Question Networking MacBook & Windows Vista via WiFi

[jeyges]

I'm trying to connect a MacBook Pro running OS X Yosemite v. 10.10.1 to an older Windows laptop running Vista. I can mount the shared Windows folders as volumes in OS X; however, I can't see any folders or files once I do so. All I get is an empty window in Finder.

I've changed every setting on both systems I can think of or find a reference to online (including disabling Windows Firewall). This is my first MacBook and I can't figure out what, if anything, I'm doing wrong.

 

[HpiBmx Jackson]

Hi,
you're not wrong
but make sure you have chosen the right check box in "system preferences>sharing".

 

[jeyges]

Hi,
you're not wrong
but make sure you have chosen the right check box in "system preferences>sharing".

As far as I can determine, I do have all of the right boxes checked.

 

[ToineF]

macs are always a bit tricky. If you stay in the apple eco-system, it's easier but as soon as you go out of it, it gets complicated.

What i would suggest is to use a FTP client on one side and a FTP server on the other and simply connect to the computer using the network IP. It should work out.

 

[jeyges]

macs are always a bit tricky. If you stay in the apple eco-system, it's easier but as soon as you go out of it, it gets complicated.

What i would suggest is to use a FTP client on one side and a FTP server on the other and simply connect to the computer using the network IP. It should work out.

That's already too complicated. I just want to transfer my files, and when no one answered my question here or on the Tech Support Guy's website, I began doing it gradually via USB drive. I'm almost finished.

And I shouldn't have to resort to a third party FTP solution in the first place, you know? This functionality is supposed to be native to both systems. It's my fault for buying an Apple product. Apple does not play well with others - one of the many reasons I've never liked them, but I allowed myself to be persuaded because there wasn't anything on the Windows side I found attractive. As soon as they can manage to manufacture a Windows laptop I like, I'll be switching back. As it is, I'll be installing Windows on the Mac with Parallels to run some of my software.

 

[ToineF]

macs are always a bit tricky. If you stay in the apple eco-system, it's easier but as soon as you go out of it, it gets complicated.

What i would suggest is to use a FTP client on one side and a FTP server on the other and simply connect to the computer using the network IP. It should work out.

That's already too complicated. I just want to transfer my files, and when no one answered my question here or on the Tech Support Guy's website, I began doing it gradually via USB drive. I'm almost finished.

And I shouldn't have to resort to a third party FTP solution in the first place, you know? This functionality is supposed to be native to both systems. It's my fault for buying an Apple product. Apple does not play well with others - one of the many reasons I've never liked them, but I allowed myself to be persuaded because there wasn't anything on the Windows side I found attractive. As soon as they can manage to manufacture a Windows laptop I like, I'll be switching back. As it is, I'll be installing Windows on the Mac with Parallels to run some of my software.

it "should" be native, it's quite simple between two Windows PCs.

Even on the apple support site they do not offer a solution for a file transfer over a home network.
http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201553


Here is a site that can help you:
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-move-files-by-networking-a-pc-to-a-mac.html


On a side note, with the amount of different laptops available, I am surprised you couldn't find one you like. I mean Apple hardware is always clean and beautiful, but some other pc makers have some pretty nice ones as well.

 

[Bossyfins]

As far as moving files through the internet to another computer, Apple has always been uptight about it. I have set up multiple Windows Servers, and Apple Sharing servers, and all my macs work with the apple server, but not the windows server. I guess Apple just really doesnt want you to have a windows PC. I am working on creating a solution for that, but it involves large amount of coding, something a 14 year old can't do alone.

 

[ToineF]

As far as moving files through the internet to another computer, Apple has always been uptight about it. I have set up multiple Windows Servers, and Apple Sharing servers, and all my macs work with the apple server, but not the windows server. I guess Apple just really doesnt want you to have a windows PC. I am working on creating a solution for that, but it involves large amount of coding, something a 14 year old can't do alone.

Isn't there a module for windows server to add mac? I think you can access the windows server from a mac using SMB instead of AFP.

 

[McHenryB]

OS X should have no problems connecting to a Windows machine via SMB (OS X has supported SMB for ages). Otherwise enterprise users with mixed networks would have big problems.

The fact that you can connect to the share but see nothing in it suggests a permissions problem. Are you connecting to the Windows machine using a name and password that is defined on that computer? And does that user have access to both the share and the folders and files shared?

http://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT5884

 

[Bossyfins]

Yes. SMB will work fine, but for you need to set up permissions correctly, something I have yet to accomplish. Ayeee Apple Way you gotta do dis.

 

[ToineF]

Yes. SMB will work fine, but for you need to set up permissions correctly, something I have yet to accomplish. Ayeee Apple Way you gotta do dis.

let us know when you get the solution working

 

[McHenryB]

Setting Windows share and file permissions is hardly rocket science.

 

[McHenryB]

OK. I've just done a test between my Mac and my Windows 7 machine. Doing a simple connect, without specifying a user I see the shares and folders, but they are all blank. Specifying "Connect as" with my Windows user name and password and I see everything. File transfers, bioth ways, then work just fine; as you would expect.

As I thought, it sounds as if the simple explanation is that the OP isn't specifying the Windows user/password combination when connecting. There's nothing complicated about OS X/Windows networking.

 

[Bossyfins]

For windows its easy, but configuring it for both OSX and Windows is harder

 

[McHenryB]

For windows its easy, but configuring it for both OSX and Windows is harder

Goodness. I really don't know what to say to that, but I have to believe that you find this difficult. Have you ever thought of taking up poetry?

 

[ToineF]

For windows its easy, but configuring it for both OSX and Windows is harder

Goodness. I really don't know what to say to that, but I have to believe that you find this difficult. Have you ever thought of taking up poetry?

Bossyfins.... don't worry about this guy... he's sort of a mac fanboy troll!

 

[Bossyfins]

quite all right, I dont have days to spend on a mac studying how it works. lol

 

[Kissmyne]

In addition to all the different ways to do this, listed in this article, http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201553

You can also press Command K on your keyboard(or go to the "Go" Menu and click connect to server) type in the IP address of the Windows PC and click Connect. You will be prompted to login with your Windows username and password. After that you will have access to any User Account Level folder on the Windows Machine. Files are transferable to and from the Mac using this method.

In addition to these, there is also http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT1549

 

[McHenryB]

quite all right, I dont have days to spend on a mac studying how it works. lol

I appreciate that not everyone understands Macs or has worked in mixed OS X/Windows environments. But, if you don't know, then I have to wonder why either of you are trying to answer questions about OS X or making such dogmatic statements about it.

 

[McHenryB]

For windows its easy, but configuring it for both OSX and Windows is harder

Goodness. I really don't know what to say to that, but I have to believe that you find this difficult. Have you ever thought of taking up poetry?

Bossyfins.... don't worry about this guy... he's sort of a mac fanboy troll!

I think that translates as "he knows about OS X". It's just as well that someone does.

 

[ToineF]

quite all right, I dont have days to spend on a mac studying how it works. lol

I appreciate that not everyone understands Macs or has worked in mixed OS X/Windows environments. But, if you don't know, then I have to wonder why either of you are trying to answer questions about OS X or making such dogmatic statements about it.

I suggested he connects using SMB before you did. And I also offered a work around using FTP which would have worked fine.

You didn't offer much more mate!

 

[McHenryB]

Yes, you offered SMB when he was already connecting with SMB.

I offered what is almost certainly the solution to the OP's problem - permissions. I appreciate that you don't inderstand why that matters. It's hardly surprising that the OP seems to have disappeared; I can only agree and do the same.