Networking a Mac and a PC

[IceyLady]

I recently bought a Netgear wireless ADSL router which supports netowkring with the mac.
I've got an air port extream card in my IMac G5.
The router works fine on the PC (using it as i speak!)
But i can't get the mac and the PC to talk!
I know the airport card is working.
Anyone help?
I've spoken to Netgear, apple and the ppl i got my mac off and no one can help!

Please if anyone can help i would be extreamly greatful.

[timster]

Have you tried connecting your Mac to the router via ethernet?

There are probably two different issues here: configuring your Mac and PC to communicate, and configuring your router to allow computers connected via wireless to communicate ("bridge") to those connected via ethernet. It's best to address these problems one at a time.

A word of caution: allowing wireless connections to your wired LAN is a security risk.

[lZakl]

IceyLady

First off Welcome to Webmasterworld!

OK. I have some questions :0) Can you ping your (I am assuming it's Windows XP) XP box from your Mac and the other way around? If so, we're in business as long as they are both connected to the same router.

The way it sounds to me is you Windows box is hard-wired to the router while you Mac is Wireless? Please clarify this.

Have you tried enabling "file sharing" on your XP box, and tried connecting via Go --> Connect to Server on your Mac? (This is the easiest way to network a Windows box with a Mac box. The place you will be trying to connect to will look like this: smb://Name/SharedDocs, where "name" is will be your PC's name. To find this, go to My Compputer, right click, select properties, then look at the computer name tab.

To surn on File Sharing, o to the properties for your Local Area Network connection and make sure File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks is installed and checked. Then navigate to the folders you want to share, (You can do this on the whole C:\ drive if you'd like), and right-click, select properties, go to the "sharing" tab, and check the box to "Share this folder on the network". You can call it whatever you want, just enter it in the Share Name field. Make sure the "Allow network users to change my files" is checked and you are done.

WHen you go to Go --> Connect to Server on your Macintosh, you will be prompted for a username and password, use the same username and password you use to log into your Windows machine. At this point you should see a network icon apear on the Desktop of your Mac. You will be able to access all you your shared files by going there.

Without knowing your network setup, there may be some differences, and without specifics, this is all the assistance I can offer... :0) This is a really good starting point. Oh, and make sure your Airport configuration is making use of the LAN and the internet. This is a common mistake of "I can get on the internet, but my computers can't see eachother...

Hope this helps... Good luck!

-- Zak

[IceyLady]

thank you for replying.
Before i bought the router i had no network, i don't even now i don't think.
its all got to be done wirelessly because of the distance between the P.C and the Mac.
When i go to log onto the internet on my mac it can't find a network.
I tried setting up a wireless network from the P.C. and i got a WEP code which i entered into the network thing on my mac but it still won't recognise the network.
When it comes to networks i know nothing so i don't mean to be rude but simple speak please :)

i hope i'm making sense