What is a UNC Path?

UNC is an acronym for Universal Naming Convention or Uniform Naming Convention.  Similar to a URL, a UNC path is a format for specifying the location of resources on a local network (LAN). UNC uses the following format: \\server-name\shared-resource-pathname.

UNC paths are often used to provide the information needed to connect to a network storage location.  Most people are familiar with "drive letters" or "mapped drives".  Behind any mapped drive there is a UNC path.

How do I find the UNC Path for my mapped drive?

1. At the Windows search prompt, type command, then press enter. This will open a command prompt window.
2. At the command prompt, type net use then press enter.  This will display all mapped drives and associated UNC paths.
3. Type exit and press enter to close the command window.

Example: the UNC path for drive G: is \\cfs\uoguelph.ca\dfsUofG\ccs