# Mac networking question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 13, 2002, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-networking-question/113922 "2002-06-13T20:23:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![oceans\_11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/b2d939/32.png) [@oceans\_11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oceans_11)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2002, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-networking-question/113922/1 "2002-06-13T20:23:26Z")
Can any MacUsers™ shine some light on my problem? I have 2 Macs sharing a DSL connection through a Linksys Router; is it possible to get them to “see” each other to share files? I suspect that this is possible, but even with filesharing on, I can’t see the other machine. I’ve heard a DSL router doesn’t make a “real” network, and what I’m trying to do may not be possible; in that case, I’ll connect them directly. But I’ve also heard it should work fine. Any ideas? Thanks in advance! ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2002, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-networking-question/113922/2 "2002-06-13T20:44:25Z")
As long as they are in the same subnet, they should ‘see’ each other. Can you ping one from the other? ---
**Author:** ![Balduran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cc9497/32.png) [@Balduran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balduran)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2002, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-networking-question/113922/3 "2002-06-13T23:39:28Z")
Do you know what ip addresses were assigned to each computer? There should be a way to find that out from the router which is configured from a webpage (I don’t have a Linksys router, but I imagine it is done similarly to mine). Check your router manual as it should tell you what the address is for the configuration page. ---
**Author:** ![oceans\_11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/b2d939/32.png) [@oceans\_11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oceans_11)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-networking-question/113922/4 "2002-06-14T00:53:38Z")
**Brutus** , I believe they’re on the same subnet, but as I’m still learning OS X, I don’t know how to ping. The other machine is running OS 9.1, but I don’t have a telnet program for it… **Balduran** , I can get an IP for each machine, but in OS X, if I use the “Go” function and type in the IP, it doesn’t see the other machine… ---
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-networking-question/113922/5 "2002-06-14T01:33:48Z")
I don’t know X, but can you go into the chooser on the 9 machine, pick out appleshare and manually plug in thte other machine’s IP address? If your filesharing is on the other harddrive should show up. This might be so remedial that I’m just embarassing myself, though. In which case I’ll just be in the corner over here. . . ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-networking-question/113922/6 "2002-06-14T01:35:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by oceans\_11 \* > I can get an IP for each machine, but in OS X, if I use the “Go” function and type in the IP, it doesn’t see the other machine… \*\* Did you get into the Network System Preference and make sure Appletalk was active? It isn’t by default, and that would prevent the Connect to Server dialog from accepting just the IP address. Also, make sure the TCP/IP tab in that same System Preference is set properly. And, on the OS 9 machine, you’ll need to also make sure Appletak is active. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-networking-question/113922/7 "2002-06-14T02:13:06Z")
In OS X, you go to the Go menu in the Finder and pick Connect To Server… or just hit command-K. ---
**Author:** ![oceans\_11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/b2d939/32.png) [@oceans\_11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oceans_11)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-networking-question/113922/8 "2002-06-14T03:58:57Z")
Keep those ideas coming guys, we haven’t hit it yet! AppleTalk is turned on on both machines, and when I try accessing uisng “Go” (Command-K), the other machine doesn’t get located on the network. One clue that might help- when I look at the AppleTalk details on either machine, there is no “zone” selected or set up. I have a feeling it may have more to do with the router than the machines themselves… ---
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-networking-question/113922/9 "2002-06-14T04:30:48Z")
Um. . . check control panel tcp-ip and make sure that’s set up with appletalk, too, and check in file-sharing CP for “enable clients to connect using tcp-ip etc etc”? Does the router have its own ip address? Do you have to manually route. . .um, port filesharing to the other ip address through it, like you do with an airport station? (tell computer A to talk with computer B instead of the hub/router?) ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-networking-question/113922/10 "2002-06-14T04:32:54Z")
Turn on AppleTalk. You should be able to see each computer from the other with no additional settings-tweaking. AppleTalk should work even in the absence of valid TCP/IP connections. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-networking-question/113922/11 "2002-06-14T04:36:15Z")
Sorry, should read more carefully. You should not need zones. You’re saying that you don’t see anything when you go to “Connect To Server” and select AppleTalk? Have you set up any shares? You do need to set up shares–AppleTalk by itself doesn’t imply that you’re sharing anything, and without any shares you would not appear to the other computer. Incidentally, download SharePoints from VersionTracker. It gives you much more user-friendly and granular control over what you choose to share. ---
**Author:** ![oceans\_11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/b2d939/32.png) [@oceans\_11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oceans_11)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-networking-question/113922/12 "2002-06-14T14:16:25Z")
I think **AHunter3** has it- I had filesharing on, but nothing was shared! Doh! I’m not feeling especially intelligent about that… :smack: So now my OS X machine can “see”, even login to the 9.1, **however** … When I access the 9.1, a dialogue window comes up that says “Choose volume to mount”- but nothing shows in the list! Any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-networking-question/113922/13 "2002-06-14T18:29:00Z")
What volume or folder are you sharing on the 9.1 box? Are you sharing it to everyone, or only to a specified user? And, if the latter, shall we take it for granted that that’s the username you’re using when you connect from the OS X box? ---
**Author:** ![oceans\_11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/b2d939/32.png) [@oceans\_11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oceans_11)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2002, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-networking-question/113922/14 "2002-06-15T01:53:05Z")
Is it OK to have two “smacks” in one thread? :smack: I had AppleTalk on, I had filesharing on, I was logged in as a registered user, **but** I didn’t give the OS X machine read and write permissions- in fact, I hadn’t given myself any permissions! Anyway, mission complete, I’m connected! Thanks, everyone!