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Windows, Mac and Linux computers in same network

Most of home and office computers in world works under Microsoft Windows Operation System, but mankind still can't live only under his standards. Predominant combination of Apple Company, which makes great hardware and software, stable and very rich with options Mac OS X did convince most of Windows users that Macintosh is superior Operation System for everyday use. Based on open code philosophy and with lot of free software Linux attract user’s attention.

May 26, 2007 7:45 PM

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Unfortunately, sharing of files, folders, printers, internet connections and other resources on computer which use Windows, Mac OS X and Linux is still not simple. Next advices will help you to make that these Operations Systems cooperate together.

First step is software synchronization. For example, first version of Mac OS X system (including version 10.2) enables you to connect on Windows folders, printers and in next version Mac OS X decided to use Windows protocol "Server Message Block" so it would be easier to connect and share resources with computer which are not Macintosh. But the problems is that support for sharing of Windows resources which is integrated inside Mac OS X do not work always as it should.

Linux also support sharing in Windows stile over SMB protocol although there is a lot of Linux versions with different graphic environment, for this SoftwareTipsPalace Guide we did use SuSe Linux 9-3 because this is one of easiest distributions of Linux for setup and use.

Setup Sharing in Windows:

Sharing of folders and printers on systems with Windows XP which contain SP2 ( Service Pack 2 ) is by default turned off, but it is very easy to activate him:

1. Right mouse click on "My Network Places" and then choose Properties,
2. Again right mouse click on network connection with which you would to share files,
3. Choose "Properties" and mark option “File and Printer sharing for Microsoft Network" and then press OK button,

Now Windows XP is ready to share files and printers. To split directory with other computers in network right mouse click on directory which you would like to share (this is inside Windows Explore) and choose "Sharing and Security", under tab "Security" confirm option "Share this folder on the Network". If you want to give a possibility to other users to delete this file from their computer which is in network you also need to confirm option "Allow network users to change my files" and press OK button. If you also want to give them on authority to share your printer which is connected on your computer press Start --> Printer and Faxes --> right mouse click on printer (or fax modem) which you want to share, choose "Sharing" and confirm option "Share this printer", write name of shared printer and press OK button.

Setup Sharing in Macintosh:

To share files and printers from your Mac computer with other computers, you need to run applet "Sharing" inside "System Preferences", choose Services, write computer name inside field "Computer name" and confirm option "Windows Sharing". If you want to share files and printers with other Mac computers, than you have to choose option "Personal files Sharing". Security of shared files which is given by Mac is strict than security in Windows. To connect on shared folder or printer you need to write user name and password which match to existing account on Mac X computer. If you want to access to Mac resources from other computer which have other Operation System installed, just use your usual OS X authority.

Setup Sharing in Linux:

To share files and printers in SuSe Linux 9.3 you need to use configuration tool YAST.

1. Open YAST program,
2. After program is opened write administrator password,
3. Than in left frame choose "Network Services" and press "Samba Server"
4. After YAST did recognize your configuration, activate or deactivate network resources which you want to share,
5. Press tab "StartUp"
6. Choose "On-Start Service when booting" and press finish.

Next time when you startup Linux, files and printers which you did mark in previous steps will be available on other computers which are in same network.

Create a connection

Create a connection inside Windows:

To connect on shared files and printers under Windows XP open "My Network Place". Inside main windows will be visible icons of shared directories to which you did access last time; if you are connected for a first time there would not be any icon visible. Network resources which are available to you can be found by pressing "View workgroup computers" and then double click on icon of computer which is in network so you can see which resources are available on that computer for sharing. When you find shared directory, you can open him by double mouse click. If you can't see any computer, do not give up: inside section "Learn your OS to share" we did give some solutions for this problem.

Connecting to shared printer is almost same.

1. Open "Printer and Faxes",
2. In left frame with options click on "Add Printer" and click next to go on page "Local or Network Printers" which is inside, wizard "Add Printer",
3. Now choose "A network printer or printer connected to another computer" and click on Next, after new windows show up click again Next,
4. Now search for printer inside available network (if you can't find him, advices how to activate the network find in section "Learn your OS to share"),
5. After you find printer which you want to add, press Next button and fallow instructions to finish installation.

Create a connection inside Macintosh:

If you want to access to Windows files from Mac OS 10.4 using Finder than fallow next steps:

1. Choose Go --> Network,
2. Under visible icons there should be icon which have name identically to Windows work space,
3. Double click on that icon to see available computers inside network and then after you did click on any icon of those available computers inside network you will see all shared files, folders, printers available on that computer,
4. If you want to access to shared files, folders, printers Mac OS X will request that you insert password, even if that is not necessary; in that case just press OK button,
5. Than from drop down menu list choose directory on which you want to connect and press OK,
6. Shared resources will show up as a connection inside Fendora pallet,
7. Press on connection to access inside her folder and directory’s,

If you want to connect on shared Windows printer from Macintosh computer you need to run "System Preferences". In section "Hardware" double clicks on: Printer & Fax", than press "+" to run dialog for printer search. Now press on button "Option" while you are pressing button "More Printers", choose "Advanced" from printer type drop down menu and choose "Windows Printer via SAMBA" in list which will show up below that.

Inside field "Device name" write the name of printer (any name but please without special characters), than finish "Device URL" using format smb://user@workgroup/server/printer, where "user" is your user name; server is computer on which you share printer; printer is shared printer. From "Printer Model" drop down list choose company which did made that printer, model name, and at the end press "Add"

Create a connection inside Linux:

To view shared Windows files inside Linux SuSE 9.3 you need to open icon Network Browsing on KDE desktop, than inside Konqueror window chose icon "SMB Shares". After short while you should see all icons of all Windows work groups which are available inside local network. When you open some of these icons, you will see the list of computers which are sharing files, printers etc...

Unfortunately, KDE Konqueror reader does not work as it should with shared Windows resources which are placed by OS X 10.4. Why, we don't know but other solution is to connect directly on Mac OS X shared resources; to do that fallow next steps:

1. Open "Network Browsing" or choose Go --> Network Folders (inside Konqueror),
2. press "add a Network Folder,
3. choose "Microsoft Windows Network" Drive and press Next button,
4. Write the name of shared connection inside field "Name,
5. than inside field "Server" write the name of Mac computer on which you want to connect,
6. than inside field "Folder' write directory name,
7. press "Save & Connect"; KDE will request that you insert username and password for OS X, than he will make connection to directory inside Network Browsing.

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