connecting PC&imac

I *think* the right approach here is to have the printer directly connected to one or the other of the PC or the Mac, and then use Windows File Sharing to provide access to it from the other. I have never tried to share a printer myself, so I can't go much farther than that, but I understand that this is the basic conceptual model.

I did do something like this to share my Mac's folders with my PC, also on my little home network connected via a router. For printer sharing, my guess is that it will be easiest to connect the printer directly to the Mac, and then use the System Preferences Print&Fax Sharing tab to allow it to be shared.

Then, on the Windows box, go to My Network Places, select "Add A Network Place" and type in the IP address of your Mac. In my experience, the PC then waits for an EXTRAORDINARYILY long period of time (5+ minutes on my PC when I did this just to share my Mac's folders) before finally presenting you a login dialog.

After you login in, it should present you with a folder of available shared items from your Mac. In my case, it showed me the folders I was sharing, in your case hopefully a printer too!

Is there a special router I can buy to just connect the mac & pc? (not including the printer)

I had the same dilemma. First I made the docs on the pc sharable. Then from the mac I went to Finder, Go, Connect to server and typed in the address of the pc smb://pcname/etc.

As for the printer I purchased an Airport Express and used that. I don't know the specifics on that because my Father-in-Law did most of that for me. Using this is nice because the pc doesn't have to be on to print from the mac.

Fit4life said:

I had the same dilemma. First I made the docs on the pc sharable. Then from the mac I went to Finder, Go, Connect to server and typed in the address of the pc smb://pcname/etc.

Click to expand...

What kind of router do you have? & also how do you make the docs sharable? lol I must sound like an idiot