This post shows students and new users steps to add or remove network location when using Windows 11 to create or remove shortcuts to network services. A network location is simply a shortcut to network services such as a website or FTP site.
Adding a network location or place allows you to access FTP, sFTP, Windows file shares, and some HTTP servers directly from File Explorer, without having to use an FTP client. Unlike mapped network drive, a network location has no drive or label attached, can point to either external or internal resources and easy to setup.
Network location is very useful for people connecting to sFTP or FTP servers. It allows them to simply connect from Windows File Explorer without the need for a FTP client.
The new Windows 11, when generally released to everyone will come with many new features and enhancements that will work great for some while adding some learning challenges for others. Some things and settings have changed so much that folks will have to learn new ways to work with and manage Windows 11.
Although Windows 11 is new, network location isn’t. In fact, it was first introduced in Windows XP.
To get started with adding or removing network locations in Windows 11, follow the steps below:
How to add network location in Windows 11
As mentioned above, network location is simply a shortcut to networked resources such as FTP, sFTP and other resources.
To create a network location in Windows 11, simply open File Explorer. There, right-click click on This PC and select Show more option.
On the next context menu, select Add a network location as highlighted below.
A welcome page should appear. There click Next to begin adding a network location.
Then, click on the folder that says Choose a custom network location. Then click Next to continue.
For this post, we’re going to be adding a sFTP host as our network location.
Next, type in the network resource you want to add.
- For FTP: ftp://example.com
- For shares : \\sharedserver\resource
- For websites:
On next screen, choose Log on anonymously if the host allows for anonymous access. If not, type in the username provided to login.
Next, type in a name for the network location you’re adding.
Finally, click Finish to complete the network location wizard.
After setting up the location, you’ll get a pop up to log on to the server. You may also be able to save the password. Type in the username and password and click the Log On button.
After a successful log on, you should see the content of the sFTP host.
In File Explorer, a new folder under Network Location should appear with the name of the host you just added.
The next time you wish to connect, simply open the folder and logon. You can use File Explorer to copy and move stuff from and to the sFTP host.
How to remove network location on Windows 11
If you change your mind about network location crated above, simply delete the location. Select the network location folder and click Delete from the toolbar menu. Or right-click on the location folder, select Show more options, then select Delete.
That should do it!
Conclusion:
This post showed you how to setup a network location in Windows 11. If you find any error above, please use the comment form below to report.
