialog box. Browsing, however, is more efficient and quick in the Network Neighborhood. Using address bars You also can type a network path in the address bar in the Network Neighborhood, the My Computer window, or the Windows Explorer. Typing the network path may display the folder you want more quickly than clicking through the drives and folders within the windows. Address bars appear in Windows applets, including the Windows Explorer, Network Neighborhood, My Network Places, and My Computer. An applet is a mini-program included with an operating system. Figure 14-4 illustrates the address bar with a network path typed in the My Computer window. The folder displays its contents. If you had clicked folders to get to the same files, it would have taken five steps; typing the path takes only one step. Tip