Trying to connect 2 macs...

[DaveinJapan]

I'm trying to get a connection between my iMac (ethernet) and powerbook (airport), and called applecare today about it but they couldn't figure out why I couldn't connect the 2 computers. They are supposed to call back tomorrow, but the guy told me that technically I'm supposed to buy an Apple base station. We have a yahoobb modem, and it worked before. But not now for some reason.

By the way, I have no problem connecting from the Powerbook to the iMac. I've tried "connect to server" using the ip address, and browsing etc...but no luck.

Any help?

 

[mad jew]

What services do you have turned on in the System Preferences, under Sharing? Are they the same for the iMac and the PowerBook?

 

[Nermal]

When you say "connect the computers", what are you actually trying to accomplish? Are you trying to share files? Share an Internet connection? Host a Web server?

 

[mad jew]

Good point Nermal. My response was assuming it was file sharing FWIW.

 

[dogbone]

Hope no one minds me butting in here but I have a question that is probably not worth a thread.

I've got two emacs connected throught a router/modem with ethernet. If I want to see the other macs public folder I go to Go>Network then I see the servers window, and I can see the other computer to connect to.

My question is that as well as the other computer I also see an alias to a hard drive that has my name-2.lan if I click on it it shows the contents of my hard drive. What is this for, how is it used?

thanks.

 

[DaveinJapan]

Thanks for the replies. Sorry, I meant for file sharing. I already do share an internet connection (sorry to be vague, I live in Japan and my wife sets up all the internet stuff...I just know it works ).

Under system preferences, sharing, I have personal file sharing checked on both. Under "internet", I've got Personal File Sharing checked on both computers, firewall is off, and under internet the iMac says "Share your connection from ethernet to computers using airport.

Okay, here's where it gets weird. The Apple guy said on the PowerBook I should check "airport" to "airport" there in that "Share your connection" section. At the time, no check box came up for "airport" (only "built in Ethernet"), but now there is a check box for "airport".

When I clicked it, however, I got a warning message like "If you turn on this port, your internet Service provider might terminate your service to prevent you from disrupting its network". So, should I do it anyway?

Weird that the option wasn't there when I was on the phone with the guy (or else I'm just losing my mind here... ).

 

[DarkNetworks]

When you say "connect the computers", what are you actually trying to accomplish? Are you trying to share files? Share an Internet connection? Host a Web server?

i think he wants the computers to "talk" to each other by means transfer files aka share files...not too sure though...

 

[DaveinJapan]

Yeah, basically. I just want to copy files from one machine to the other, etc...

Also, I like to open finder windows for both machines from time to time to see what files I've got copies of on which machine. Like I said, I can do this now on the PowerBook, I'd just like to figure out WHY I can't do it on the iMac (it's really more convenient to "look" at what's on the PowerBook from my iMac, so I can just leave the PowerBook up on the shelf).

 

[mad jew]

In the Network settings, do you have AppleTalk turned on for AirPort and ethernet? Also, if your PowerBook falls asleep you won't be able to access it. It's not falling asleep on you, is it?

 

[ElectricSheep]

I don't know what the hell the guy from Apple is trying to get you to do, but you do not want to have Internet sharing enabled for both the iMac and the Powerbook.

Internet sharing should only be enabled on the computer that actually has access to the internet. It sounds like this is the iMac plugged into a cable/dsl modem?

In this case, the iMac should share its internet connection from built-in ethernet to Airport. Create an Airport network with your iMac, and join that with your Powerbook. Your Powerbook should have internet sharing turned off all-together.

 

[DaveinJapan]

Okay, I tried to turn on appletalk on both airport and ethernet, but when I tried to check the ethernet appletalk box I got a message "AppleTalk can only be active on one network port at a time. If you continue, AppleTalk will be deactivated on AirPort".

Also, the PowerBook is set to never sleep right now (because of that concern you mentioned, MJ.

How do I turn on AppleTalk for both ports?

I'll try your solution now, ElectricSheep.

 

[DaveinJapan]

Now I'm getting confused. I guess I don't know exactly what internet sharing is. The modem is set up for BOTH computers, the iMac is connected via cable and the PowerBook is connected wirelessly. So, the iMac does not need to be on, or sharing or anything, for the PowerBook to have internet access in my house.

Does this make sense? Does it change what I need to do? In anycase, Electric, how do I turn off the internet sharing on the PB?

Thanks for all the input, we'll figure it out someday.

 

[CanadaRAM]

Dave: Please short circuit all of this speculation

Tell us: Do both of your machines have Airport?
Do you have a wireless router or a wired router or no router?

--- EDIT OK sorry you beat me to the reply
-- Still, is the modem equipped with a wireless connection itself, or do you have a wireless router?

How does each machine connect to the router, wire or Airport?

-- OK, the iMac is connected by Cable -- does it have an Airport Wireless card at all?


Here's what I now think you have, a 2 machine-router setup.

Modem (w or w/o router) -- cable-- iMac with NO wireless
Modem (w or w/o router) -- air-- Powerbook w/wireless

If the above is true, the problem is, very few modems or routers will route Appletalk via wireless. So unless you have an Apple-brand Airport basestation of some kind, you're SOL using Appletalk wirelessly. You're going to have to use IP connectivity, so turn off Appletalk

Next question, what OS does each machine run?

Dog: sorry, please start your own thread. Seriously, you'll stand a better chance of being answered than engaging in a minor bit of thread-jacking.

 

[DaveinJapan]

Okay, the modem has a cardlike device attached to it for wireless...would that be a router? Whatever it is, it's what yahoo gave us.

