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Sharing/Netowrking iMac with PC Laptop

GulfVetSAF

GulfVetSAF

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 9, 2008
35
0
NC
Just got a laptop (vista) and I can't seem to figure out how to share the computers together. I do have macdrive but as you know you need to be connected via usb/fw.

Point is, I have a drobo connected to my iMac and I would like to access it as well as my files on my iMac.

ALL help is gratefully appreciated.

Scott Funk
USMC Ret.
 
If your Mac is connected to your network by ethernet, then you can turn on its Airport and in the System Preferences Sharing panel activate internet sharing. This will give your PC an ip address (provided it's set to accept DHCP) and they will have the same subnet mask, thus you should then be able to link the PC to the Mac. Make sure you turn on those features you need in the Sharing panel to allow volume mounting on your PC.
 
Did as you said... but I have a wireless network already set up (stealth mode but EVERTHING IS SHARED ON BOTH COMPUTER)... also have enabled all the sharing settings in os x... I'm not sure about "will give your PC an ip address (provided it's set to accept DHCP) and they will have the same subnet mask, thus you should then be able to link the PC to the Mac. Make sure you turn on those features you need in the Sharing panel to allow volume mounting on your PC"

Thanks for you quick reply and help in this matter!

Scott
USMC Ret.

2Funks.com

"For those who fought for it, freedom has a flavor the protected will never know. "
 
PS My son can see and access my iMac from his macbook as well as our drobo.... just fyi. Thanks again!
 
GulfVetSAF said:
PS My son can see and access my iMac from his macbook as well as our drobo.... just fyi. Thanks again!
Click to expand...

So this means you've isolated the problem to your PC's settings. I'm not sure how to help you as I know very little about PCs (enough to be dangerous, for sure). The subnets must be identical for sharing files from the mac, unless you can directly link to that Mac's IP address from your PC. Is your son getting to the Mac through your wireless router (what is its brand?) or is he getting to the Mac through the Mac's Airport card?
 
Cave Man said:
So this means you've isolated the problem to your PC's settings. I'm not sure how to help you as I know very little about PCs (enough to be dangerous, for sure). The subnets must be identical for sharing files from the mac, unless you can directly link to that Mac's IP address from your PC. Is your son getting to the Mac through your wireless router (what is its brand?) or is he getting to the Mac through the Mac's Airport card?
Click to expand...

Through our wireless network (airport extreme)... One more thing, this includes printer sharing as well... I've got it set up to share but am unable to print from my dell unless I plug the printer in directly.

Thanks man, I'll figure it out, I KNOW it's possible...
 
Yeah I've never had to network a Pc and a mac before either, but again, I KNOW it's doable. Anyway, find out any more info, pass it my way and thanks again.
 
If the AEBS is assigning IP addresses, then the Win PC should have the same subnet. Can you find this number in your PC's network settings and compare it to the Macs subnet address (which is found in System Preferences Network pane (and should be something like 255.255.255.0)?
 
Cave Man said:
If the AEBS is assigning IP addresses, then the Win PC should have the same subnet. Can you find this number in your PC's network settings and compare it to the Macs subnet address (which is found in System Preferences Network pane (and should be something like 255.255.255.0)?
Click to expand...

I don't know what AEBS is .... how do I find the settings you spoke of on my new pc... i know ipconfig /all but not sure how to snapshot
 
Also be aware that Vista usually comes locked down pretty good. You might want to go into the Networking and Sharing Center and make sure that network discovery is turned on. That might make it a little easier for you.

If I am understanding correctly, the Drobo and the Printer are both being shared out by the a single computer, or are they directly attached on your network?

To find your subnet, you can do the ipconfig / all and scroll up in the dos window to look for your network adapter and see the settings. You can also go into the Network and Sharing Center and choose Manage Network Connections to view each network adapter (both wired and wireless) to take a look at their properties (via right click). I believe you right click the adapter, click properties then scroll down to IPV4 and click properties on that.

I have also seen Vista machines that did not have the Client for Microsoft Networks checked off - which it needs to be since your Mac will be sharing to windows by looking like another Windows machine.

Once it look like you are all good. You can go back to the command prompt (where you typed ipconfig /all) and try to type ping, followed by the addresses of the machines you are trying to connect to.

Once you are sure you can connect you can try to connect the drives by using Tools - Map Network Drive when you double click My Computer, or if you have your computer icon on your desktop, you can just right click on it and select Map Network Drive.

To setup your printer, there is a wizard for adding a printer. I am using a 'classic' style menu so for me it is Start - Settings - Printers, but you can always find it under the control panel. Click printers, then add a printer and select add a network printer.

