Chapter 15
Networking with OS X
If you have multiple computers in your home or office, you can set up these computers as a network to share information and equipment. This chapter gives an overview of networking concepts and shows you how to connect to a network, how to work with the other computers on your network, and how to share your Mac’s resources with other network users.
Turn On File and Printer Sharing
Share a Screen with Another Mac
Understanding Networking
A network is a collection of computers and other devices that are connected. You can create a network using cable hookups, wireless hookups, or a combination of the two. In both cases, you need special networking equipment to make the connections.
A network gives you a number of advantages. For example, once you have two or more computers connected on a network, those computers can share documents, photos, and other files. You can also use a network to share equipment, such as printers and optical drives.
Share Files
Networked computers are connected to each other, and so they can exchange files with each other along the connection. This enables people to share information and to collaborate on projects. OS X includes built-in security, so that you can control what files you share with other people.
Share Equipment
Computers connected over a network can share some types of equipment. For example, one computer can share its printer, which enables other network users to send their documents to that printer. Networked computers can also share hard drives, optical drives, and document scanners.
Wired Networking
Network Cable
A network cable is a special cable designed for exchanging information. One end of the cable plugs into the Mac’s network port, if it has one. The other end plugs into a network connection point, which is usually the network’s router (discussed next), but it could also be a switch, hub, or even another Mac. Information, shared files, and other network data travel through the network cables.
Router
A router is a central connection point for all of the computers on the wired portion of the network. For each computer, you run a network cable from the Mac’s network port to a port in the router. When network data travels from computer A to computer B, it first goes out through computer A’s network port, along its network cable, and into the router. Then the router passes the data along computer B’s network cable and into its network port.
Wireless Networking
Wireless Connections
A wireless network is a collection of two or more computers that communicate with each other using radio signals instead of cable. The most common wireless technology is Wi-Fi (rhymes with hi-fi) or 802.11. Each of the four main types (802.11ac, 802.11b, 802.11g, and 802.11n) has its own range and speed limits. The other common wireless technology is Bluetooth, which enables devices to communicate directly with each other.
Wireless Access Point
A wireless access point (WAP) is a device that receives and transmits signals from wireless computers to form a wireless network. Many WAPs also accept wired connections, which enables both wired and wireless computers to form a network. If your network has a broadband modem, you can connect the modem to a type of WAP called a wireless gateway, which includes a built-in router that extends Internet access to all of the computers on the network.
Connect a Bluetooth Device
You can make wireless connections to devices such as mice, keyboards, headsets, and cell phones by using the Bluetooth networking technology. The networking tasks that you learn about in the rest of this chapter require special equipment to connect your computers and devices. However, with Bluetooth devices, the networking is built in, so no extra equipment is needed. For Bluetooth connections to work, your Mac must support Bluetooth (all newer Macs do) and your device must be Bluetooth-enabled. Also, your Mac and the Bluetooth device must remain within about 30 feet of each other.
Connect a Bluetooth Device
Connect a Bluetooth Device without a Passkey
Click System Preferences (
) in the Dock.
Click Bluetooth.
The Bluetooth preferences appear.
Click Turn Bluetooth On.
OS X activates Bluetooth and makes your Mac discoverable.
Perform whatever steps are necessary to make your Bluetooth device discoverable.
For example, if you are connecting a Bluetooth mouse, the device often has a separate switch or button that makes the mouse discoverable, so you need to turn on that switch or press that button.
A A list of the available Bluetooth devices appears here.
Click Pair beside the Bluetooth device you want to connect.
Perform the steps required to pair your Mac and your device.
B Your Mac connects with the device.
A Bluetooth mouse and a Bluetooth headset do not require any extra pairing steps, although with a headset you must configure OS X to use it for sound output. However, pairing devices such as a Bluetooth keyboard and a Bluetooth cellphone does require an extra step. In most cases, pairing is accomplished by your Mac generating a 6- or 8-digit passkey that you must then type into the Bluetooth device (assuming that it has some kind of keypad). In other cases, the device comes with a default passkey that you must type into your Mac to set up the pairing.
Connect a Bluetooth Device with a Passkey
Turn the device on, if required.
Turn on the switch that makes the device discoverable, if required.
Follow steps 1 and 2 from earlier in this section to display a list of available Bluetooth devices.
Click Pair beside your Bluetooth device.
The Bluetooth Setup Assistant displays a passkey.
