Check out the following web addresses for help/instructions regarding sharing files between a Mac and PC where either the Mac or the PC can serve as the computer from which files are being shared:

http://joelandfaith.com/computer/mac/pcfilesharing.html

http://joelandfaith.com/computer/mac/macfilesharing.html

The directions are specifically for Macs running OS X 10.1.x or later and PCs running Windows XP, but even if you have a different version of Windows (e.g. Win98 or Win2K), the same basic principles/requirements apply.

Feel free to post links to the web pages if you feel others who visit this board may find them useful.

Thank you,

Joel

(Note that joelshoemaker.com was the original address given within the above URLs. Beginning April 2006, that web address will no longer be available, hence the change to joelandfaith.com - my new web site - so that the links will continue to be valid in the future.)

Thanks Joel.
Always wished someone would put a FAQ list here for this kind of thing.

Also found very usefull info at Macwindows

FYI: Made a few updates to both pages yesterday, including a number of additional possible fixes when problems arise trying to connect to a Windows PC from a Mac (specifically see the left frame under "Having problems?").

Of course, any feedback on the pages is welcome and appreciated.

Thanks,

Joel

I link to Joel's website every time a question comes up about doing PC-OSX filesharing. Even I could figure out how to do it once I read his instructions.

I'm making this thread sticky so it stays on top for a while.

If I haven't thanked you before for these easy-to-use instructions, I'll do it now.

Thank you Joel.

G.--

Joel's clear explanation helped me to accomplish 2-way file transfer in < 30 minutes (after spending many times that in a frustrating experience that included several hours with both Apple and PC phone support techs who were eager but ultimately unable to help me). Key point is to turn off the PC's built-in firewall.

I wanted all to know that Joel's tips, though described for use with an Ethernet cable, worked just as well on my wireless system (AirPort card in my 867 MHz G4 running 10.2.3 and a LinkSys card in my laptop PC running XP -- AirPort Base Station II [Snow at 11 MB/sec] as the router/access point).

Transfer speeds are about 4 seconds per MB in each direction (50x slower than the theoretical max of 11 MB/sec). Curious what speeds others get with Ethernet.

Gregg

I have a question, what exactly are the settings (and where are they?) to connect the PC to the airport. My husband's work Dell will get a wireless card soon, and I will have to set it up. Can you give me a clue? When I go to the TCP/IP configs. I get totally confused. Unless the driver that presumably will come with the card will take care of it? And, one more thing: any recommendation for the card (for the Dell that is!) My ibook works fine. So I know all is well with my airport.

If your hub's Dell has WinXP, when you plug in the wireless carrd there will be a new setting under "Network Connections" that will let you autoconfigure everything. It doesn't show up until you plug in the card though.

I've had no problem with my D-Link DWL-650 in a Thinkpad 600 and an Airport revision 1 for many months now. My roommate has a Cisco wireless card(not sure of the model) and it too has been working well.

Have fun!

Thanks, but he is still running Win 98. I have gone to the TCP/IP configs before, but they are in so much computerese, and I never know if they are running or to be chosen. I'll see what happens. Right now he can't get to his company's website anyhow, and until he can get in from the net, the whole thing is mute.

Joel, (brother)
Thanks for the instructions! I've read about 10 different variations on this none which have been conclusive.
This is exactly what I was looking for.
By the way, I had the same speed issue copying from my dual 1gig Quicksilver to my Beige G3 300 and 10.2 helped a lot but there is still some slowness I think based on the G3 300.

In Him,
Doug

Doug,

I'm glad to hear that my web page(s) came in handy for you. The time it's taken me to not only put those file sharing web pages together, but to also respond to the hundreds of emails I've gotten in regards to them, has been well worth it knowing the number of people that have been helped. It's also nice to see that some visitors have also headed over to other Christian-related portions of my web site, too.

Regarding the file copying speed difference you found, do you mean that your Beige G3 was slower copying to your G4 than the other way around, or that copying Mac-to-Mac was much slower than copying PC-to-Mac (or vice-versa, still from one platform to the other)? Just curious.

Joel