Even if the two computers have different operating systems, you can still connect Windows and Mac computers and share files with each other. You don't need expensive equipment. All you need is an Ethernet cable.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Making Physical Connections
Step 1. Get an Ethernet/LAN cable
Step 2. Plug the cables into the Ethernet connectors on both computers
Part 2 of 3: Configuring Windows Computer
Step 1. Open a window (Explorer) on your computer
Step 2. Click “Homegroup”
In the directory pane on the left side of the window, click “Homegroup”.
Step 3. Click the “Create Homegroup” button
Step 4. Put a check mark on all the file types you want to share (documents, images, etc
) and click “Next”.
Step 5. Remember the password
On the next page, you will be given a password. Write down the password. You'll use it later the next time you try to connect your Mac to your computer.
Step 6. Click “Finish” when you are done
Part 3 of 3: Configuring Mac
Step 1. Click “Go” in the menu bar at the top left of the desktop
Step 2. Select “Connect to Server”
Step 3. Type your computer's network address in the server address line (Server Address)
Use the following format:
- smb://username@computername/sharedname – example: smb://deni@mycomputer/user.
- If the above format doesn't work, you can use the IP address of your Windows computer: smb://IP-address/sharedname.
Step 4. Click the plus (+) button to add it to the list of servers
Step 5. Click the server address you just added and click “Connect”
Step 6. Type in the password you got from the Windows computer
Click "Connect".
Step 7. Open the “Finder” of your Mac
The Windows computer name should now appear in the left pane under the “Shared” section.
Tips
- To get the name of your Windows computer, right-click on the My Computer icon on the desktop and select “Properties”.
- You cannot create a “Homegroup” if you are connected to the internet.
- If your Mac computer doesn't have an Ethernet jack, you can use a USB-to-Ethernet cable to connect it to a Windows computer in the same way.
- The Windows operating system used in this article is Windows 7. The process for creating a “Homegroup” may differ in some earlier versions of the Windows operating system.
