cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Connecting Mac to PC on network?

IanSn
Rising Star
Posts: 565
Thanks: 31
Registered: ‎25-09-2011

Connecting Mac to PC on network?

Total idiot network noob here. (This is probably even in the wrong forum, sorry)
Had Mac and PC on at same time, both connected to the wireless.
Message came up on Mac it wanted to talk to ians-PC.lan on 139. (Don't even know what this means... anyone?)
Have made no attempt in the past for these to talk to each other but got me wondering if I can exchange files (securely!) between the two computers. Would be handy. (PC is horrible Vista, btw)
There's certainly no sign anywhere that either know each other are there apart from the security software on the Mac telling me (the above).
Have now looked at networking options on both computers and don't understand a word of it.
Given that, is it likely I can actually do this with relative ease or should I just hang my head in shame and forget it?
cheers,
IanS
11 REPLIES 11
Oldjim
Resting Legend
Posts: 38,460
Thanks: 787
Fixes: 63
Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Re: Connecting Mac to PC on network?

IanSn
Rising Star
Posts: 565
Thanks: 31
Registered: ‎25-09-2011

Re: Connecting Mac to PC on network?

Many thanks Oldjim, buuut....  Embarrassed
Did you read the comments that followed the article?
Easy setup on the Mac, but Vista wont recognise anything.
It always surprises me that the second thing that was ever done with computers was networking them, yet its still a nightmare. It should be easy by now. Why so impenetrable?
Oh, well...
Back to the memory stick  Grin
dvorak
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 29,473
Thanks: 6,623
Fixes: 1,482
Registered: ‎11-01-2008

Re: Connecting Mac to PC on network?

The easiest was to share the files between the two would be to get a NAS (Network Attached Storage) You can use a filesystem that both the Mac and PC can use and makes a convenient transfer and backup tool.
Also look at things like dropbox and box.net, both cloud based solutions to help share files between devices.
Customer / Moderator
If it helped click the thumb
If it fixed it click 'This fixed my problem'
IanSn
Rising Star
Posts: 565
Thanks: 31
Registered: ‎25-09-2011

Re: Connecting Mac to PC on network?

Thanks dvorak,
sorry, would NAS be an external drive? I guess so -- I'll look this up later.
Can't spend any money right now so...
Not really into cloud. Or at least I'm avoiding it for as long as possible!
I was really just wondering how easy, or otherwise, using the router would be. Now I know!
Thanks  Smiley
dvorak
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 29,473
Thanks: 6,623
Fixes: 1,482
Registered: ‎11-01-2008

Re: Connecting Mac to PC on network?

Email files is always another option Smiley
Customer / Moderator
If it helped click the thumb
If it fixed it click 'This fixed my problem'
IanSn
Rising Star
Posts: 565
Thanks: 31
Registered: ‎25-09-2011

Re: Connecting Mac to PC on network?

do it all the time!  Wink
bonkers, eh? Send the thing for miles when the destination is a few feet away!! Roll_eyes
IanSn
Rising Star
Posts: 565
Thanks: 31
Registered: ‎25-09-2011

Re: Connecting Mac to PC on network?

Odd thing is though that the Mac is connecting to something here.
.                    Undecided
Its seen 139 (SMB/CIFS - Windows file service) outgoing
and found ians-pc.lan TCP Scr Port 49923, showing as an outgoing connection on the log.
So both must be doing something with each other or this wouldn't have come up....
MisterW
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 14,572
Thanks: 5,408
Fixes: 385
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Connecting Mac to PC on network?

Is this link macs.about.com/od/macwindows/ss/sharemacfilesvs_6.htm any use?

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

CX
Grafter
Posts: 750
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎16-09-2010

Re: Connecting Mac to PC on network?

I believe that port 139 is used for broadcasting its presence over NetBIOS (and possibly SMB handshake/negotiation?) but the main SMB/CIFS traffic moves through port 445, so make sure that it open on both computers. (NOT on your router for the internet though!)
IanSn
Rising Star
Posts: 565
Thanks: 31
Registered: ‎25-09-2011

Re: Connecting Mac to PC on network?

Thanks guys  Grin
been on this for around 10 or so hours
including editing the registry on Vista  Undecided  (really? Oh yes, I remember now. That's why my main computers are Macs....)
However - it worked!!  Cheesy
Accessing files in both directions now.
The mac.about link was really useful - and up to date, thanks MisterW
and the 445 item was necessary to know when realising the firewall had something to do with this as well, thanks CX23882
Those two bits of advice got me there in the end Smiley
Only outstanding thing is that a lot of my files on Vista are located on a second partition. Don't know how to make it find that... Have a feeling it will be easier to just move them than delve into that.
Not sure what will happen when I fire up the external drive on Vista either. We'll see...
Happy now  Cool
.
moreofthesame
Grafter
Posts: 25
Registered: ‎13-11-2009

Re: Connecting Mac to PC on network?

I run a number of Macs OS6,7,8,9 and 10.4 - the easiest way I've found to connect to Win PC is by FTP. I have various FTP apps on all machines and they connect via my router, all free and easy to set up. I'm sure there are better ways but I just wanted to get the job done with minimum fuss and effort.