Net use
Archived: 2026-04-05 15:31:09 UTC
Connects a computer to or disconnects a computer from a shared resource, or displays information about computer
connections. The command also controls persistent net connections. Used without parameters, net use retrieves a
list of network connections.
Syntax
net use [{DeviceName | *}] [\\ComputerName\ShareName[\volume]] [{Password | *}]] [/user:
[DomainName**\]UserName] [/user:[DottedDomainName\]UserName] [/user:**
[UserName**@DottedDomainName] [/savecred**] [/smartcard] [{/delete | /persistent:{yes | no}}]
net use [DeviceName [/home[{Password | *}] [/delete:{yes | no}]]
net use [/persistent:{yes | no}]
Parameters
DeviceName   : Assigns a name to connect to the resource or specifies the device to be disconnected. There are
two kinds of device names: disk drives (that is, D: through Z:) and printers (that is, LPT1: through LPT3:). Type
an asterisk (*) instead of a specific device name to assign the next available device name.
\\ ComputerName \ ShareName   : Specifies the name of the server and the shared resource. If ComputerName
contains spaces, use quotation marks around the entire computer name from the double backslash (\\) to the end of
the computer name (for example, "\\Computer Name\Share Name"). The computer name can be from 1 to 15
characters long.
\ volume   : Specifies a NetWare volume on the server. You must have Client Service for NetWare installed and
running to connect to NetWare servers.
Password   : Specifies the password needed to access the shared resource. Type an asterisk (*) to produce a
prompt for the password. The password is not displayed when you type it at the password prompt.
/user   : Specifies a different user name with which the connection is made.
DomainName   : Specifies another domain. If you omit DomainName, net use uses the current logged on domain.
UserName   : Specifies the user name with which to log on.
DottedDomainName   : Specifies the fully-qualified domain name for the domain where the user account exists.
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/savecred   : Stores the provided credentials for reuse.
/smartcard   : Specifies the network connection is to use the credentials on a smart card. If multiple smart cards
are available, you are asked to specify the credential.
/delete   : Cancels the specified network connection. If you specify the connection with an asterisk (*), all network
connections are canceled.
/persistent: { yes | no } : Controls the use of persistent network connections. The default is the setting used last.
Deviceless connections are not persistent. Yes saves all connections as they are made, and restores them at next
logon. No does not save the connection being made or subsequent connections. Existing connections are restored
at the next logon. Use /delete to remove persistent connections.
/home   : Connects a user to the home directory.
net help   command   : Displays help for the specified net command.
Connecting and disconnecting from a network resource
Use net use to connect to and disconnect from a network resource, and to view your current connections to
network resources. You cannot disconnect from a shared directory if you use it as your current drive or an
active process is using it.
Viewing connection information
To view information about a connection, you can do either of the following:
Type net use DeviceName to get information about a specific connection.
Type net use to get a list of all the computer's connections.
Using deviceless connections
Deviceless connections are not persistent.
Connecting to NetWare servers
After you install and run Client Service for NetWare, you can connect to a NetWare server on a Novell
network. Use the same syntax that you use to connect to a Windows Networking server, except you must
include the volume you to which you want to connect.
Using quotation marks
If the ServerName that you supply contains spaces, use quotation marks around the text (that is,
"Server Name"). If you omit quotation marks, an error message appears.
Examples
To assign the disk-drive device name E: to the Letters shared directory on the \\Financial server, type:
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net use e: \\financial\letters 
To assign (map) the disk-drive device name M: to the directory Mike within the Letters volume on the \\Financial
NetWare server, type:
net use m: \\financial\letters\mike 
To connect the user identifier Dan as if the connection were made from the Accounts domain, type:
net use d:\\server\share /user:Accounts\Dan 
To disconnect from the \\Financial\Public directory, type:
net use f: \\financial\public /delete 
To connect to the resource memos shared on the \\Financial 2 server, type:
net use k: "\\financial 2" \memos 
To restore the current connections at each logon, regardless of future changes, type:
net use /persistent:yes 
Formatting legend
Format Meaning
Italic Information that the user must supply
Bold
Elements that the user must type exactly as
shown
Ellipsis (...)
Parameter that can be repeated several times in a
command line
Between brackets ([]) Optional items
Between braces ({}); choices separated by pipe (|).
Example: {even|odd}
Set of choices from which the user must choose
only one
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Format Meaning
Courier font Code or program output
Net services overview
Command-line reference A-Z
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