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Sharing files with 10.3 and XP

Sharing files between a Windows XP PC and a Mac running OS 10.3.x


This document was last updated on the 2 December, 2007

Networking

Macintosh: Networking With a Windows PC

Mac OS X 10.1 or later

How to Connect to Windows File Sharing (SMB)

Mac OS X 10.2

How to Set Up Windows File Sharing

Ports

"Well Known" TCP and UDP Ports Used By Apple Software Products



Sharing files between a Windows XP PC and a Mac running OS 10.4.x

You can use the following procedure to share files between an XP PC and a Mac running 10.4 Both computers should have their firewalls turned off, or have the relevant ports opened. These ports are UDP 137 and 138 and TCP 139, 548 and 427. If you are using 10.3 use this guide.

Stage 1 Ensure all computers are on the same subnet

Ensure that first each of the computers can access your network. Ensure that the IP address of each computer shares the same subnet, ie 10.0.1.x or 192.168.0.x or whatever!

Stage 2 Usernames and Passwords

Ensure that the Windows PC to have a user account with a username and a password and to know the shortname and password associated with the Mac.

How do I find my Mac (OS X) shortname?

Creating a new user account on Windows XP

Stage 3 Mac File Sharing

On the Mac

System Preferences -> Sharing

Ensure that Personal File Sharing and Windows File Sharing are checked

Ensure that Personal File Sharing and Windows File Sharing are checked

Stage 4 PC File Sharing

Do not try and share the whole drive only share folders

If you are running XP Home you can't share the whole drive. If you are running XP Professional then it is possible to share the whole drive, but is not recommended for security reasons.

On the PC on the relevant folders you want to share, right click and select Sharing and Security...

You will then bring up a new window, which will be different depending on whether you are using simple file sharing or not.

Non-Simple File Sharing

Simple File Sharing

Select Share this folder and give the folder a relevant name (it can make sense to avoid spaces and keep it all in lower case.

Non-Simple File Sharing

Simple File Sharing

If you are using non-simple file sharing, you can specify who can connect and what they can do, with simple file sharing you can also allow users to change files, by checking Allow network users to change my files.

Stage 5 Mac to PC

On the Mac

Finder -> Go -> Connect to Server

Finder -> Go -> Connect to Server

You will now see the Connect To Serve window.

Finder -> Go -> Connect to Server

Now you can try entering the Vista PC's name, but generally you will have more success with using the PC's IP address.

Type in smb://IP Address of PC

example smb://192.168.0.2

Click the + button for Finder to remember this location.

Click Connect

It will then attempt to connect to the PC

You will then be asked to authenticate.

In this example the Workgroup is WESTERNCC, your workgroup will probably be HOME, MSHOME or WORKGROUP depending on how you have configured your Windows PC. The Mac enters your Mac shortname as the Name, you will need to change this.

screenshot

For Name enter the Windows User account username.

For the Password ener the Windows password for that username.

screenshot

Check the Remember this password in my keychain box to avoid having to enter the password again.

Check the Remember this password in my keychain box to avoid having to enter the password again.

Click OK

If it is successful you will see the following and will ask you to Select a share (which will be the shared folders on the PC).

Select the correct share and click OK.

Your shared folder on the PC will then be mounted on the Mac Desktop and will be available in Finder.

Windows Share

Stage 5a Mac to PC - Individual folders

On the Mac

Finder -> Go -> Connect to Server

smb://IP Address of PC/name of shared folder

example smb://192.168.0.2/downloads

example smb://192.168.0.2/downloads

Stage 6 PC to Mac

Start -> My Network Places

Yours may already have network places in it.

Click Add a network place

You will then start the Add Network Place Wizard

Click Next

Select Choose another network location (you have more than the choice indicated here) and click Next.

Type in \\IP Address of Mac\Mac Username

example

\\192.168.0.10\jimbo

Then click Next.

You will then be asked to Type a name for this network place:

In this case the I have used the name of the Mac as the Network Place label.

Then click Next.

This will then add a folder to your My Network Places folder.

And you will be able to access the files in the folder on the Mac from the PC

From the Mac

System Preferences -> Sharing

Select Windows File Sharing and it will actually tell you what to type in.

Useful Links

Macintosh: Networking With a Windows PC

Mac OS X 10.1 or later: How to Connect to Windows File Sharing (SMB)

Mac OS X 10.2: How to Set Up Windows File Sharing

Sharepoints - useful for sharing individual folders or external hard drives