Networking Mac and PC?

[Nathans_Dad]

I want to set up a network between my new iMac and my old PC. Can I just go buy a regular ethernet router? I want them to be able to share my cable modem connection. Thanks.

[deanp]

You shouldn't have any problems using an ethernet router and regular cat 5 cables to connect both platforms to a cable modem.

I've had success being able to see PC drive volumes on Macs, but have never been able to make it work properly the other way.

[Moses]

No problem. You can go wired or wireless. It will work just fine. Unfortunately, if your network has a Mac password, example- "Nathanscomputer" you will have to convert it to a hexadecimal equivalent before the PC will connect.

[IROC]

Yep, we have my son's PC networked in with our MacMini through a standard router. Nothing fancy. Plug and play.

Mike

[Nathans_Dad]

Dude, I'm wireless!

That was easier than expected (at least so far). Went to Best Buy, bought a wireless router which had a little Mac symbol on the side. Came home and hooked my cable modem into the router. Turned on the Mac and went to networking. It asked me if I wanted assistance and then popped up a menu that game me my networking options. I clicked on the name of the router and PRESTO!! Wireless internet. The iMac has a built in wireless receiver I guess. Now the fun part comes, I am currently wiping the drives of the PC and reinstalling Windows. Then we'll see how easy it is to get Windows to work with the router...

Liking Macs more and more...

[nostatic]

Originally posted by Nathans_Dad


Liking Macs more and more...

next thing you know you'll sell the new Mustang for a Volvo and vote democrat

[Nathans_Dad]

Originally posted by nostatic
next thing you know you'll sell the new Mustang for a Volvo and vote democrat

NEVAH!!!

I am thinking of growing my hair long and listening to Pink Floyd though...does that count?

[stevepaa]

Grateful Dead, maybe?

[HardDrive]

Did you configure security on your access point?

We run a mixed network of macs/pcs at home with 128bit WEP. No problems.

[Nathans_Dad]

Well, I got the PC up and running, even got it to talk to the router and connect to the internet. Went in and did all the windows updates which took about an hour. For some reason when it installed Windows Service Pack 2 it didn't like the wireless connection any more. Not sure what happened but I think I fixed it. Am again able to get back onto the net from the PC. I haven't tried seeing if the computers can actually talk to each other yet, Windows keeps asking me to set up the wireless network from the PC, but I really want the Mac to take the lead in setting it up. I'm tired and will work on it more tomorrow.

Gotta hand it to the Mac, it was MUCH easier to set up. Like, light years easier.

[lendaddy]

Originally posted by nostatic
next thing you know you'll sell the new Mustang for a Volvo and vote democrat

Limbaugh is a huge Mac freak. "The company you keep"

[jyl]

How easy is it to have the PC and Mac see each others' drives and send files back and forth? Can you, say, launch Word on the Mac and open a .doc file on the PC?

I've never tried networking my Macs and my PCs, beyond having them share a singe broadband connection.

[stevepaa]

Not without some other software. DAVE was the name of a software package I remember that may have done that. Otherwise each has its own file logging means and do not recognize each other AFAIK>

[930addict]

Originally posted by stevepaa
Not without some other software. DAVE was the name of a software package I remember that may have done that. Otherwise each has its own file logging means and do not recognize each other AFAIK>

Not true. If you have identical user names on the MAC and PC you can simply do a net use on the pc pointing it to the mac and use that User ID and password to log in. It will map you to your home directory on the mac. I haven't tried going the other direction yet.

example: MAC userid: fred1; PC userID: fred1

on PC go to cmd prompt and type: net use * \\MACMACHINENAME\fred1

It will prompt you for a user ID and password. Enter fred1 and whatever the fred1 password is on the MAC.

It works give it a try. The user names must match!

[stomachmonkey]

Originally posted by stevepaa
Not without some other software. DAVE was the name of a software package I remember that may have done that. Otherwise each has its own file logging means and do not recognize each other AFAIK>

That's DAVE from Thursby SW and PCMacLan from CA. Helps but you don't need it.

There are several ways to skin that cat.

Turn on Windows file sharing on the Mac side and add it as a Network Place on the PC. Simplest approach.

Or you could turn on FTP on the Mac and use a simple FTP client to move files back and forth. I like that approach as it only keeps the connection open as long as it needs it.

All Macs (last several years) have Bluetooth radios, get a $30 USB BT radio for the PC and share.

I say if you have an extra box turn it into a file server, printer share, etc...

[Nathans_Dad]

Ok, the latest update!!

I got up this morning and decided to give the full on network a go. Basically set up a network with the Mac and just left the PC running in the background. I have gotten access to the "shared folder" on the PC but can't yet figure out how to actually access the hard drive on the PC beyond that. I also can't seem to get the PC to see that the Mac is on the network except for transferring files through the shared folder.

[928ram]

Not sure about the Mac end, but for what it appears you want (full access both ways) you need to set the PC's drive(s) to "shared". The "shared folder" is for limiting access to only selected programs (like you don't want the kids to mess with the household budget).

[stomachmonkey]

For full access to your Mac from the PC do this,

open System Preferences and go to the sharing pane, turn on windows sharing,



OK, note the Accounts button, underneath it it gives you the string with which to set up from the PC side.

Go to the PC, Network Places, add a new one, don't let it browse, you want to tell it manually, enter the address \\192.169.x.xxx\yourusername and hit go.

Wait a bit 30 seconds and you should get an authentication dialog on the PC, enter your credentials and your done.

[Nathans_Dad]

The Good: Got the PC to be able to print through the Mac. Of course, it took an APPLE application written for PC (Bonjour) to get the PC to see the printer...

The Bad: I tried to do the procedure above and it says the folder is not valid on the PC. Any ideas?

[stomachmonkey]

When you enter the address in the network neighborhood setup enter it EXACTLY as it appears in the sharing setup window on the Mac or you will get that message.

This is the format to enter into Windows, just get your Macs IP address and use the correct account name.