How do I network with windows peer to peer
iMac, Mac OS X (10.7.2)
Why do peer to peer, it's unreliable and complex? It's much much easier to just have a router and have both the Mac and Windows boxes on the same network. Then you can easily network.
I'm afraid you don't understand the meaning of "peer to peer". It has nothing to do with having a router. If you do not have a domain server, your network is peer to peer whether you are using a router or not. I have a router and have windows and mac machines connected to the router. I find that connecting from windows machines to the mac is flakey and inconsistent.
I have set up windows file sharing on the mac (OSX 10.7.2) sharing a limited # of folders. When connecting from a windows machines, I get one of the 2 following scenarios.
1) I am not challenged for userid or password and I can see everything on the mac with full priviledges (as if everything is shared and I am an Admin.
2) I get challanged for userid and password. No matter what I enter for user ID and password, the challenge fails and I cannot connect.
The first circumstance occurs if the mac is booted after the windows machine. The second when the mac is booted first.
My concern is that it is a pain to remember to boot the win machine first in order to get connected and secondly that the connection is totally insecure, not recognizing the sharing that was set up on the mac.
I totally understand what a peer to peer network is. However can you be more specific about what your end goal is, please try to paint a picture that describes what your end results will be that way maybe we can offer some suggestions. If I can't answer then maybe someone else will pipe up to help out.
My apologoies if I insulted you with my previous remark.
My end goal is very straight forward. I would like to be able to access files (file sharing) on windows machines from mac and visa versa. This includes opening and modifying files (in place) with appropriate app software as well as copying files from machine to machine. I would also like to do this in a secure manner - ie be able to control access by user. That is, users should be able to access files on other machines through a sharing mechanism that allows for different levels of access to different folders for specific folders and control over the rights that the user has.
Mac file sharing is set up to allow this. Specific users can have controlled access to specific folders. Easy to set up through sharing in prferences. I have configured sharing folders to be shared, assigned users and access rights, set sharing to SMP in "options" and specified users.
In network preferences > advanced > wins I have specified net bios name and appropriate workgroup name.
The trouble is it doesn't work!!! As stated in my previous post, if the mac machine is booted before the windows machines are booted, I cannot get any access from the windows machine to the mac. If the win machines are booted first I have total unfettered access to ALL files on the mac - file sharing settings are completely disregarded.
I have a small photography business with a number of windows machines (WIN 7 Pro and Vista Business) and a single mac. One of the windows machines has about 5 TB of storage and is used as my main storage for the network. It is important to control access from various users to limit what they can access and how they can access files. The Mac machine (Imac 21.5'" mid 2011) was purchased to evaluate the mac OS in consideration to migrating from Windows to Mac.
Also file sharing form the Mac to windows machines works fine. Using "connect to server" from the go menu works fine with only shared folders being available with appropriate rights.
One of my concerns here is that it does bring into question the overall security of the Mac OS. If I can access any file on the mac without logging in as a user, this is very, very bad!!!!
My guess is that there is something wrong with the way the Mac OS presents itself to the windows network browser and that there are serious deficiencies in the mac implementation of file sharing.
Thanks
OK, Let see if we can figure it out. I'm sure OS X will perform how you want but you may need more help than I can offer but I'll give it a try. FYI if the Mac is less than 90 days old or if you purchase AppleCare I'd recommend that as your first line of service. If the initial rep cannot help request the call to be escalated to a more senior engineer and they will accomondate you. If you aren't familiar with AppleCare it extends the original warranty to 3 years and also provides telephone support for those 3 years. When I was a new user I found it invaluable. You can find the number in your manual or use the AppleCare Contact Info link.
Now for your issue. The first thing I'd recommend is starting with a clean slate and undoing the Sharing Preferences then restarting in Safe Mode to clear some caches. Then in the Sharing Preference select File Sharing then to ensure it's on then add the users you want to have access by using the + symbol under Users. Next click Options and select the Sharing files and folders using SMB (Windows). BTW if you're not familiar with SMB Windows you can find a definition in Wikipedia. The window will look similar to:
Thanks for your attempt to help. I have set up as you suggest. I have also been in touch with Apple Care and have escalated to a sr. tech. Their attitude is "its a windows problem and we don't trouble shoot windows".
Obviously is a MAC OS problem (particularly allowing access to an unlogged in user)!! Like all others in this business, everything is someone else's fault. Typical of technology support.
Sad to find out that apple (contrary to reputation) is just like all the other vendors, including Microsoft.
Thanks anyway for your help. I guess I will not be moving my business to the MAC platform in any serious way.
I wouldn't give up so easily. If you were not satisfied with the support you recieved then call back and be a little persistent. If you still can't get help then contact Apple Customer Relations at 80-767-2775, you will get much further by being polite, persistent and organized with receipts, case numbers from Apple Care, etc. Let them know your frustration and seek some help. I'm sure if you follow those directions you will eventually get a resolution.
To be honest it is very possible your problem is a Windows issue, because I don't speak Windows any longer I can't help you there.
Finally another avenue to pursue is to contact an Apple Consultant in your area, you can start researching this by clicking the Apple Consultants Network link. I suspect what you want to do requires someone with both MS Windows & OS X networking knowledge.
How do I network with windows peer to peer
