Networking between Mac OS X and Windows XP

Veljo

Mac Enthusiast
OK so I'm new to networking. My friend gave me a network card for my PC which I installed, so I connected my LCD iMac to my PC using a standard cable. Upon choosing 'Connect to server' from the Go menu my PC popped up and I connected and everything worked fine: I can see the hard disk of the PC and use files from it too so I'm happy. My PC cannot see my Mac: in My Network Places it doesn't show up. I would also like to know how to share an Internet connection: that is, if I was connected to the Internet with my Mac (standard 56k dial-up) how could I set up my PC so that it would use the same connection? I also have a Hewlett-Packard DeskJet 810C printer connected to my PC and I would like to get my Mac to print from it too: any suggestions?
 
To get your iMac to show up on your windows box, you'll need to have Windows File Sharing on. (System Preference -> Sharing). That will at least make the computer show up. To actually share any files, you will have to create users and shares. There are about 6 threads on this already, so I'm not going to get into that.

To sharing your internet connection is simple too. System Prefs -> Sharing -> Internet Tab. There are about 5 threads on this already, so I'm not going to go into too much detail. Basically, be connected to the net, click start and use DHCP on your windows box.

To print from your mac to your PC you will need to enable SAMBA printing. There are several threads that cover this, so I'd suggest you just do a search for "Printer Sharing" and you should be able to find an excellent howto on that issue. Just make sure that there are printer drivers for your model, or download gimp-print which has a bunch.
 
Uhm, just a quick note here. If your "cable" is connected from Mac to PC with no hub, switch, router, etc inbetween, you can keep trying till the damned cows come home hammered out of their mind on White Russians, but she aint never gonna work

You need a crossover cable.

Now with that posted, back to my white russions :)
 
Originally posted by dthompson101
You need a crossover cable.
Actually, you Don't~! I connect my desktop to my iBook with a standard patch cable all the time. That is the beauty of Apple's Hardware, they are able to do the crossover in on the card. Not only that, it is auto sensing...no settings.

Don't believe me, give it a shot. (Course, I don't know when they started this, but it should work for all current macs).
 
I believe that the auto sensing ports are only on the high end power macs and the laptop line. I could be totally wrong. I know my powerbook has the capabiliities as do the pro series macs, however I didn't think the iMacs had these ports on them.

You may be right since you have the iMac.

Can you ping it? Open a terminal and type in:
ping 192.168.1.XXX
or whatever your IP address of your windows box is.
 
If you are using windows with PC-Cillin or Norton antivirus et al... the "web security" option and "personal firewall" option will block all ping traffic. Is it your case?
(XP has a built in firewall. Maybe...)
 
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