Chapter 5: Macintosh Networking
In This Chapter
Hooking up a Macintosh network
Using a Macintosh network
Mixing Macs and PCs
This book dwells on networking Windows-based computers, as though Microsoft were the only game in town. I’m sure plenty of people in Redmond, WA (where Microsoft is headquartered) wished that it were so. But alas, there is an entirely different breed of computer: the Apple Macintosh, more commonly referred to simply as Mac.
Every Macintosh ever built, even an original 1984 model, includes networking support. Newer Macintosh computers have better built-in networking features than older Macintosh computers, of course. The newest Macs include either built-in gigabit Ethernet connections or 802.11n wireless connections, or both. Support for these network connections is pretty much automatic, so all you have to do is plug your Mac into a network or connect to a wireless network, and you’re ready to go.
This chapter presents what you need to know to network Mac computers. You’ll learn how to control basic Mac network options such as TCP/IP and file sharing. And you’ll learn how to join a Mac to a Windows domain network.
Basic Mac Network Settings
Most network settings ...