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Networking with PC's

tdbaws

tdbaws

macrumors member
Original poster
I am trying to get my laptop hooked up to my school's LAN of about 8 computers (all PC) and it's not showing up. Any ideas? I mean I should be able to just plug it in and have it detect all the right settings and then it work, but no such luck. any suggestions??

also, my mac is booting up slow, like it takes a good 5 minutes and I don't even have that much data on it. Help me out please


I'm on a Mac PowerBook 12'' G4
Version 10.3.5
 
tdbaws said:
I am trying to get my laptop hooked up to my school's LAN of about 8 computers (all PC) and it's not showing up. Any ideas? I mean I should be able to just plug it in and have it detect all the right settings and then it work, but no such luck. any suggestions??
Click to expand...

Could you be more specific on the "its not showing up part"

Do you mean you can't see you Mac on the PCs or you can't see the PCs from you Network window etc

Is it connecting with DHCP and getting an IP address?

Answer these and I might be able to help

Thanks
 
tdbaws said:
I am trying to get my laptop hooked up to my school's LAN of about 8 computers (all PC) and it's not showing up. Any ideas? I mean I should be able to just plug it in and have it detect all the right settings and then it work, but no such luck. any suggestions??

also, my mac is booting up slow, like it takes a good 5 minutes and I don't even have that much data on it. Help me out please


I'm on a Mac PowerBook 12'' G4
Version 10.3.5
Click to expand...
In my experience (assuming everything is set up correctly), PCs will appear in Network on the Macs, but Macs don't appear in Network Neighborhood on the PCs. I have no idea why this is, although if you establish a connection to a Mac on a PC using the Mac's IP address and username in this format:

\\mac_ip_address\username

...it connects just fine. One thing you'll need to watch out for is that the Macs and PCs are in the same workgroup. To set the workgroup on the Macs (assuming they're running Panther), go to Directory Access (in Utilities, which is inside Applications), select SMB, click Configure, then type in the correct workgroup name and click OK (If SMB is unselectable, authenticate to Directory Access first).
 
Sounds to me like the Workgroup thing is the problem as they sound like they are on the same subnet, and are connected.

Also, wrldwzrd89: I have no problems with my Mac showing up in Network Neighborhood on my PC.

Mike
 
tdbaws said:
I am trying to get my laptop hooked up to my school's LAN of about 8 computers (all PC) and it's not showing up. Any ideas? I mean I should be able to just plug it in and have it detect all the right settings and then it work, but no such luck. any suggestions??
Click to expand...

- What version of Windows is on the machines in your LAN?

- Is it an actual Windows domain (that is, do you have a domain controller) or is this an older-style peer-to-peer NetBEUI network (likely to be the case if these are older Win 9x computers)? If it's a NetBEUI network you're probably out of luck, since that wasn't IP based.

- If it's a real Windows 2000/XP domain: You may need to have a domain admin add it to the domain. It depends on how they have it configured.

- Make sure your Mac's firewall settings are allowing "Windows sharing". If you want the other computers to see your computer, make sure Windows sharing is turned on.

I use my Powerbook to connect to our Windows domain at work without any issues that I can think of.
 
They're on Windows XP and I'm going to try and get into an admin account tomorrow and hopefully get it running, been sight-seeing all of today and haven't had much time. I'm sure I'll figure out what it is, I just hate networking and trouble-shooting.
 
when I go to Network Utility and click on the "info" tab it shows the network as inactive on:

Ethernet Interface (en1)
Ethernet Interface (fw0)

but when I click Ethernet Interface (en0) It shows is as active and my link speed. It also shows my sent and recieved packets.

I can't ping any computer on my network and I can't get anything when I open a browser, just a "safari can't find server" alert.

In my System Preferences "Network" It says that my "Built-in Ethernet is currently active and has the IP address. You are connected to the internet via Built-in Ethernet."

What do I need to do? because now I am stumped, with all this showing up, I know I'm connected to something, but it just won't work.

If people want me to post a screen snap I can, but not until tomorrow.

thanks.
 
tdbaws said:
when I go to Network Utility and click on the "info" tab it shows the network as inactive on:

Ethernet Interface (en1)
Ethernet Interface (fw0)

but when I click Ethernet Interface (en0) It shows is as active and my link speed. It also shows my sent and recieved packets.

I can't ping any computer on my network and I can't get anything when I open a browser, just a "safari can't find server" alert.

In my System Preferences "Network" It says that my "Built-in Ethernet is currently active and has the IP address. You are connected to the internet via Built-in Ethernet."

What do I need to do? because now I am stumped, with all this showing up, I know I'm connected to something, but it just won't work.

If people want me to post a screen snap I can, but not until tomorrow.

thanks.
Click to expand...
Have you tried restarting your Mac? Sometimes a restart will force Mac OS X to purge old networking settings and get new, valid ones. I'm surprised at how many times a simple restart fixed my iMac's inability to connect to the network/Internet.
 
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/89530/

Buddy, I'm having the same troubles as you. I can see everyone on my school network: Mac, WinXP, and Win98 users just fine. However, they can't see me. In System Prefs>Shared, it first told me that I can be reached if someone types in \\126w.uow.speedlink.com.......\(my name), but I wanted people just to see me in the network like everyone else. I wanted people to get pictures from me without issues. I always tell them that there's never any trouble with using Macs......well, until I tried connecting to a Windows Network for the first time. Now they say, "He's having trouble, but that's because he's using a Mac." 😱

Oh, and my computer was showing up as 'YOUR-6BVPXYZTQ' on the network. I specified "Iank," but it doesn't work. Now that name is gone, but was replaced with 126w (as in \\126w.uow.speedlink.com.......\name that I mentioned earlier). Not sure if people can reach me through this name yet.