I'm not sure if the iMac has an Airport wireless card...does that come standard? It's a fairly new machine (within the last 6 months). We didn't purchase anything special anyway, so if it doesn't come installed in the iMacs then I don't have it.

They are both running OSX Tiger. the PowerBook is version 4.3, and the iMac is version 4.2 (I installed the update on the PowerBook, but it seemed to make the computer start up slower, so I was reluctant to install on the iMac last week).

As far as the basestation thing is concerned, I'm confused because before I was able to set up a connection on both computers at the same time. I'm not sure how I did this (sorry for my ignorance), but it was with the help of AppleCare people. It didn't seem to be a difficult thing to do at the time!

If anyone cares to explain the basics of this to me a little more, I'd love to learn (so I don't need to keep posting annoying threads like this one
). How would I use IP connectivity? Would I turn AppleTalk off on both computers? How is it that I've got the iMac icon on my PowerBook now? Is that through AppleTalk, or the IP thing?

 

[CanadaRAM]

Check the iMac and see if you have the option to choose Airport in the Network preferences pane. If not, then it doesn't have an Airport card.

If you don't have an Airport card in the iMac, then forget about using Appletalk networking, and turn Appletalk off.

The Modem is acting like a router, yes. One port by cable and one port by wireless.

You understand that you can have an internet connection without having an Appletalk connection, right? They are separate things. You don't need Appletalk to share files. You also don't need to have Share Internet connection turned on on either machine.

 

[DaveinJapan]

Okay, I checked airport under network preferences. It says my airport is turned on but is not connected to a network. Does this mean I don't have the Airport card?

I'm still not sure where to find this "share internet connection", is that somewhere in system preferences as well?

What is the purpose of Appletalk, if not to share files and all that?

What exactly am I using when I "create network" anyway? We do that all the time at work to share files between macs. Shouldn't I be able to do that between my 2 computers too? Or does that mean the iMac doesn't have an airport card?

 

[CanadaRAM]

Okay, I checked airport under network preferences. It says my airport is turned on but is not connected to a network. Does this mean I don't have the Airport card?

I'm still not sure where to find this "share internet connection", is that somewhere in system preferences as well?

What is the purpose of Appletalk, if not to share files and all that?

What exactly am I using when I "create network" anyway? We do that all the time at work to share files between macs. Shouldn't I be able to do that between my 2 computers too? Or does that mean the iMac doesn't have an airport card?

Dave, I think you need to study on this a bit and come back to it. There are more questions than I can answer on the forum.

Have a look at http://www.threemacs.com and at Apple's website http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106461 for foundation information about what networking, sharing and Appletalk are.

Essentially, "Internet" "Connection" "FileSharing" and "Appletalk" are interrelated but distinct things.

"Share Internet Connection" has no relevance in your setup as you describe it - and should be turned off on both machines. Your yahoo modem is doing that function for you.

 

[DaveinJapan]

So, how do I turn it off?

Basically, all I want to do is bring up my powerbook files on the iMac.

Is that really a very complicated thing? Seems easy enough from the iMac to the powerbook anyway.

If anyone could provide a solution, I'd really appreciate it.

 

[FocusAndEarnIt]

You have AIM? I think I could help you!

Heck.. IM me: Lilstewart92. I've helped many people this way

 

[DaveinJapan]

Thanks for the links Canada, by the way.

LilStewart, unfortunately I don't have aim. Thanks for the offer though (I only have msn ).

 

[Laser47]

...
You said that the imac is connected to the router(internet connection) through ethernet, and the powerbook is connected to the router wirelessly (airport).
Both of your computer can access the internet right?
I think what you are trying to ask is how to enable file sharing?
If so just go to System Prefrences and click sharing and enable Personal File Sharing. When you click start, and once its done starting up it will say on the bottom how to connect to your computer.
The apple people are just trying to sell you an airport base station. As long as you have a router, hub, or switch(computer are connected together) you souldint have a problem.

 

[slooksterPSV]

If all else fails, get a Firewire cable (unless you have one) both sides the same... I think its MALE to MALE and turn on one computer using Target disk mode (hold down T right after you press the power button, or go to system preferences and startup disk then click the Target disk mode). So have one computer on in the OS, the other in Target disk mode and copy what files you need.
Now for my advice disconcerning all you have stated:

1st get the IP Addresses of both computers - make sure they are on the same network for example if one is 192.168.0.5 the other has to be between 192.168.0.2-192.168.0.254 - the 1st-3rd octet (xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx) must be the same or only one computer can connect to the other - e.g. We have a Wireless DSL Modem. One part is connected to a Router (the POS PC's) and the other (my beautiful iBook) is connected Wirelessly (Wi-Fi), so they can only see my computer + others on the router, but I cannot see theirs.
2nd open System Preferences go to Sharing and enable Personal File Sharing. This'll start the service and give you an afp://<ip_address>/ at the bottom - the other computer uses this afp://<ip_address>/ to connect to the Macintosh HD on the machine you enabled this on.
3rd click go->connect to server or press CMD+K and type in afp://<ip_address_to_other_computer>/ type in the user name and password for that machine's User.


Here we go:
Mac 1 = 192.168.0.45
Mac 2 = 192.168.0.213
Mac 1 goes to connect and types in afp://192.168.0.213/ types in a username and password that is on Mac 2
Mac 2 goes to connect and types in afp://192.168.0.45/ types in a username and password that is on Mac 1

 

[DaveinJapan]

Okay...the IP numbers are completely different from each other. Is there a way to change one of them?