Networking Mac and PC?

post #1 of 6

11/2/10 at 11:54am

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rdjlexky

Joined: Jul 2010
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I have a Macbook running the latest version of Snow Leopard, and an older PC running Windows XP that I don't really use. I want to use the PC as a file server to be able to move music and pictures back and forth wirelessly. Is there an easy'ish way to accomplish this?

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post #2 of 6

11/2/10 at 3:05pm

Rokcet Scientist

Joined: Aug 2006
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Quote:

Originally Posted by rdjlexky

I have a Macbook running the latest version of Snow Leopard, and an older PC running Windows XP that I don't really use. I want to use the PC as a file server to be able to move music and pictures back and forth wirelessly. Is there an easy'ish way to accomplish this?

Yes: get a superfast 802.11n Apple Time Capsule (1TB or 2TB) and store all your music, images, and videos on it. As well as your Time Machine incremental backups. Time Capsule behaves as a wireless external HD to your MacBook: its volume icon sits on your MacBook's desktop. So you don't need that old XP/PC at all.
However, that old XP/PC can also use that same Time Capsule as a wireless external HD. Although I see no obvious benefit of that since you seem to primarily use your MacBook.

A Mac, connected by USB cable to another Mac, and started up in "Target mode" (hold Command-T), behaves as an external HD to that other Mac (i.o.w. the first Mac's HD is visible on the second Mac's desktop as an external volume/HD). I don't know if an XP/PC can be started up in "Target mode". But even if it can be, it wouldn't be wireless, of course. So it would have to be positioned near the MacBook, and would have to be switched on 24/7.

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post #3 of 6

11/3/10 at 8:38am

smax

Joined: Nov 2006
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So you're telling him to spend $300-$500 for a solution he doesn't need. Wow.

On the PC, right click the folder or folders you want to share. Enable sharing and read/write access for everyone. Right click your wireless (or wired?) adapter that you're using for the network and find out the computer's IP address.

Back to the Mac now. Right click your Finder icon and select "Connect to Server..." Type in "smb://<PC IP address>/<shared folder name>/" replacing the things in angle brackets with the actual IP address and folder name you want. Alternatively, you could type in "smb://<PC IP address>/" and you'd be greeted with a list of shared folders to select from.

You'll then be prompted to sign in to the shared volume. Select Guest and continue.

Now, look in the sidebar in Finder. You should see the folder from your PC in the Shared section.

Let me know if this works. Not everyhting has to be a Mac-only solution that requires you to spend at least $300.

EDIT: If you want to get REALLY fancy with this, you can even set up an Automator program to automatically connect to your PC volume. I have one set up along with a WOL command so I can have my other computer asleep until I need it, then the program automatically wakes it up and mounts the volume.

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post #4 of 6

11/6/10 at 7:12pm

Rokcet Scientist

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Quote:

Originally Posted by smax

So you're telling him to spend $300-$500 for a solution he doesn't need. Wow.

On the PC, right click the folder or folders you want to share. Enable sharing and read/write access for everyone. Right click your wireless (or wired?) adapter that you're using for the network and find out the computer's IP address.

Back to the Mac now. Right click your Finder icon and select "Connect to Server..." Type in "smb://<PC IP address>/<shared folder name>/" replacing the things in angle brackets with the actual IP address and folder name you want. Alternatively, you could type in "smb://<PC IP address>/" and you'd be greeted with a list of shared folders to select from.

You'll then be prompted to sign in to the shared volume. Select Guest and continue.

Now, look in the sidebar in Finder. You should see the folder from your PC in the Shared section.

Let me know if this works. Not everyhting has to be a Mac-only solution that requires you to spend at least $300.

EDIT: If you want to get REALLY fancy with this, you can even set up an Automator program to automatically connect to your PC volume. I have one set up along with a WOL command so I can have my other computer asleep until I need it, then the program automatically wakes it up and mounts the volume.

Whoa! You really zapped me there, bro! That's real "easy'ish"...