One last, thought. On my vista machine I have bonjour installed (which is for network discovery). I think it was installed when I installed iTunes. So if you don't have it on your machine, you might want to try installing iTunes and see if it automatically installs Bonjour, which should make it easier for your to find all devices connected to your network.
 
OldMike said:
Also be aware that Vista usually comes locked down pretty good. You might want to go into the Networking and Sharing Center and make sure that network discovery is turned on. That might make it a little easier for you.

If I am understanding correctly, the Drobo and the Printer are both being shared out by the a single computer, or are they directly attached on your network?

To find your subnet, you can do the ipconfig / all and scroll up in the dos window to look for your network adapter and see the settings. You can also go into the Network and Sharing Center and choose Manage Network Connections to view each network adapter (both wired and wireless) to take a look at their properties (via right click). I believe you right click the adapter, click properties then scroll down to IPV4 and click properties on that.

I have also seen Vista machines that did not have the Client for Microsoft Networks checked off - which it needs to be since your Mac will be sharing to windows by looking like another Windows machine.

Once it look like you are all good. You can go back to the command prompt (where you typed ipconfig /all) and try to type ping, followed by the addresses of the machines you are trying to connect to.

Once you are sure you can connect you can try to connect the drives by using Tools - Map Network Drive when you double click My Computer, or if you have your computer icon on your desktop, you can just right click on it and select Map Network Drive.

To setup your printer, there is a wizard for adding a printer. I am using a 'classic' style menu so for me it is Start - Settings - Printers, but you can always find it under the control panel. Click printers, then add a printer and select add a network printer.

One last, thought. On my vista machine I have bonjour installed (which is for network discovery). I think it was installed when I installed iTunes. So if you don't have it on your machine, you might want to try installing iTunes and see if it automatically installs Bonjour, which should make it easier for your to find all devices connected to your network.
Click to expand...

Got my printer working... downloaded bonjour directly. Not sure how to check on the client for MS Netwroks....

My Drobo is USB'd to my iMac 24" and I have a private WPA2 wireless network set up...

Going to try and attach a file with my ipconfig info.... maybe that will help... still confused! LOL

Thanks again for everything!

Scott
USMC Ret.

www.2Funks.com
 

Attachments

  • ipconfig.txt
    3 KB · Views: 170
Parallels?

Someone informed me that if I install Parallels on my iMac I can communicate with my laptop???? I thought it was simply a virtual machine?
 
Sorry I haven't been back for a while.

So your Windows machine is on the 10.0.1.x network. You need to check the IP address of your iMac with the drobo attached. You mentioned that your son was able to connect to the Drobo from a different machine, so it is being shared. Just make sure that it is being shared for windows as well.

Once you have your iMac's ip address make sure that it is also on the 10.0.1.x network (and it should also have the same default gateway of 10.0.1.1). If so, then you should be set to connect to it.

I haven't had a Mac for a little while, but I know in Samba (which is what Apple uses to share with Windows) you set a Netbios name. I would imagine in OS X, on the windows sharing area - it will tell you what machine name it is exposing to windows. You can use this to map the network drive on windows by right clicking my computer (or just computer in vista) and selecting 'map network drive'. Choose a drive letter and where it says 'Folder' try hitting browse and see if you can see your iMac and the shared drive. If not try using \\iMac_Machine_Name\ShareName for the folder textbox.

Another way to do this (which is what I do) is to set your iMac to have a fixed ip address instead of being assigned a dynamic ip through DHCP from your wireless router. Then instead of specifying the iMacs machine name, you could use the ip address when mapping the drive like: \\10.0.1.x\DroboShareName

I hope this helps some. I'm happy to hear at least you can print now... which reminds me, if the printer is on the iMac as well, try going into the control panel and looking at your connected printers. I set my start menu so that I have a 'Printers' under Start -> Settings, but I don't think it is there by default. Anyway find the list of printers you are connected to and you should see the name of the printer should say something like 'Printer1 on MachineName'. If the printer is on the iMac, then you can use that machine name when mapping the drive.

Again I hope this helps, and I haven't confused you at all...
 
Solutions

I've found a solution: after hours on the phone with Dell and Apple (who was incredibly ignorant and massively worse than the former as far as help goes)...

Two programs:

Network Magic Essentials/Network Magic for Mac Add-On solved the majority of ALL my sharing issues: http://www.purenetworks.com/product/essentials.php

Another program that I already had is called Macdrive by Media Four (great for boot camp btw): http://www.mediafour.com/products/macdrive/

I still have a few tweaks that I need to figure out but it INSTANTLY got me connected... without all the other technical confusion.

Just FYI

Thanks Mike and Cave Man for your input.

Scott
USMC Ret.

2Funks.com
 
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