Networking Tips: Windows, Mac, and Linux PCs on the Same Network

OS Toolbox: Teach Your OS to Share

If file or printer sharing doesn't work on your network of Windows, Mac, and Linux PCs, there's likely a solution.

Check your firewall: Though most third-party PC firewalls (such as Zone Labs' free ZoneAlarm) allow other Windows systems on the network to share files and printers, they may block access to and from the network's non-Windows computers by default. If you can't connect to a Windows share from a Mac or Linux machine even though other Windows PCs on the LAN can, disable the firewall. If this does the trick, add the local addresses or PCs to the firewall's trusted zone or address range, and fire it up again.

Try another workgroup: The default workgroup name in XP is MSHOME, but in earlier versions of Windows and in Mac OS X the default is WORKGROUP. If a PC with a shared resource fails to show up in Explorer's list of workgroup computers, click the Up icon or select Microsoft Windows Network in the folder pane, and then click another available network (if any) to view its computers. To see all your shares, configure them (if possible) as members of the same workgroup.

Have patience: It can take several minutes for a new share to show up in another computer's network window. To connect to a share directly in WIndows, enter its path (such as \\computername\sharename) in Explorer's Address field.

Contributing Editor Scott Spanbauer writes the monthly Internet Tips column. His byline first appeared in print in the November 1986 issue of Macworld.