I tried the whole Application>Utilities>Directory Access thing, but I'll have to check a friend's computer to see if it works. My name still doesn't show up under the WinXP part of the network even though that's where I set my computer to appear in Directory Access. It shows up under WORKGROUP under 126w. 🙁
 
Abstract said:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/89530/

Now they say, "He's having trouble, but that's because he's using a Mac." 😱

(
Click to expand...


I get the same thing. Are you able to get your internet to work though? I dont care too much about the file sharing, but I want the internet to work, so I dont have to use a PC and I want to be able to upload files. Still looking for help. thanks.
 
okay, he's what I did to get my mac's showing up peacfully along with every other windows / linux pc on my network:

Open Terminal in Applications --> Utilities --> Terminal

type: sudo vi /private/etc/smb.conf (or use pico if you wish)
enter your password and press return.

in the configuration file amend or add the following lines:

[global]
workgroup = MYWORKGROUP
(replace with the workgroup / domain name that you wish the mac to co-exist with)

now add shares and point them to the directories that you wish to share.

[mysharename]
path = /Users/gary/MyPics
public = yes
guest ok = yes
writable = yes


now exit saving the file (Esc : WQ) in vi.

type sudo killall -HUP smbd (enter password)
type sudo killall -HUP nmbd (enter password)

you may now need to reboot your mac, ensure that windows sharing is enabled in the Sharing control panel, and your mac should show up in the network neighbourhood.
 
Mine does, but I haven't gone past the first step. I'm always a bit scared that I'll change settings permanently this way, and when I have to do this again, I won't be able to do anything about it. If I can't get there by playing around with settings the regular way, there must be something that I'm not doing, I figure, so unless there's no other way, I'll try a method that seems less drastic. I once did something to Help Viewer, and asked it to point to something non-help related, and now it doesn't work anymore. I can't get HELP in any software program, or in OSX.

Whatever. Thanks though. I'll try your method if mine doesn't work in a week. 🙂
 
tdbaws said:
yeah dude, i'm the last person who posted in that thread. that is mostly for wireless.
Click to expand...

ok DUDE 🙄 , what are you...15? That thread is mostly for networking, wireless or not.

Your problem seems to be between the back of your chair and the computer. Now reading every post on this thread shows you haven't answered many questions to help us help you.

You say you have an IP, but you don't way what it is. IPs will always get assigned, so just because you have one, doesn't mean you are on the network.

You need to provide more information such as what you are connecting to for example? Windows managed network, hub, router??? Does your network employ security settings such as MAC address checking? can you ping other computers on the network? Did you bother looking at how the other PCs are configured? Fixed IP or DHCP? Windows domain or no domain?

Stop getting your panties in a bundle and relax, the people here are knowledgable, so now go back and answer some of these questions... Provide as much information as possible, tell us what you have tried and what you havent....
 
kingjr3 said:
You need to provide more information such as what you are connecting to for example? Windows managed network, hub, router??? Does your network employ security settings such as MAC address checking? can you ping other computers on the network? Did you bother looking at how the other PCs are configured? Fixed IP or DHCP? Windows domain or no domain?
Click to expand...

So we should go to the system admin and ask? I guess his is do-able, as he's only connected to 8 computers, but I can't get it to work through my entire residence network. I just plug my computer into an ethernet jack in the wall to connect to the network.

As far as I know, everyone else who wants to be on the network can do so easily from WinXP, I can't be seen on the network unless someone types in an address of some sort, and I haven't even gotten that to work yet. I'll have a friend try again, but....

Anyway, forget it. Worst comes to worse, I'll try out the suggestion made by GarybUK.
 
Abstract said:
So we should go to the system admin and ask? I guess his is do-able, as he's only connected to 8 computers, but I can't get it to work through my entire residence network. I just plug my computer into an ethernet jack in the wall to connect to the network.

As far as I know, everyone else who wants to be on the network can do so easily from WinXP, I can't be seen on the network unless someone types in an address of some sort, and I haven't even gotten that to work yet. I'll have a friend try again, but....

Anyway, forget it. Worst comes to worse, I'll try out the suggestion made by GarybUK.
Click to expand...


i'd call tech support and just set a date for them to come out. that's what i would do here, but there isn't any.
 
garybUK said:
okay, he's what I did to get my mac's showing up peacfully along with every other windows / linux pc on my network:

Open Terminal in Applications --> Utilities --> Terminal

type: sudo vi /private/etc/smb.conf (or use pico if you wish)
enter your password and press return.

in the configuration file amend or add the following lines:

[global]
workgroup = MYWORKGROUP
(replace with the workgroup / domain name that you wish the mac to co-exist with)

now add shares and point them to the directories that you wish to share.

[mysharename]
path = /Users/gary/MyPics
public = yes
guest ok = yes
writable = yes


now exit saving the file (Esc : WQ) in vi.

type sudo killall -HUP smbd (enter password)
type sudo killall -HUP nmbd (enter password)

you may now need to reboot your mac, ensure that windows sharing is enabled in the Sharing control panel, and your mac should show up in the network neighbourhood.
Click to expand...


What do I do if my network is already listed in the "WORKGROUP" location. here's what I get in my window.
 

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