Macintosh Bible, 8th Edition, The

Networking Macs and PCs

You can do quite a lot with Macs and PCs on the same network. Sometimes you need to add some software to accomplish your goals—other times you can use features built into your computers.

When creating a cross-platform network, you should start by asking yourself what it is you want to do. The reply “Connect my Mac and PC” won't help you find the right answer—it's too vague and has no real meaning. You need to get specific as to what you want to accomplish—access a virtual private network, share files, or go wireless, for instance. Each is a different problem with a different solution. Sometimes the fix is in hardware, sometimes it's in software.

These days, the network hardware is the easy part. It's mostly cross-platform, ...