two laptops, airport and iTunes

webstereo · Dec 27, 2007

Hi
I have a macbook pro in one room with all my songs on it and a powerbook in another room. Both have airport built in. I don;t have a wired or wireless network. I'd like to be able to play the songs on the macbook pro using the powerbook. i.e songs come out of the powerbook speakers. Is this possible and if so how?

Mark.

smartyMAC · Dec 27, 2007

You can try setting up internet sharing and then share the internet over Wifi.

webstereo · Dec 27, 2007

Not trying to share the internet though. Just the songs.

bryphotoguy · Dec 27, 2007

You can get the MBP to broadcast a wireless signal. From that, you can turn on internet sharing of your iTunes library. This will allow both computers to share the music files for listening only. You wouldn't be able to download the music from the MBP, only listen to it on the PowerBook. This is what it sounds like what you want to do, right?
On the MBP, go to System Preferences > Sharing > Internet Sharing. I think there should be something there for Wireless Internet or something. My computer doesn't have wireless but I remember it being there. You should be able to set a network name and a password if you want a secure connection.
On iTunes, go to Preferences > Sharing. Choose Share my Library on a Local Network.
On the PowerBook, connect to the wireless network you made from the MBP and do the same steps for sharing iTunes.
Once this is done, the MBP library should show up in iTunes on the PB.
Again, iTunes will only allow you to listen to the song, not copy it over.

jayjaytee · Dec 27, 2007

if u dont have a network in your home you're going to have to create a computer to computer network which u can do with 2 airport enabled computers.

Creating a computer-to-computer network
You can create a wireless network between two or more AirPort-enabled computers without using an AirPort Base Station. Using what is known as a “computer-to-computer” network, you can share files or play your favorite multiplayer network game over the airwaves.

Computer-to-computer networks are sometimes referred to as ad-hoc networks.

To create a computer-to-computer network:

Choose Create Network from the AirPort status icon in the menu bar.

If the icon isn’t in the menu bar, choose Apple > System Preferences, and then click Network. Click AirPort and select the “Show AirPort status in menu bar” checkbox.

Give the network a name and select a channel from the pop-up menu. The default channel is 11, but you can choose channel 1 or channel 2.

Select the Require Password checkbox to protect your network with a password. Type the password users will need to enter in order to join your network. Do the following:

■
Type a password of exactly 5 ASCII characters or 10 hexadecimal digits if you chose “40-bit WEP (more compatible)” from the Security pop-up menu.

■
Type a password of exactly 13 ASCII characters or 26 hexadecimal digits if you chose “128-bit WEP” from the Security pop-up menu.

Other AirPort-enabled computers within range can join the network you created by choosing it from their AirPort status icon, or by choosing it from the Network Name pop-up menu in the AirPort pane of Network preferences.

Computer-to-computer networks are not compatible with WPA or WPA2 protected networks.

Then do what Bry said... goto iTunes -> Preferences and allow people to see your library. Do that on both computers

hi, i'm bryphotoguy's cousin.... first post

webstereo · Dec 28, 2007

Yep, playing is all I want to do thanks. I think I did all that and it doesn't work. I don't know if it's anything to do with the powerbook being on 10.3? I do have an airport (extreme I think - the dome shaped one) but I don't use it as I don't have internet at home. Would it be easier to do this using the airport?

jayjaytee · Dec 28, 2007

using the extreme would be better. You'd be making an actual network instead of just a computer to computer network. Sounds like you have all the capabilities to make this work

webstereo · Dec 29, 2007

Right, but I've no idea how to make it work with the extreme. I made the C to C network ok and logged into it on the powerbook but the old version of itunes didn't show anything up. Both were set as instructed above. MY sisters iMac is set to share internet using airport and her iTunes shows up on my MacBook Pro. Could this be an older version issue?

bryphotoguy · Dec 30, 2007

webstereo said:
Right, but I've no idea how to make it work with the extreme. I made the C to C network ok and logged into it on the powerbook but the old version of itunes didn't show anything up. Both were set as instructed above. MY sisters iMac is set to share internet using airport and her iTunes shows up on my MacBook Pro. Could this be an older version issue?

One might assume. Why not DL the latest version of iTunes?
I used to share libraries living in the dorms when I was in college. Library sharing worked 4 years ago, you shouldn't have problems now.

webstereo · Dec 31, 2007

Yeah I could do that. It's also OS 10.3 which is really what I meant by older version.