[Walker]

For the last year, I've had a pretty nice networked system. I had 5 computers. My oldest daughter's G4 upgraded B/W tower, my youngest daughter's iMac, my sons beige G3, my wifes clamshell iBook, and my Quicksilver. I ran the ethernet cable through the walls, and hooked up everything via a linksys 8 port router (my wife's ibook is using an airport card and the airport base station is hooked into the router)and we all share a high speed internet connection. I never tried sharing files between the computers. The only reason I had them networked was to share the internet connection. Doing this was so easy. I plugged in the computers to the network and it just worked.

Now there is a new member to the computer family. I've purchased a DVI titanium Powerbook 667 with the airport card. I purchased the computer so I could take it to work and use instead of all the damn PCs.

I have many pictures and mp3's on my quicksilver that I'd like to transfer to my new powerbook. This need has led me down the path creating a truly useful network betweeen my computers with which I can file share between all of my family. Unfortunately, I'm clueless on the best way to proceed.

All computers are running OS 10.2.X.

I did some reading, and it looks like there is a public folder that each person has on their computer. I don't really want to file share with just the public folder. I'd like to file share between the complete hard disks. How do I do that? Is it possible?

In addition to using my powerbook on my home network, I'd like to use it on my workplace's network. It also is using a linksys 8 port router to share a high speed internet connection. When I bring my powerbook there and plug it into the network, will the "automatic" setting for the "location" automatically switch from the airport to the ethernet port, or will I have to manually configure a new location? Also, how hard is it to turn on file sharing with windows (the other PC's are using windows XP). There is one printer hooked up to the network via one of the computers. Anyone on a network can print documents to this printer, even if they are not directly connected to the printer. Will I be able to do that with my Mac? (printer is HP PSC 500).

I will be purchasing VirtualPC to run the PC-only application that I need at work. I'm hoping that the Networking from the VirtualPC side will be something the PC dudes at work can figure out. On a side note, can anyone recommend the best windows OS that I should use in this situation?

Sorry this posting got so long. I'd deeply appreciate any advice received.

thanks,

lw

ps. just thought of something else. When I go back to my Mom's in christmas, is it easy to plug into the telephone line and use her internet connection?

[aaanorton]

Originally posted by Walker:
I don't really want to file share with just the public folder. I'd like to file share between the complete hard disks. How do I do that?

Well, I'll take a stab at part of this...
You can get 3rd party s/w to share more than the Public folders, but the easiest way (being family and all) is to just log in as the admin user on each machine. From Finder: Go > Connect to Server and then pick a computer to connect to. Once the drive is mounted, you can add it to your Favorites is you assign static IPs to all in Sys Prefs > Network.

For your work printer, you'll need to add it to Print Center via IP Printing. You'll need the printers IP for this. Chances are the Queue will be lp (that's lower case LP).

Automatic locationnshould probably do the trick, but if not, just add more locations. You can switch locatgions right from the Apple menu.

[Walker]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by aaanorton: From Finder: Go > Connect to Server and then pick a computer to connect to. Once the drive is mounted, you can add it to your Favorites is you assign static IPs to all in Sys Prefs > Network.

I've tried to follow your instructions. From my new powerbook, the "connect to server" box comes up, and it is "searching." However, nothing is found. I've also looked up the ip address of my quicksilver, and typed it into the connect to server address, but I get an error. Do I need to configure my quicksilver to allow another computer to access it?

Thanks,

lw

update: I found out that by turning file sharing on, I can now log onto my computers connected directly to the ethernet router network. However, I am still unable to connect with my powerbook which is connected wirelessly to the airport base station, and then the base station is plugged directly into my ethernet router. Do I need to configure the airport base station in order file share with my powerbook?

[aaanorton]

Check that file sharing is turned on on the PB. Also check that file sharing is allowed through the firewall (in Sharing pane), if that is turned on.

[Simon X]

Just start Personal File Sharing (Sharing Preference Panel) on all the Macs, the Personal File Sharing port in the Firewall tab is automatically turned on too. Assuming everybody is logged on as an Admin user they can then all access every file on every hard drive, except of course from the System folder. otherwise it's just the shared folders again. You of course have to Connect to Server in the Finder to mount all the available networked drives before you can actually access the other Macs. To share the printer you must start Printer Sharing in the Sharing Preference Panel as well.

Hope this clears things up.

[aaanorton]

Originally posted by Simon X:
To share the printer you must start Printer Sharing in the Sharing Preference Panel as well.

Huh? He's trying to print to a printer connected to a PC network.
Walker,
In your first post you said:

There is one printer hooked up to the network via one of the computers. Anyone on a network can print documents to this printer, even if they are not directly connected to the printer. Will I be able to do that with my Mac? (printer is HP PSC 500).

Is this a networked printer or a shared printer? In other words, how is it connected to the network: via USB/serial or ethernet? If it is USB, this would be a shared printer and may prove difficult for you to print to. I'm not familiar with printing to shared PC printers, but I'm sure someone else here will know more. If it is connected with an ethernet cable, it is a networked printer and will be easy to print to using the steps I outlined in my previous post.
True, file sharing should be allowed by default through the firewall, but if your still having trouble after starting file sharing, this would be worth checking.

[ghporter]

Actually Samba makes it fairly painless to use a shared printer connected to a PC. That's sort of the whole reason for having Samba in the first place.

As for the possibility that it's a networked printer, that's pretty easy too. IP printer sharing works the same whether you're using a Mac or a PC, though it's more involved to use it from a PC (and harder to set up).

[Walker]

Well, I'm having some success with sharing files with my powerbook. I found an article on apples tech support titled "AirPort Base Station (Graphite): How to Set Up File Sharing Between AirPort and Ethernet Computers" and it had this topic

"Symptom

An Ethernet (wired) computer and an AirPort (wireless) computer successfully connect to the Internet through an AirPort Base Station, but attempts to set up File Sharing or any TCP/IP services between them on the local network fail."

Here was the solution:

An AirPort Base station treats Ethernet and AirPort as two disconnected network segments. Turning on the "AirPort to Ethernet bridging" option in the AirPort Admin Utility allows you to connect those two segments for services such as File Sharing. For detailed instructions and information on designing an AirPort network, review the document "Designing AirPort Networks" to see what works best for you. You may find the document at Apple Software Updates (http://www.apple.com/swupdates/).

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.h...onID=anonymous|160234334

Anyway, from my quicksilver I am able to "connect to server" and select my powerbook and file share with it. But from my powerbook, after I "connect to server" all the other computers on the network show up. I select my quicksilver, but the operation times out with a error of -36. It is unable to make the connection. Any ideas why this is happening?

thanks for all your help. I wonder if I get a newer airport base station (dual ethernet) that would help?

lw

[aaanorton]

Did you check the firewall settings on all the machines?
I don't use an Airport BS, so I can't really help set that s/w up. If you end up buying something new, I'd recommend getting a 3rd party alternative to Airport. I have one made by Asante. It easily does everything you are describing AND costs a LOT less. There are a number of these on the market in the $100-200 range.
I'm guessing Airport can do what you want it to, but I don't know all the ins and outs of Apple's s/w.