Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

swindmill

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Mar 17, 2005
946
4
KY
I've searched the forums and web for answers to this, and I'm still pulling my hair out. I share office space with a couple of people. One of my co-workers brought in a Windows 7 machine to use as a file/print server. I set it up as a work network and enabled all sharing (file and printer). I've added the workgroup name in Network/Advanced/WINS on my MacBook. I turned off the Windows Firewall. I added shared folders on the desktop of the Windows 7 machine and set them to share with everyone. As far as file sharing, I can access the 'users' folder, but the other folders give me an error when I try to connect. With the printer sharing, I've gotten no where. It doesn't show up in the Windows printer browser as it would with XP, and LPD isn't working either. I would really prefer to not have to use LPD even if I could get it to work. Anyways, I would think that by now, there must be a tried and true method to get all this working between Snow Leopard and Windows 7. Any help is greatly appreciated.
 

1911

macrumors member
Mar 11, 2008
54
9
Re: Networking OS X with Windows 7

The most efficient way to do this is to create a user on the Windows 7 box.
Give the user a password
Give that user rights to the folder(s) you shared.

Then, on the Mac,
⌘+k will bring up the Connect to Server dialog box.
To connect to a Windows box you need the <smb> prefix.
Use the following syntax modified to your network:
smb://192.168.1.33 or smb://win7
You will get prompted for your credentials.
Once authenticated, the dialog box will show you the available shares.
Use the username and password you created earlier.
 

swindmill

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Mar 17, 2005
946
4
KY
I set up a new account and set the C drive to share, and also made a separate shared folder. When I connect via command-k, I can see both the C drive and the shared folder, but I can only actually connect to the shared folder. This at least works, but I'd certainly rather it show up in the side bar and be seamless as it is with XP. I did install Bonjour on Windows 7, but it hasn't helped.

I've still had no luck at all with the printer, which is my primary need. I tried the LPD protocol again, but the address of lpd://server/printer gives me an invalid port error.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.