Add a Mac to a PC network

Mac computer is the idea that trading files with Windows is difficult. It’s actually very simple to do this, and we’re going to show you how.

People have been known to trade blows over the relative merits of Windows and Apple computers. We think each has its own merits and that people should be free to choose. What we intend to show in this feature is that you can have the best of both worlds using a home network.

As we said in our introduction to the Mac last issue, PCs and Macs are quite similar. However, making a connection between the two isn’t as straightforward as linking two of the same type. Nor is it difficult, especially with our guide.

The first thing to do is to get the Mac and the PC connected, which can be achieved using an ordinary home network. The next step is to get the Mac to open PC files and vice versa. In the majority of cases, Mac and PC programs use the same file formats, so a PC can open a digital photo on a Mac over the network, while the Mac can open and edit a Word file on the PC. Where file formats are incompatible, there’s usually a common format which can be used as a go-between’.

Get networking
It is possible to connect two computers directly by cables, and this is the basis of the simplest home networks, but this is limiting, not least because one computer has to be the ‘host’ and share its internet connection with the other. Networks offer much more flexibility and are no more difficult to set up. The basis for any such network is the router. This acts as a communications hub, handling and directing the data traffic between the computers.

Regular routers only enable cable connections between computers, so it’s best to get a wireless router which enables cable-free networking between computers in different parts of the house. ADSL modem routers are better because the individual computers on the network can use the router’s connection to surf the internet and send email.

ADSL wireless routers are not very expensive and available in computer stores. They contain instructions on how to configure them for a broadband account, and the process is similar to configuring a dial-up account on a computer. With a wireless router there’s still a choice of how to connect the computers. A cable connection is more reliable, but only practical for computers kept close to the router.

Wireless connections can work well within the house and garden, though it’s possible sometimes to get blackspots where the communication is weak or unreliable. An innovative technology called Homeplug (www.homeplug.org) gets round this. This uses conventional electrical wiring to carry data, providing the reliability of cable transfer without the cables.

All new Macs come with Ethernet sockets and Wifi built in, but that may not be the case with a PC. It may be necessary to add a Wifi or Ethernet card.

Setting up the PC and Mac
If the PC is already set up for home networking via a router, there’s nothing else that needs to be done to prepare it for networking for a Mac. If not, Windows XP’s Network Setup Wizard, in the Control Panel folder, helps with the configuration.

Note the computer name and the name of the workgroup (Mshome is the default). This will be important later on when you need to identify the network and the computer from another computer.