Setup Network Drives on your Mac

Owned by Josue Altamirano
Last updated: Aug 15, 2024Version comment
5 min read

This article is intended for use by students who need to set up their Mac devices to connect to the G and H drives.

Network drives are storage devices connected to an IT network. In the same way that a flash drive connects to your computer-the network drives are connected to the Law School network. You must connect to the Columbia U Secure network to access the Network Drives. The network drives are only accessible within the Law School buildings through the Columbia U Secure network for security purposes. If you would like to connect to the network drives from off campus, you will have to connect to Columbia VPN to simulate that you are on campus.

G Drive

The G drive is the name for the shared disk on the Law School IT network. Faculty, Staff, and Students all collaborate on the G drive. Folder access is granted by system administrators. Please follow the steps to connect the G drive to your Mac:

  1. On the Dock, click the Finder icon.

    Fig. 2.5.1.1.png

  2. On the Menu Bar, choose the Finder app menu.

    Fig. 2.5.1.2.png

  3. Select the Settings... command.

  4. Select the Connected Servers... checkbox.

  5. Select the Close button.

  6. On the Menu Bar, choose the Go command.

  7. Select the Connect to Server… command.

  8. In the text field, enter:
    smb://lawsfprdfs01.adcu.columbia.edu/Groups

  9. Click the + icon to add the server name to your favorites.

  10. Click the Connect button.

  11. Click the Connect button.

  12. Enter:
    Name: adcu\YourUNI
    Password: YourUniPassword

  13. Select the Remember this password in the keychain checkbox.

  14. Click the Connect Button.

  15. The Groups drive appear on your desktop.

  16. Right-click the Groups drive and select the Make Alias command.

  17. An alias of the drive will appear on your desktop. Right-click Groups alias.

  18. Select the Rename command.

  19. Rename the drive to G Drive and press the Return key on your keyboard.



H Drive

The H drive is your personal space on the network. Only you have access to your H drive. We recommend saving your files to the H drive if you do not already have secure storage for your files. Contents of the H drive are saved every night. Please follow the steps to connect the H drive to your Mac:

  1. On the Dock, click the Finder icon.

  2. On the Menu Bar, choose the Go command.

  3. Click Connect to Server…

  4. In the text field, enter:
    smb://lawprdfs02.adcu.columbia.edu/Students

  5. Click the + icon to add the server name to your favorites.

  6. Click the Connect button.

  7. Click the Connect button.

  8. Enter:
    Name: adcu\YourUNI
    Password: YourUniPassword

  9. Select the Remember this password in the keychain checkbox.

  10. Click the Connect Button.

  11. You will see the Students drive appear on your desktop.

  12. Right-click the Students drive and select the Make Alias command.

  13. An alias of the drive will appear on your desktop. Right-click Students alias.

  14. Select the Rename command.

  15. Rename the drive to H Drive and press the Return key on your keyboard.

  16. On the Dock, Click the Finder icon.

  17. On the Menu Bar, Choose the Finder app menu.

  18. Select the Settings... command.

  19. Deselect the Connected servers checkbox.

  20. Select the red Close button.

  21. Both the H and G Drives will be accessible from your desktop.