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Setting up a wifi network for Mac and PC?

My family has a two story house and just recieved a new computer to put in the downstairs and want to put internet on it. We have a computer upstairs that is a Mac OS X with a mediacom cable internet connection. The new computer downstairs is a Window XP. So my question is, is it possible to get internet on the XP from the Mac OS X upstairs. And if so could I do it wirelessly? Please Help!

Dave's Answer:

My recommendation would be to go directly to buying a wireless access point and hook it up directly to your cable modem. You can buy a pretty decent 802.11g access point for your system for under $60 (for example: this Netgear unit from Amazon).

You can also experiment with setting up what Mac folk call a computer to computer network, as detailed in an excellent Apple tech note, Setting Up a Computer to Computer Network.

If you want to save reading that document, simply launch Network from the "System Preferences" menu (it's off the Apple menu, but I'm sure you already knew that!) Now choose "Airport" from the Show menu at the top, and then choose "Show airport status in menu bar."

Now, on your menu bar, you'll see a little airport icon. Click on it, and you'll see something like this:

Airport menu icon: Create a computer to computer network in Mac OS X

Choose "Create Network..." under the Computer to Computer area and you'll be able to quickly configure an open public network:

Creating a computer to computer network in Mac OS X

If that's all you want to do, name it, click "OK" and go find it on your new Windows XP system.

If you want to add a password (which I recommend), click on "Show Options" first, which produces the following set of choices:

Creating a secure computer to computer network in Mac OS X

To start out, I suggest a simple, easily remembered password. Once you have everything connected properly, you can change the password to something more complicated that neighbors and others aren't likely to guess.

One way or another, this will let you experiment with using your Mac simultaneously as a connected node to your cable modem and a wireless access point. I still recommend the separate piece of hardware, however, so that you can, for example, turn off your Mac and still access the net from the PC.

Either way, good luck with this configuration!

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Categorized: Computer and Internet Basics (Article 7091)
Tagged: computer to computer network, mac os x, secure wireless, windows xp, wireless networking
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Comments

Thanks! This verifed what I needed to know since the Apple site didn't!

Posted by: Nick at March 6, 2007 4:34 PM

I just purchased a Macbook. I have a WiFi network in my college. Now, Airport detects the network,connects to it and also sws a signal strength. But then I can't seem to access the web through Safari! Should I try a different browser?

Posted by: Kaushik Nagarajan at August 10, 2008 12:35 AM

Question:

I have an old thinkpad t23, running windows 2000, and netgear adapter WG511T...

I can connect fine on PC WiFi's

However, there is one place where they have a MAC Server (LaCie Server) when i try to connect to the wifi it shuts down the neargear driver. Closes it after a few seconds.
I have the correct password, and I tried a Macbook Pro at the same location, works fine.

I tried to map the drive with the ip address but it didn't work.

Thank you,
Mathew
Do you have any idea what the problem is?

Would greatly appreciate any help offered.

Posted by: Mathew at November 20, 2008 12:43 PM

can I call landline phones clearly

Posted by: Larry Jakub at January 13, 2009 12:22 PM

i just purchased a mac and i cant seem to get on my dsl hi-speed connection with it. i have the airport wireless adapter and now i am lost! i use to have a dell. it was so much easier than a mac to hook up to my wireless connection.

can anyone help by providing hints or directions on what to do in the correct sequence?

Posted by: Evan at January 22, 2009 2:51 PM

Hi Dave,
I recently bought a media player for the bedroom tv and it has a wifi dongle which SHOULD allow me to drag and drop from the imac downstairs. The unit sees and can connect to my wifi network through the dongle and Sky modem thingy, but I cannot see it on my imac, nor can I see it if I ethernet it.
Clearly I don't know how to set up the imac to "see" it.
Could you advise me please - in VERY simple terms.
I thank you for your time and consideration.
regards
tony

Posted by: tony at August 5, 2009 11:30 PM

Tony, can you tell me exactly what product you've purchased? It's a bit too vague for me to have a clue how you could proceed. Oh, and do use Google to dig around too: enter the name of the product you're talking about and a few choice key words, like "mac" or "home network" or similar.

Posted by: Dave Taylor at August 5, 2009 11:59 PM

I have a lot to say, but ...

I have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but most of all I'd like to say thank you for all your efforts on this Web site by buying you a chai!

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!