Help with Networking

Posted:
in Genius Bar edited January 2014
I just ordered my first mac the other day. I have a pc at home running xp on a cable modem. I am going to network the two, I do have a few questions though. If I just network my PB through ethernet to my pc then they can share files but the PB won't be online correct? I have never networked anything. Or, should I just get Airport? I don't fully understand Airport that great. I have to buy the basestation and the card, and then I can wire my pc to it with ethernet correct? What cables go where? My modem would go straight to the airport base station correct? And then somehow we would wire it to the pc.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 7
    bka77bka77 Posts: 331member
    Hi,



    I assume that your PC is connected with the cable modem via the PCs Networkt Card. Is that right or do you have an internal Cable modem?
  • Reply 2 of 7
    You are correct, it is an external modem, connected through card.
  • Reply 3 of 7
    bka77bka77 Posts: 331member
    Ok,



    you could connect the PB with the PC with a Cat5 Network cable, but then you would loose your internet connection with both computers (I am assuming that you have only one Network card in your XP machine).

    The best way would be to buy an airport extreme base station and an AEcard for your PB. You then connect your Cable modem with the WAN-Port and the XP machine with the LAN-Port of the base station. Thats it.

    (here is a nice picture of the AEBS ports http://www.apple.com/airport/)
  • Reply 4 of 7
    t9000t9000 Posts: 34member
    I actually have 2 ethernet ports on my pc. One is onboard and I put a second card in, I was having internet troubles and my provider gave me a new card and told me to see if it fixed the problem. It does work now but I just don't believe the onboard is broken. It is a homebuilt computer. With the Airport extreme I noticed it has a usb port, I guess I could put my printer in there? And just install the software on the Mac. I am so excited about receiving my Mac, but I am a lil worried because I have no experience at all on them. I feel like I am getting a computer for the first time.
  • Reply 5 of 7
    bka77bka77 Posts: 331member
    Hi,



    in this case you could connect the PB to the onboard ethernet port of the PC. File swaping and so on can be done very easy like this and there should be a way of getting you on the internet with the PB through the XP machine, but I don't know how to do that.

    The AE solution is far easier and you gain a lot of mobility.

    Check here if your printer is compatible with AEBS: http://www.apple.com/airport/printcompatibility.html



    You don't need to be worried, OS X is easier than XP. Trust me I know it, because I am the XP user and my brother the lucky Apple laptop user.



    Lets hope that you get a spotless 15"
  • Reply 6 of 7
    t9000t9000 Posts: 34member
    Thanks for all the help. I think I am gonna spring for the card first and try and get the base station as a present. It would be great to be able to go downstairs and take my pb with me and be online. That is great. Thanks again for the help.
  • Reply 7 of 7
    murbotmurbot Posts: 5,262member
    Did some ask for help? Well shiver me timbers, this ain't the Genius Bar!



    Got to keep on movin' on...
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