Use the Bluetooth device to type the displayed passkey.
Press 
.
OS X connects to the device. If you see the Keyboard Setup Assistant, follow the on-screen instructions to set up the keyboard for use with your Mac.
Listen to Audio Through Bluetooth Headphones
Click System Preferences () in the Dock.
Click Sound.
The Sound preferences appear.
Click Output.
Click the Bluetooth headphones.
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How do I remove a Bluetooth device?
Follow steps 1 and 2 under the section Connect a Bluetooth Device without a Passkey.
Position the mouse 
over the device you want to disconnect.
Click Disconnect (
).
Click Remove to remove the device.
Connect to a Wireless Network
All the latest Macs have built-in wireless networking capability that you can use to connect to a wireless network that is within range. This could be a network in your home, your office, or a public location such as a coffee shop. In most cases, this also gives you access to the wireless network’s Internet connection.
Most wireless networks have security turned on, which means you must know the correct password to connect to the network. However, after you connect to the network once, your Mac remembers the password and connects automatically the next time the network comes within range.
Connect to a Wireless Network
Click the Wi-Fi status icon (
) in the menu bar.
Your Mac locates the wireless networks within range of your Mac.
A The available networks appear in the menu.
B Networks with a Lock icon (
) require a password to join.
Click the wireless network you want to join.
If the wireless network is secure, your Mac prompts you for the password.
Use the Password text box to type the network password.
C If the password is very long and you are sure no one can see your screen, you can click Show password (
changes to 
) to see the actual characters instead of dots. This helps to ensure you type the password correctly.
Click Join.
Your Mac connects to the wireless network.
D The Wi-Fi status icon changes from to 
to indicate the connection.
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I know a particular network is within range, but I do not see it in the list. Why not?
As a security precaution, some wireless networks do not broadcast their availability. However, you can still connect to such a network, assuming you know its name and the password. Click and then click Join Other Network.
I do not see the Wi-Fi status icon on my menu bar. How do I display the icon?
Click the System Preferences icon () in the Dock (or click 
and then click System Preferences) to open the System Preferences window. Click Network, click Wi-Fi, and then click the Show Wi-Fi status in menu bar check box ( changes to ).
Connect to a Network Resource
To see what other network users have shared on the network, you can use the Network folder to view the other computers and then connect to them to see their shared resources. To get full access to a Mac’s shared resources, you must connect with a username and password for an administrator account on that Mac. To get access to the resources that have been shared by a particular user, you must connect with that user’s name and password. Note, too, that your Mac can also connect to the resources shared by Windows computers.
Connect to a Network Resource
Click the desktop.
Click Go.
Click Network.
Note: Another way to run the Network command is to press 
+
+
.
The Network folder appears.
A Each icon represents a computer on your local network.
Double-click the computer to which you want to connect.
Your Mac connects to the network computer using the Guest account.
Note: The Guest account has only limited access to the network computer.
Click Connect As.
Your Mac prompts you to connect to the network computer.
Click Registered User (
changes to 
).
Type the username of an account on the network computer.
Type the password of the account.
To store the account data, click Remember this password in my keychain ( changes to ).
Click Connect.
Your Mac connects to the computer and shows the shared resources that you can access.
When you are done, click Disconnect.
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Is there a faster way to connect to a network computer?
Yes. In the Shared section of Finder’s sidebar area, click the computer with which you want to connect (A) and then follow steps 5 to 10 to connect as a registered user.
Change Your Password
You can make your Mac more secure by changing your password. For example, if you turn on file sharing, as described in the next section, you can configure each shared folder so that only someone who knows your password can get full access to that folder. Similarly, you should change your password if other network users know your current password and you no longer want them to have access to your shared folders. Finally, you should also change your password if you feel that your current password is not secure enough. See the Tip to learn how to create a secure password.
Change Your Password
Click System Preferences ().
Click Users & Groups.
The Users & Groups preferences appear.
A Your user account is selected automatically.
B If you want to work with a different user account, you must click the Lock icon (
) and then type your administrator password ( changes to 
).
Click Change Password.
The Change Password dialog appears.
Type your current password.
Type your new password.
Retype the new password.
Type a hint that OS X will display if you forget the password.
Note: Construct the hint in such a way that it makes it easy for you to recall the password, but hard for a potential snoop to guess the password.
Click Change Password.
OS X changes your password.
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How do I create a secure password?
