creating a network for my macs

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creating a network for my macs

I am a bit lost here so please bear with me.

I think it should be a simple task but cannot seem to get my macs to talk to each other over an internet connection.

Can someone please help me set up whatever I need to get this done, or point me in the direction of the information that will help.

I tried going into the network settings via the system preferences but don't have clue what to do from there.

I have a g5 dually, imac and a macbook. I just want to be able to share the desktop with each one.

TIA, D.

G5, Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Posted on Sep 14, 2008 8:05 AM

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Answer 1

Sep 14, 2008 8:32 AM in response to davidwegs

I assume you have each mac connected to a router. Then please see the instructions in this page:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.5/en/17131.html

(it's for Leopard but the principle is the same. The Help files on your computers will assist you).

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Answer 2

sig

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Sep 14, 2008 9:05 AM in response to davidwegs

This may help as well:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1549

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Answer 3

davidwegs Author

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Sep 14, 2008 9:22 AM in response to Roger Wilmut1

I can access the internet and do so via a netgear router.

I don't see any other computers from any of the macs. Where would I look to find another mac?

Thanks for your help.

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Answer 4

davidwegs Author

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Sep 14, 2008 9:26 AM in response to sig

Thanks for that info.

It shows a network where the common connection, where the "hub" is the router. I have that set up. All computers connect to the internet but don't see each other.

??

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Answer 5

Sep 14, 2008 9:35 AM in response to davidwegs

As each can connect to the internet the router is set up correctly. You need to enable File Sharing in the System Preferences>File Sharing pane as detailed in the link I mentioned:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.5/en/17131.html

Make sure that each computer has a name in that pane, a different one for each machine. Once done each computer connects to the others using Finder menu Go>Connect to Server. Click on Browse to see if you can see your machines.

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Answer 6

davidwegs Author

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Sep 14, 2008 11:11 AM in response to Roger Wilmut1

Thank you for taking the time Roger.

I have tried "connect to server" and the message that tells you its connecting shows. It has been like this for about 20 minutes now.

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Answer 7

Sep 14, 2008 3:04 PM in response to davidwegs

No need to wait for twenty minutes! It should connect in about five seconds. When you hit the 'Browse' button, do you see the other computers listed in the window by their names?

Go to the computer you are trying to connect to: in System Preferences>sharing you should see the name of the computer at the top, and the address for connecting to it. In the computer you are trying to connect from, enter this address in the 'connect to server' window, in the field at the top.

If none of this works, can you describe exactly what steps you have taken, and what form the failure takes - i.e., error messages, hanging, nothing at all.

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Answer 8

Sep 14, 2008 11:44 PM in response to Roger Wilmut1

...and incidentally try turning the firewall off on the machine you are trying to connect to, if it's on: if that works you could set it to 'allow all incoming connections' but there is probably a firewall in your router anyway.

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Answer 9

davidwegs Author

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Sep 15, 2008 7:35 AM in response to Roger Wilmut1

Thanks for your help and efforts. I have been through about everything you have suggested and when I select>>

finder > go > network > "other mac name" it shows it's connecting and offers a couple of buttons below. One says "connect as" and the other says "share screen".

In that window, the little spinning wheel is constantly spinning. So, I click on the "connect as" and it does nothing. Then second copy of the "other mac name" pops into the window and shows an eject icon next to it. I click on that to try to stop the ongoing process and it shows a window with an error message:

"the operation could not be completed" - "an unexpected error occurred (error code - 8072).

Thats as far as I can get.

Thanks again. D.

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Answer 10

Sep 15, 2008 8:22 AM in response to davidwegs

'finder > go > network > "other mac name"' does not appear in Tiger, which is what you say you have in your signature: is this Leopard (I don't have Leopard so I can't check).

Anyway, I'm going to try to walk you right through the process, even though you may have already done at least some of this. If some or all of your machines are Leopard I will hope that it comes out much the same.

1. Open System Preferfences>Sharing (let's call this machine 'computer 1').

2. Give the computer a name in the field at the top.

3. In the list on the left, click the checkbox for 'File sharing' (or 'Personal file sharing').

4. If there is a list of 'Shared Folders' (Leopard) you should see the Public Folder listed. (It's possible to share any folder by dragging it into the list).

5. Click the 'Start' button (Tiger); in Leopard check the File Sharing: on radio button is on.

6. You must repeat this process (1-6) with every other computer on the network.

7. Now in the Finder menubar, choose Go then 'Connect to Server'.

8. In the Sharing pane of the machine you want to connect to ('computer 2') you will see, below the computer name the message 'Other computers on your local subnet can connect to your computer at computername.local'. Make a note of this.

9. In the 'Connect to server' window of the 'computer 1', in the top field (Server address) type
afp://computername.local (from computer 2) and hit the 'Connect' button.

10. The icon for computer 2 should mount on the desktop. If you have an account on this computer you can log into it. You cannot access other people's accounts except for the Public Folder, the Drop Box and any folders they have designated as shared.

11. Make an alias of the icon for computer 2 and put it somewhere convenient. Now you can double-click it to make connection easy in future.

12. You can eject computer 2 like any disk: drag to the trash or highlight and command-e.

There are other methods of connecting but I felt this one was most likely to produce results. Repeat the process for any other computers, and then on each of the other computers you can do the same thing.

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Answer 11

davidwegs Author

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Sep 15, 2008 9:39 AM in response to Roger Wilmut1

Hi Roger.

Thank you. I believe that worked correctly.

That step by step is exactly what I needed. I really appreciate your assistance with that.

Ok, so just to let you know how it works now...

The iMac will see and talk nicely with the MacBook, and vice-versa. The G5 (running Tiger) can see and talk nicely with the MacBook and the iMac. Niether the iMac nor the MacBook can talk to the G5. They see it but just "loose" it when they try to connect to a folder. All permissions are set correctly too.

Here is the funny part. When I use the iMac (or MacBook) to connect to the (visible via the "connect to server" browse function) G5, it looks like its connecting. Then after a few moments it says the connection failed. When I then go look at the file sharing preferences in the G5, they are reset to be unchecked... ?? Strange.

Anyway, I can at least copy stuff around now. Thanks so much for your patience and help.

Best, D.

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Answer 12

Sep 15, 2008 10:17 AM in response to davidwegs

This may be due to the wireless network. I have a router, connected by ethernet to a G4 iMac, a G3 desktop (running OS8.6!) and an Airport Express. A G4 iBook is connected wirelessly to the Airport. The iBook can see the iMac, but the iMac cannot see the iBook (though it can see the G3)- I've not bothered to go into why not, but I would guess that the iBook is effectively on a subnet below the iMac and so the iMac can't see past the Airport (which is issuing an IP number to the iBook of course). If your setup is similar this may be the reason: I don't know whether there is a workaround.

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