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Configuring storage (NAS) on the computer as a network drive

You want to use a USB storage device connected to the FRITZ!Box as a network drive? ✔ Find out how to set up the network drive on the computer here.

You can configure USB storage devices connected to the FRITZ!Box as network drives on all of the computers in the home network. The USB storage devices can then be used as local storage in the Windows Explorer or macOS Finder.

2 Configuring storage (NAS) as a network drive

Windows 11

  1. Click the search symbol in the Windows task bar.
  2. Enter \\fritz.box in the search box and press Enter. If the FRITZ!Box is configured as a Mesh Repeater or an IP client, enter the IP address of the FRITZ!Box instead, for example \\192.168.178.20.
  3. Enter the name and password of a FRITZ!Box user who is authorized to access NAS contents.

    Note:You can edit the account information and access rights of users under "System > FRITZ!Box Users" in the user interface.

  4. Enable the option "Remember me" and click "OK".
    • Now a window with the network folder "FRITZ.NAS" opens; this folder displays all of the partitions on the connected USB storage devices as folders.
  5. If you want to configure the entire FRITZ.NAS as a network drive:
    1. Right-click on the folder "FRITZ.NAS" and select "Show more options" and then "Map Network Drive..." from the context menu.
    2. Click "Finish".
  6. If you want to configure a subfolder (for example a partition of a USB storage device) as a network drive:
    1. Click "This PC" in the navigation area of the Explorer, and then click (More info) in the menu bar.
    2. Click "Map network drive". In the "Folder" field, enter the path to the folder you want to map as a network drive.

      Example:
      To map a USB storage device named "JetFlash-32GB" as a network drive, enter \\fritz.box\FRITZ.NAS\JetFlash-32GB.

    3. Click "Finish".

Windows 10

  1. Enter \\fritz.box in the search box in the Windows taskbar and press Enter. If the FRITZ!Box is configured as a Mesh Repeater or an IP client, enter the IP address of the FRITZ!Box instead, for example \\192.168.178.20.
  2. Enter the name and password of a FRITZ!Box user who is authorized to access NAS contents.

    Note:You can edit the account information and access rights of users under "System > FRITZ!Box Users" in the user interface.

  3. Enable the option "Remember me" and click "OK".
    • Now a window with the network folder "FRITZ.NAS" opens; this folder displays all of the partitions on the connected USB storage devices as folders.
  4. If you want to configure the entire FRITZ.NAS as a network drive:
    1. Right-click on the folder "FRITZ.NAS" and select "Map Network Drive..." from the context menu.
    2. Click "Finish".
  5. If you want to configure a subfolder (for example a partition of a USB storage device) as a network drive:
    1. Click "This PC" in the navigation area of the Windows Explorer.
    2. Click "Computer" and then "Map Network drive" in the menu bar.
    3. Enter the path to the folder you want to map as a network drive in the "Folder" field.

      Example:
      To map a USB storage device named "JetFlash-32GB" as a network drive, enter \\fritz.box\FRITZ.NAS\JetFlash-32GB.

    4. Click "Finish".

macOS

  1. Open the Finder.
  2. Click "Go" and then "Connect to Server" in the menu bar of the Finder.
  3. Enter smb://fritz.box in the "Server Address:" field and click "Connect". If the FRITZ!Box is configured as a Mesh Repeater or an IP client, enter the IP address of the FRITZ!Box instead, for example smb://192.168.178.20.
  4. Enter the name and password of a FRITZ!Box user who is authorized to access NAS contents.

    Note:You can edit the account information and access rights of users under "System > FRITZ!Box Users" in the user interface.

    • Now a window with the network folder "FRITZ.NAS" opens; this folder displays all of the partitions on the connected USB storage devices as folders.
  5. Double-click the folder "FRITZ.NAS".
  6. Select the folder you want to permanently add to the Finder.
  7. In the Finder menu "file", select "Make alias" and drag the alias you made to the "Favorites" area of the Finder.

Linux (using Ubuntu 20.04 LTS as an example)

  1. Open the file manager.
  2. Click "Other Locations" in the sidebar of the file manager.
  3. Click on "FRITZ-NAS". If "FRITZ-NAS" is not displayed, enter smb://fritz.box in the field "Connect to Server" and click "Connect". If the FRITZ!Box is configured as a Mesh Repeater or an IP client, enter the IP address of the FRITZ!Box instead, for example smb://192.168.178.20.
  4. Enter the name and password of a FRITZ!Box user who is authorized to access NAS contents and enable the option "Remember forever".

    Note:You can edit the account information and access rights of users under "System > FRITZ!Box Users" in the user interface.

    • Now a window with the network folder "FRITZ.NAS" opens; this folder displays all of the partitions on the connected USB storage devices as folders.
  5. Open the folder you want to permanently add to the file manager.
  6. Right-click the corresponding folder in the sidebar and select "Add Bookmark" from the context menu.