Can I network an iMac with Sequoia 15.7.3 and a MacBook Air with Tahoe 26?

Depleted Synapses wrote:

Thanks. Previously only networked Macs running the same O/S. Now have to decide whether to take the plunge with Tahoe 26 (particularly given the negative reports)

Well I have Macs on my network running Big Sur, Monterey, Sequoia and Tahoe. They can interact and see and copy files over the local network. Macs on different versions of MacOS have always been able to be networked.

As for negative reports with Tahoe, there are many new features. Also a few old features that are either now gone or changed. Some people don't handle that well. I always look forward to the new features, improved security, and bug fixes that come with a newer MacOS version. We just obtained a new MacBook Pro with Tahoe and it seems pretty nice and easy to use. I think the "negative reports" you may have read are mostly due to things installed on older systems that may not be compatible with Tahoe. Of course with a brand new Mac, we migrated over only files and accounts but no apps or other installed things from the old Mac, and all software was newly installed fresh and everything seems to work well. Some had reported that existing/older external drives did not work properly with Tahoe, and that concerned me, but I have tested many older external drives that are formatted with GUID/APFS as well as with HFS+ and they all work fine.

I have one older MacBook Pro Intel 16" 2019 model that is on Sequoia and not yet upgraded to Tahoe. Some had reported slowness with such older Intel models under Tahoe, but some Discussions participants have that same model and report it runs fine under Tahoe. Again, I expect that incompatible older items installed previously are responsible for any such slowness. If this is a concern, carefully review all Applications and background items and login and startup items before upgrading. Another approach is to make two or three tested and reliable backups, then choose the option to erase all content and settings to prepare the Mac as if it would be sold. This basically restores it to an "as new" condition. Then run Setup Assistant and migrate over only files and accounts from the backup. This ensures that nothing incompatible is installed. Then install your software fresh using only Tahoe compatible installers.

>> Previously only networked Macs running the same O/S.

> Not true ever. Networking has always been possible with different OS, even Windows.

I think the OP meant they had only ever worked on networks with Macs running the same OS, not claiming that Macs have never supported networking across versions.

Depleted Synapses wrote:

Previously only networked Macs running the same O/S.

Not true ever. Networking has always been possible with different OS, even Windows.

Yes.

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