Bluetooth connects, but won't let me browse

Hello,

I'm trying to connect my Windows PC with my Macbook Pro. I have got the connection established fine, and the macbook shows up in my bluetooth folder as a serial connection.

From the macbook, I can send and browse to a specific folder on my PC designated for bluetooth files. However, I can't do anything from the PC. When I try to go into the serial folder, it tells me the connection isn't established. I've gone through all the configuration setting in the macbook to enable file sharing of the Mac HD and Desktop. Nothing...

I've noticed some other threads where people have had similar (though not duplicate) issues. They were unanswered for the most part.

Why are you using bluetooth to transfer files? It is 2-3Mbps at best. I had tried it at one point but gave up due to the bandwidth limitiations. It was much better to have a formatted usb drive that both the windows machine and mac machine could read/write (like fat)

I need to be at the mac for USB. With Bluetooth, my girlfriend can use her computer and I can browse it from mine and grab the files I need. She can do that from my computer now, but I can't access hers at all (besides pairing)

OK - well what about just straight network access - through wifi? Again it is faster. Anyway bluetooth uses the same sharing as network so if you can't get bluetooth to work - wifi/ethernet may not work either.

So it sounds like you have file sharing for certain folders enabled - on the PC side do is it logged in with the same user info? Meaning - what you shared - is the login info for that share the same on both machines? Secondly - what version of windows are you running? I've had trouble getting windows 7 to see anything with the Mac unless I had login names for everyone trying to share - on all computers.

Got it to work. Turns out it was the PC not having OBEX enabled. I'm running XP as well; I'm letting new Windows settle down for a while before upgrading

I've never had much luck with networking PCs with Macs. I can get them to see each other, but how do you get in and start browsing the computer folders?

Once you have network sharing on both enabled - and you have proper logins and permissions it is pretty easy.

On Windows - in explorer type in \\<the ip address of your mac>
On Mac - in finder hit cmd-k - type in smb://<the ip address of your pc>

With XP I had no trouble seeing in both directions. With windows 7 it seems to work if you have the same login/password combo on both machines. Otherwise I had issues.

Cool. Thank you!

I'll have to fiddle with it a bit more. I see printers, but I'm getting there. Probably less a mac issue and more a windows issue at this point though.