Ok, Macintosh users, answer me this...

[Catch22Dem]

I'm thinking, THINKING, about making a Mac my next purchase. I've been a huge fan of Apple's products for years, but have never made the leap. The iMac G5 could be the machine that seals the deal for me. I truly think it's a work of art. I think Steve Jobs is a great person. I love what they're doing with iTunes, iPod, and iPod Photo. I think I read iPod had like a 92% market share for that type of "hard drive" product, and a 75% share for all digital music players.

My current PC is in great shape and is relatively new. I'm a programmer, so I do know a thing or two about PC's, but I don't know squat about Macs. I have no intention of getting rid of the PC, and I also have an old Compaq laptop that will be sticking around too. I currently have a wireless network set up in my house.

Here's my question:
Would I be able to add a Mac to that network? I hope so. Would I have to buy an Air Port instead? As far as I can tell, the Air Port is just an 802.11 wireless router like any other.

Side Note:
You apple geeks with your little Air Port Express thingys! I was reading about those and how you can plug your home stereo into them and play shit from iTunes! My gawd!!!

[DS1]

1. you should repost this in the sparkling new mac user group

[Catch22Dem]

4. Yeah, I just noticed that...

Sorry.

[demodonkey]

2. AirPort IS a regular 802.11g

works with any of them. VERY well, I might add!
:-)

[Downtown Hound]

3. You can add a mac

with Virtual PC. It's a program that allows you to run Windows on your Mac.

[Catch22Dem]

5. I don't really want to, or need to run windows on a mac

As I have two other windows machines. I just want to know if I can connect a mac on the same network as a PC. I can't imagine that it would be an issue.

[Downtown Hound]

8. My understanding is that you can

but I have never tried it. I only mention the Virtual PC thing because it renders any issues of mac compatibility obsolete. But as far as I know you can run a mac on the same network, but if you want details as to how you'll have to ask someone with more experience than me.

[Catch22Dem]

13. Gotcha...that sounds cool

Thanks for the help. :)

[ncrainbowgrrl]

9. yes.

we have 2 mac laptops- both connecting wirelessly using a D-Link (ie- non-airport) router.

[jmowreader]

15. Yeah, actually it's really easy

There are three ways to do it...

You can install DAVE on the Mac. If you have more PCs than Macs, this is the way to go. DAVE adds the Windows networking protocol stacks to the Mac's networking system, making the Mac a full client on the Windows network.

You can install PCMacLAN on the PC. With more Macs than PCs, this is the way to go. It adds the AppleTalk protocol stacks to the Windows networking system, making the PC a full client on the Mac network.

Or you can assign IP addresses manually and run it that way. On Memorial Day 2003, all of the computers at the place I was working at found themselves under a foot of water when the area flooded, and we replaced what we had with Mac OS X and Windows XP machines. If you have all XP and OS X boxes on the network, just assigning IP addresses seems to work fine.

However, there's a trick to logging on. We'll say that your computers have usernames of "PC" and "Mac" and the password for both is "Catch22Dem." If you are at the PC and want to log into the Mac, instead of creating an account for the PC and logging into that, when you try logging into the Mac use username "Mac." This will give you full access to the Mac's hard drive.

Of course, if you do it this way you need a super-stiff firewall on your Internet router.

[Catch22Dem]

6. Found me an answer!

http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/windows/

Mac OS X Panther provides a variety of technologies and features that enable Macs and PCs running Windows to work extremely well together. With Mac OS X Panther, Macs and PCs can easily share files, share the same network and can even share the same peripherals, like printers, scanners and cameras. Mac OS X Panther supports the same standards used in Windows and Microsoft-specific technologies that enable Macs to be used with Active Directory and Windows Exchange mail servers.

[stellanoir]

7. well I'm a computer ninnie.

Fifteen years ago, I was told that PC's were for linear types. Macs were for creative types. That sealed the deal. I had a cube Mac SE for a decade then upgraded to an iBook a few years ago. The only problem with it is that the backward arrow strangely stopped functioning after I spilled some coffee on the keyboard. Otherwise it works phenomenally well.

I watch a family member go up and down the road carting his PC for repeated upgrades and maintenance. Other family members, all Mac users chuckle quietly.

Go Mac. I don't think you'll regret it.

[OrwellwasRight]

10. Get yours now while supply lasts!

Yup, you can network it; there's also a couple of networking programs (I think one is called Dave) that you can use besides The Evil Empire's (aka Microsoft) Virtual PC. And if you know some programming you can program a Mac because the new (to us old-time Maccers) System X machines are Linux based. Imagine that. And they don't crash, ever, or your money back ( ok, slight exaggeration), but the bottom line is you can do anything with a Mac that you can do with your PC and more, including networking to whatever networks and peripherals you want. And look who uses Macs:

Will Smith
Jimmy Iovine
Kiefer Sutherland
Kool Moe Dee (for reals)
Jeff Goldblum
Rep. Pete "Fortney " Stark
Pixar Entertainment
Lots of DUers
Kermit the Frog (well, that's what I heard)
Maria Shriver

Yup, I'm a Mac-Dork :silly:

[psychoalchemy]

11. Too easy.

Basically all you need to do is turn on Windows sharing in your preferences and turn on your airport card, If your network is encrypted you will have to expressly tell the mac to join, otherwise the mac will automatically join.
There can be some difficulty with sharing printers, unless your router has a printer port on it.
Thats all from the mac side....

[Catch22Dem]

14. Thanks and welcome to DU!

I don't know if I've had the honor of being the recipient of someone's first reply before. You humble me. :D

[GCP]

12. The mac design is excellent for putting in new hardware

You just open up the side with the pull-down clip, shove in the new memory or hard drive, close it up and away you go. mac does the rest.
A true melding of form and function in a beautiful design.