With every new Operating System becoming easier and easier to do things, network sharing is becoming increasingly more popular.
You may have heard the term before and not really understood what it is, and if you have and media devices around your house, you might already be using it and not know it.
In its essence network shares are files you allow other people, usually on the same network, to access on your computer and networked device, such as servers, laptops and mobile devices and tablets.
Depending on what kind of device you use to share, it will be different how the process is performed.
Some devices will require security such as passwords and ACL’s (Access Control Lists) and other devices will require you use the same brand.
Most network sharing is usually done over your LAN (Local Area Network) at home or at work through your wireless router or switch.
Network Shares Uses
There are limitless uses for network shares but here I will discuss the most common usages you can try in your home or you might already be using.
Media Sharing
This is by far the most popular thing people use network sharing for.
If you are on a Local Area Network with other people in your house and you want to share you music of video library, sharing those files on your computer for other people to access is quite easy, depending on the operating system you are using.
File Sharing
File sharing is technically the same as Media Sharing but more so used for businesses who wish to share documents over the network for other employees to utilise.
When this is done there is usually some sort of added permissions in which the people accessing the files can only read and not delete etc.
Depending on the permissions each person has the maybe able to remove, delete or modify text documents or certain software.
Different Operating System
Different operating system and devices will dictate how and what an network share can do.
Microsoft Windows and Apple OSX Operating system are quite easy to set up shares.
When you start to use Windows Servers it get a little more complicated and certain permissions are usually required and the use of something like Active Directory.
You may already have a streaming device in your house connected to your Television like a Roku which streams Google Video, Netflix or YouTube to your TV.
You might also be able to use this device to access content shared over your network from your computer.
If you are using a Windows computer and need to set up streaming from it to your network devices I highly recommend you use a program like Serviio Media Server to do it quiet easily.
