Connect to network drive with user name and password

Question

How do I supply credential so that I can connect to a network drive in .NET?

I’m trying to retrieve files from a network drive and need to supply user credentials to access the drive.

Answer 1

Very elegant solution inspired from this one. This one uses only .Net library and does not need to use any command line or Win32 API.

Code for ready reference:

NetworkCredential theNetworkCredential = new NetworkCredential(@"domain\username", "password");
CredentialCache theNetCache = new CredentialCache();
theNetCache.Add(new Uri(@"\\computer"), "Basic", theNetworkCredential);
string[] theFolders = Directory.GetDirectories(@"\\computer\share");

Answer 2

The best way to do this is to p/invoke WNetUseConnection.

[StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)] 
private class NETRESOURCE
{ 
        public int dwScope = 0;
        public int dwType = 0;
        public int dwDisplayType = 0;
        public int dwUsage = 0;
        public string lpLocalName = "";
        public string lpRemoteName = "";
        public string lpComment = "";
        public string lpProvider = "";
}


[DllImport("Mpr.dll")] 
private static extern int WNetUseConnection(
            IntPtr hwndOwner,
            NETRESOURCE lpNetResource,
            string lpPassword,
            string lpUserID,
            int dwFlags,
            string lpAccessName,
            string lpBufferSize,
            string lpResult
        );

Example code here.

Answer 3

You can use the WindowsIdentity class (with a logon token) to impersonate while reading and writing files.

var windowsIdentity = new WindowsIdentity(logonToken);
using (var impersonationContext = windowsIdentity.Impersonate()) {
    // Connect, read, write
}

Answer 4

I really don't know the hidden process, but I use a webrequest, this way I'm able to pass the credentials, and it worked perfectly for me.

var ftpDownloadFile = WebRequest.Create("filePath");
ftpDownloadFile.Method = WebRequestMethods.Ftp.DownloadFile;
ftpDownloadFile.Credentials = new NetworkCredential("user", "pass");
using (var reader = (FtpWebResponse)ftpDownloadFile.GetResponse())
using (var responseStream = reader.GetResponseStream())
{
    var writeStream = new FileStream(Path.Combine(LocalStorage), FileMode.Create);
    const int length = 2048;
    var buffer = new Byte[length];
    if (responseStream != null)
    {
        var bytesRead = responseStream.Read(buffer, 0, length);
        while (bytesRead > 0)
        {
            writeStream.Write(buffer, 0, bytesRead);
            bytesRead = responseStream.Read(buffer, 0, length);
        }
    }
    reader.Close();
    writeStream.Close();
}

Answer 5

Use this code for Impersonation its tested in MVC.NET maybe for dot net core it required some change, If you want to dot net core let me know I will share.

 public static class ImpersonationAuthenticationNew
    {
        [DllImport("advapi32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
        private static extern bool LogonUser(string usernamee, string domain, string password, LogonType dwLogonType, LogonProvider dwLogonProvider, ref IntPtr phToken);
        [DllImport("kernel32.dll")]
        private static extern bool CloseHandle(IntPtr hObject);
        public static bool Login(string domain,string username, string password)
        {                
            IntPtr token = IntPtr.Zero;
            var IsSuccess = LogonUser(username, domain, password, LogonType.LOGON32_LOGON_NEW_CREDENTIALS, LogonProvider.LOGON32_PROVIDER_WINNT50, ref token);
            if (IsSuccess)
            {
                using (WindowsImpersonationContext person = new WindowsIdentity(token).Impersonate())
                {
                    var xIdentity = WindowsIdentity.GetCurrent();
                    #region Start ImpersonationContext  Scope
                    try
                    {

                        // TYPE YOUR CODE HERE 
                      return true;
                    }
                    catch (Exception ex) { throw (ex); }
                    finally {
                        person.Undo();
                        CloseHandle(token);
                       
                    }
                    #endregion
                }
            }
            return false;
        }
    }

    #region Enums
    public enum LogonType
    {
        /// <summary>
        /// This logon type is intended for users who will be interactively using the computer, such as a user being logged on  
        /// by a terminal server, remote shell, or similar process.
        /// This logon type has the additional expense of caching logon information for disconnected operations;
        /// therefore, it is inappropriate for some client/server applications,
        /// such as a mail server.
        /// </summary>
        LOGON32_LOGON_INTERACTIVE = 2,

        /// <summary>
        /// This logon type is intended for high performance servers to authenticate plaintext passwords.

        /// The LogonUser function does not cache credentials for this logon type.
        /// </summary>
        LOGON32_LOGON_NETWORK = 3,

        /// <summary>
        /// This logon type is intended for batch servers, where processes may be executing on behalf of a user without
        /// their direct intervention. This type is also for higher performance servers that process many plaintext
        /// authentication attempts at a time, such as mail or Web servers.
        /// The LogonUser function does not cache credentials for this logon type.
        /// </summary>
        LOGON32_LOGON_BATCH = 4,

        /// <summary>
        /// Indicates a service-type logon. The account provided must have the service privilege enabled.
        /// </summary>
        LOGON32_LOGON_SERVICE = 5,

        /// <summary>
        /// This logon type is for GINA DLLs that log on users who will be interactively using the computer.
        /// This logon type can generate a unique audit record that shows when the workstation was unlocked.
        /// </summary>
        LOGON32_LOGON_UNLOCK = 7,

        /// <summary>
        /// This logon type preserves the name and password in the authentication package, which allows the server to make
        /// connections to other network servers while impersonating the client. A server can accept plaintext credentials
        /// from a client, call LogonUser, verify that the user can access the system across the network, and still
        /// communicate with other servers.
        /// NOTE: Windows NT:  This value is not supported.
        /// </summary>
        LOGON32_LOGON_NETWORK_CLEARTEXT = 8,

        /// <summary>
        /// This logon type allows the caller to clone its current token and specify new credentials for outbound connections.
        /// The new logon session has the same local identifier but uses different credentials for other network connections.
        /// NOTE: This logon type is supported only by the LOGON32_PROVIDER_WINNT50 logon provider.
        /// NOTE: Windows NT:  This value is not supported.
        /// </summary>
        LOGON32_LOGON_NEW_CREDENTIALS = 9,
    }
    public enum LogonProvider
    {
        /// <summary>
        /// Use the standard logon provider for the system.
        /// The default security provider is negotiate, unless you pass NULL for the domain name and the user name
        /// is not in UPN format. In this case, the default provider is NTLM.
        /// NOTE: Windows 2000/NT:   The default security provider is NTLM.
        /// </summary>
        LOGON32_PROVIDER_DEFAULT = 0,
        LOGON32_PROVIDER_WINNT35 = 1,
        LOGON32_PROVIDER_WINNT40 = 2,
        LOGON32_PROVIDER_WINNT50 = 3
    }
    #endregion