# Connecting two Macintosh computer. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 30, 2006, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connecting-two-macintosh-computer/386152 "2006-12-30T22:44:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2006, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connecting-two-macintosh-computer/386152/1 "2006-12-30T22:44:18Z")
I have a lot of new family photos on the laptop, taken this week. I would prefer to get them onto the home machine. It has the newer version of iPhoto on it and an excellent monitor, so I can more easily adjust, fiddle with, edit, etc. I don’t want to burn out to CD’s or use a transfer 4 gig portable HD if I don’t have to, because I sense I will be needlessly compressing and decompressing two times that way. Can I plug my laptop into the back of the Mac Mini and have it “appear” as an external drive, as I can do with other external storage devices? How do I go about setting the laptop to be “viewable” and such? I’ve heard it can be done and have no clue, and do not want to risk the precious photos I’ve got on the laptop now. The laptop has OS-X 10.3 The Mini has OS-X 10.4. whattevah Any help will be greatly appreciated. Cartooniverse ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2006, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connecting-two-macintosh-computer/386152/2 "2006-12-30T22:52:44Z")
Not a Mac user but this question was raised here recently. However: > [@](#): > > However, my favorite file transfer method is over a simple, 2-Mac network using an Ethernet crossover cable (also known as a “twisted Ethernet cable”).. This is different from the standard Ethernet cable that probably came with your Mac, which is wired for a straight connection to a network hub. The crossover cable is wired to plug directly into the respective Ethernet ports of two Macs. Most computer stores or mail order resellers should be able to fix you up with one for $10 or less. From: url=[http://www.applelinks.com/index.php/more/connecting\_two\_macs\_using\_an\_ethernet\_crossover\_cable](http://www.applelinks.com/index.php/more/connecting_two_macs_using_an_ethernet_crossover_cable)][Applelinks.com](http://Applelinks.com) ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2006, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connecting-two-macintosh-computer/386152/3 "2006-12-30T22:53:48Z")
Damn! ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2006, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connecting-two-macintosh-computer/386152/4 "2006-12-30T22:58:09Z")
[Maclinks.com](http://www.applelinks.com/index.php/more/connecting_two_macs_using_an_ethernet_crossover_cable) ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2006, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connecting-two-macintosh-computer/386152/5 "2006-12-30T23:05:19Z")
Another great method if you have a spare Firewire cable somewhere: 1. Plug the cable into both ends of each computer. 2. Shut down the target computer (the computer whose drive you want to show up on the other) 3. Reboot the target computer holding down the “T” key. In a few moments, a Firewire logo will appear on the screen and the target mac’s hard drive will be mounted on your desktop. 4. Copy away! ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2006, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connecting-two-macintosh-computer/386152/6 "2006-12-31T05:28:08Z")
\*\*Yes !!! \*\* I’d heard this before- it has a ring of familiarity to it. Someone, maybe at an Apple Store, talked me through this. Oooh, thank you so very much. I’ll do just this, first thing in the a.m. Much obliged ! ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2006, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connecting-two-macintosh-computer/386152/7 "2006-12-31T16:33:31Z")
How well will this work with multiple password protected usernames? ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2006, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connecting-two-macintosh-computer/386152/8 "2006-12-31T16:48:55Z")
Good luck but I just have to point out that you don’t have to compress anything to transfer it. You can send it straight to a CD or HD and back out again with the exact same file. Compressing makes it quicker and smaller but isn’t required for any of this. ---
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2006, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connecting-two-macintosh-computer/386152/9 "2006-12-31T18:19:37Z")
[QUOTE=Christopher] How well will this work with multiple password protected usernames? [/QUOTE] On the Mac that you are copying the files to, you can check “Ignore ownership on this volume” in the Get Info dialog for the hard drive of the Mac you are copying from (on your desktop).