Map a network drive over the internet?

I’ve got an extra computer on which I store a lot of data – various media. It’s already being shared so I can access it as a mapped network drive. I’d like my friend to be able to map it as a network drive and access it as well, although he isn’t in our local network and would be connecting through the internet. How would I achieve such a task? I assume it is complicated by the fact that the extra computer (server I suppose), is behind the NAT of the router and thus has an address along the lines of 192.168.1.101.

Suggestions?

This is a rather poor way to share out your files. It’s possible to achieve this by opening up the NetBIOS ports on your router to direct them to your local machine, but then you’re practically inviting a security breach.

Set up some form of FTP server (there are various free ones, and some versions of Windows even come with one) and set up a user account for your friend. Configure the router to allow FTP traffic to the host machine. Then give your friend the external IP address of your router along with the FTP username and password to allow him to upload and download files.

You didn’t say, but I’m assuming your server and your friends computer are Windows, yes?

Also, you didn’t say, but I’m assuming y

ignore that last. and ignore my fumes as I retype this after this underpowered bbs swallowed my last post. and sorry I won’t put as much detail into this one. If you want more detail, let me know.

Basically, you want a web server and WebDav on your server. then you need to redirect the right port on your firewall to your server. Your friend can then map a network drive to the firewall address and whatever port you specified there. he’ll be prompted for a username and password, then he’ll have whatever access you grant him. Note that your files will be visible to anyone watching the wire, but you’ll be relatively safe from people breaking in to your system.

To do things right, run an ssh server inside your network, possibly on your file server. Then run an ssh client on your friends computer, and do remote port forwarding.