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Mac2Windows
SharePoints Unlocks Hidden Network Flexibility in OS X
- 2004.06.23 - Tip Jar
Each major update of OS X has tried to do a better and better job of playing nice with the Windows Networking used by large numbers of home and businesses. Version 10.1 added support for the open source SMB (Samba) port of Windows Networking but left it up to users to discover how to connect.
Version 10.2 (Jaguar) listed Windows networks in the Finder's Go/Connect to Server menu, making it easier to log-on, and added an option to turn on Windows Sharing in the Sharing system preference, making it possible (on a good day) for Windows users to work with shared files on the Mac.
Panther added networks (including Windows networks) in the handy toolbar on the left side of Finder windows. (Though easier to use, Panther's network connections seem more finicky than Jaguar's, at least in my experience. When they work, they work well, but far too often, they seem to fail to connect).
As with Jaguar, turning on Windows sharing in the Sharing system preference makes it easier to add a Mac to a Windows network than to add a Windows system.
Turning on Windows networking in this way is easy but limited - it shares the contents of your Home folder, including Documents, Music, Desktop, and more. For many users, this will be all they need to let their Mac share files with Windows computers.
In other cases, though, it's not enough. Some users may need to set a particular workgroup name. Others may want to share files residing on a different drive such as an external FireWire drive, or on a folder outside their OS X Home folder. (Maybe they're still using a classic-mode program and saving work to an old-style Documents folder).
OS X is capable of far more networking options than Apple makes easily accessible in the Sharing system preference. If you're comfortable at the Unix command prompt (I'm not!), you can turn them on using the Terminal utility.
Much of this command line power is available, however, with the free (donations accepted) SharePoints from HornWare.
The downloaded SharePoints package contains two different versions of the program. Drag the application to a location of your choice (I put it in the Applications/Utilities folder), and it's ready to use. Alternatively, drag the preference pane into one of your Library/PreferencePanes folders, and it will appear as a system preference.
You can use either method or both to install SharePoints. Either way, the functionality and the user interface are the same.
Networking can be complex, at least when you get beyond the deliberately simplified minimalism Apple presents in the Sharing system preference. As a result, the SharePoints interface is somewhat cluttered and can seem confusing or overwhelming.
Assuming you've turned on sharing in the Sharing preference pane, you can gain control over your share or share additional folders by opening either the SharePoints application or preference pane. To add an additional share, enter a name in the Share Name field.
Click on the Browse button to locate the folder. You can select an entire drive, if you wish, as I did, sharing my external FireWire drive. Select to share this folder using AFS (Apple File Sharing), SMB (Windows networking), or both. Click on the Create New Share button and your share will appear in the main list. You'll need to click on the button to Restart SMB (or Apple File Sharing) Server before your new shares are available to other users.
Also included is the ability to create new file sharing users and control what they can access. You get control over OS X Groups, including the ability to add and remove individual users from groups. As well, you can set various properties both for Apple File Sharing and for SMB (Windows Network) sharing.
Most useful to me, having a home network that mixes Macs and Windows systems (and that uses a non-default workgroup name), is the ability to set the workgroup name. This makes it more likely that I'll be able to actually find my Macs from the Windows systems on my network.
SharePoints does a good job of giving users back the networking
potential that Apple chose to hide. Thanks to HornWare for making it
available for free, but please remember to send them a donation if you
find it useful. 
Alan Zisman is Mac-using teacher and technology writer based in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Many of his articles are available on his website, www.zisman.ca. If you find Alan's articles helpful, please consider making a donation to his tip jar.
Recent Columns by Alan Zisman
- QuickTime X in Snow Leopard Imports, Trims, and Publishes Video Quickly and Easily, 11.04. The long, slow process of importing video into iMovie to edit it, then render it to another format, is history as QuickTime X does that much more quickly.
- Another Hard Drive Disaster Ends Happily (Thanks to Time Machine), 10.29. This time it was the MacBook's drive that failed. Thanks to automated Time Machine backup, recovery was easy, although far from fast.
- Preview in Snow Leopard Supports Scanners and Screen Shots, 10.19. The newest version of Preview can even use a remote scanner, creates compact PDFs, and includes three screen capture options.
- Creative's Vado Pocket Camcorders Now Work with Macs, 09.16. Until now, Creative's Vado camcorders didn't play nice with Macs. With the release of Vado Central for Mac, that has finally changed.
- More in the Mac 2 Windows index.
Links for the Day
- Mac of the Day: 17" iMac G4/800 MHz, July 2002 - The iMac 'grows up' with a 17" 1440 x 900 display.
- Group of the Day: LisaList supports Lisa users.
- November 8 in LEM history: 99: OS 9: I think I like it - 01: The simplified Mac life - Soured on Windows - Flea market Mac - 02: Little room for improvement in new 'Books - Combo drive upgrade for iceBooks - 04: Re-Porter - 05: Fix the old iMac or buy a Mac mini? - Apple's Copland project - 06: MacBook Core 2 - MacBook value equation - Cheap is as cheap does - 07: Problems with Classic mode in Tiger - The G4 Power Mac that won't run Leopard
- Support Low End Mac
Recent Content on Low End Mac
- Quad-Core CPU Makes Sense in MacBook Pro, OS X 10.6 Causing Overheating, Overseas Power, and More, The 'Book Review, 11.06. Also Late 2009 MacBook reviewed, how to add RAM to new MacBook, 18.4in Acer notebook used Intel i7, and SanDisk SSD chosen for Sony VAIO X.
- Dumping Macs for Google Apps, SSD in iMac, Late 2009 iMac Performance Problems, and More, Mac News Review, 11.06. /newsrev/09mnr/1106.html
- WiFi Paranoia, iMac-O-Lantern, Magic Mouse Does Click, Free Clipboard Managers, and More, Charles W. Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 11.05. Also strange time stamps, problem with ColorIt on Intel Mac, and the story behind OS X 10.5.4 install discs.
- IDE Is Dead; Long Live SATA!, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 11.04. SATA has displaced parallel ATA. While IDE hard drives haven't disappeared, the best deals are in SATA hard drives.
- QuickTime X in Snow Leopard Imports, Trims, and Publishes Video Quickly and Easily, Alan Zisman, Zis Mac, 11.04. The long, slow process of importing video into iMovie to edit it, then render it to another format, is history as QuickTime X does that much more quickly.
- More links in our archive.
Recent Deals
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- Best Power Mac G3 and PCI Video Card Deals, 11.02. Used beige 300 MHz, $25; G4/366, $49; blue & white 350, $80; 400, $90; 450, $105; PCI video cards from $15; shipping additional.
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- Best Classic Mac OS Deals, 10.30. System 6.0.8 floppies, $10; 7.1, $12; 7.5, $20; 7.5 CD, $4; 7.6 $13; 8.1, $11; 8.5, $20; 8.6, $90; 9.0, $20; 9.2.2, $30.
- More deals in our archive.
