How to network with pc's?

[biguglyman]

My Daughter has her new Macbook and I'd like to add it to our home network so she can share files between her old computer (xp laptop) and the new Mac. Can someone explain this process to me so that even a lifetime pc'er can do it? Thanx. Her old laptop and my desktop are already networked via a router, both xp pro.

 

[Eric559]

I just finished looking at this post:

http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=72055

I posted a link in there that helped with networking a PC from Mac. Check it out.

 

[biguglyman]

Thanx. Hopefully I can figure it out from here.

 

[Eric559]

Thanx. Hopefully I can figure it out from here.

Yeah, it's not that hard to do.

 

[icyx]

hi, i saw this post and checked out the links also, but i still can't connect my mac and pc. i semi got it thru where they sort of recognize each other but it is asking for a login and password. i tried using the mac name and password well as using the pc name and password, but neither way would it connect. by the way i'm on os x 10.4.10 and vista for pc.

 

[Eric559]

hi, i saw this post and checked out the links also, but i still can't connect my mac and pc. i semi got it thru where they sort of recognize each other but it is asking for a login and password. i tried using the mac name and password well as using the pc name and password, but neither way would it connect. by the way i'm on os x 10.4.10 and vista for pc.

Where are you having login problems? From PC to Mac or Mac to PC?

 

[icyx]

Where are you having login problems? From PC to Mac or Mac to PC?

both, from pc to mac and/or mac to pc.

either way i try, it ask for a password and i tried the computer name and login but they dont work.

 

[Eric559]

On the mac you have to enable your account to allow sharing. Its on the settings view were you enabled personal sharing and windows sharing.

 

[icyx]

i enabled, and i saw a tab to enable users, but in that list i can't see any of the PC's

 

[Eric559]

i enabled, and i saw a tab to enable users, but in that list i can't see any of the PC's

In the enable accounts menu you are not going to see the PC but the name of your Mac.

 

[pjhutch]

You need username and password on each system, if connecting to the Mac use Upper case characters for the computer name (see Sharing system prefs for name of Mac) and use simple names, make sure Windows File Sharing is enabled on the Mac to enable file sharing with a PC.

 

[icyx]

i went over this thread and tried it again, but still no luck. anyone kind of enough to give a little more in detail or instruction with steps from the beginning? i'm a mac newb, got my macbook only a few days ago.

 

[dtravis7]

Just to make sure, is the Windows machine running Vista or XP? If Vista there is a setting in networking that has to be changed. Let me know.

 

[icyx]

Just to make sure, is the Windows machine running Vista or XP? If Vista there is a setting in networking that has to be changed. Let me know.

my PC is running Vista.

 

[dtravis7]

This is for Vista. Do not try this in XP. Vista changed a few things.

Vista by default is set to use NTVLM2. In order to network with OSX it has to be changed to use both LM and NTLM.

If you are running Vista Ultimate, Go to Start, Run command and type in secpol.msc and hit enter.
Click on "Local Policies" --> "Security Options"
Navigate to the policy "Network Security: LAN Manager authentication
level" and double-click it to get its Properties. By default Windows
Vista sets the policy to "NTVLM2 responses only". Use the drop-down
arrow to change this to "LM and NTLM - use NTLMV2 session security if
negotiated".

In Vista Home Premium, there is no secpol.msc (Security Policy) tool. You will have to edit the registry. Here are the steps to follow. I have only done with in Ultimate with the Security Policy editor but it should work

1. Run the registry editor and open this key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa
1. If it doesn't already exist, create a DWORD value named
LmCompatibilityLevel
3. Set the value to 1
4. Reboot

Hope this helps any Vista people. Before this I could never open a OSX Share in Vista.

 

[icyx]

dtravis7

thanks for the vista changes, but i'm still not getting my network to show up.

what steps did you have to do afterwards in PC and Mac to get things going?

 

[dtravis7]

What steps are you doing now to try and see your PC on your Mac and Vice Versa? What happens and what do you see when you try?

 

[icyx]

in my Macbook i went to System Preferences > Sharing : and turned on both Personal File Sharing and Windows Sharing. Also inside Windows Sharing I checked my macbook user name.

In my macbook when i look in Network, i only see 2 icons, Library and Servers. When i try to open the Library i get an error saying the original could not be found. When I open Servers, I only see my mac local.


For my PC (vista) I turned on sharing for one of my secondary Hard Drives which is (e. I look in the Network and I my PC icon which leads to the e: drive and printers.

 

[dtravis7]

Are both machines in the same workgroup?

The Library icon has nothing to do with it. Servers only shows servers and no workstation will show there. Your PC should show right there when you click network along with Library and Servers.

 

[icyx]

ok, that might be the program... i would guess i'm not in the same workgroup since the icons aren't showing.

how can i setup and choose workgroups?

thanks again dtravis7 for the extended help your been giving me