Follow these steps:
Follow steps 1 to 4 in this section.
Click the Password Assistant icon (
).
The Password Assistant dialog appears.
Click the Type 
and then click a password type.
Click and drag the Length slider to set the password length you want to use.
Click the Suggestion down arrow and then click the password you want to use.
Click Close (
).
Turn On File and Printer Sharing
You can share your files with other network users. This enables those users to access your files over the network. Before you can share these resources, you must turn on your Mac’s file-sharing feature. To learn how to share a particular folder, See the section Share a Folder later in this chapter.
You can also share your printer with other network users. This enables those users to send print jobs to your printer over the network. Before this can happen, you must turn on your Mac’s printer-sharing feature. To learn how to share a particular printer, See the section Share a Printer later in this chapter.
Turn On File and Printer Sharing
Click .
Click System Preferences.
The System Preferences window appears.
Click Sharing.
The Sharing preferences appear.
Click the File Sharing check box ( changes to ).
You can now share your folders, as described in the next section.
Click the Printer Sharing check box ( changes to ).
You can now share your printers, as described later in this chapter.
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How do I look up my Mac IP address?
In System Preferences, click 
to return to the main window, then click Network. Click Wi-Fi if you have a wireless network connection, or click Ethernet if you have a wired connection. In the Status section, read the IP address value.
What is the Public folder and how do I access it?
The Public folder is a special folder for sharing files. Anyone who connects to your Mac using your username and password has full access to the Public folder. To access the folder, click Finder (
), click Go, and then Home, and then open the Public folder.
Share a Folder
You can share one of your folders on the network, enabling other network users to view and optionally edit the files you place in that folder. OS X automatically shares your user account’s Public folder, but you can share other folders. Sharing a folder enables you to work on a file with other people without having to send them a copy of the file. OS X gives you complete control over how people access your shared folder. For example, you can allow users to make changes to the folder, or you can prevent changes.
Share a Folder
Open the Sharing preferences.
Note: See the section Turn On File and Printer Sharing to learn how to display the Sharing preferences.
Click File Sharing.
Note: Be sure to click the File Sharing text, not the check box. This ensures that you do not accidentally uncheck the check box.
Under Shared Folders, click 
.
An Open dialog appears.
Click the folder you want to share.
Click Add.
Your Mac begins sharing the folder.
Note: You can also click and drag a folder from a Finder window and drop it on the list of shared folders.
A The folder appears in the Shared Folders list.
Click the folder.
For the Everyone user, click the current permission and then click the permission you want to assign.
B The current permission is indicated with a check mark (
). OS X assigns the permission to the user.
C You can also click under the Users list to add more users.
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What are the differences between the permission types?
Read & Write means users can open files, add new files, rename or delete existing files, and edit file contents. Read Only means users can only open and read files, but cannot add, delete, rename, or edit files. Write Only (Drop Box) means users can add files to the folder as a Drop Box, but cannot open the folder. No Access means users cannot see the folder.
Can I share folders with Windows users?
Yes. In the Sharing window, click Options and then click Share files and folders using SMB (Windows) ( changes to ). Click your user account ( changes to ), type your account password, click OK, then click Done.
Share a Printer
If you have a printer connected to your Mac, you can share the printer with the network. This enables other network users to send their documents to your printer. Sharing a printer saves you money because you only have to purchase one printer for all the computers on your network. Sharing a printer also saves you time because you only have to install, configure, and maintain a single printer for everyone on your network. See the section Add a Shared Printer to learn how to configure OS X to use a shared network printer.
Share a Printer
Click .
Click System Preferences.
Note: You can also click System Preferences () in the Dock.
The System Preferences window appears.
Click Sharing.
Click Printer Sharing.
Note: Be sure to click the Printer Sharing text, not the check box. This ensures that you do not accidentally uncheck the check box.
Click the check box beside the printer you want to share ( changes to ).
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Is there another method I can use to share a printer?
Yes, you can follow these steps:
Click .
Click System Preferences.
Click Printers & Scanners.
Click the printer you want to share.
Click the Share this printer on the network check box ( changes to ).
Add a Shared Printer
If another computer on your network has an attached printer that has been shared with the network, you can add that shared printer to your Mac. This enables you to send a document from your Mac to that shared printer, which means you can print your documents without having a printer attached directly to your Mac. Before you can print to a shared network printer, you must add the shared printer to OS X.
Add a Shared Printer
Click System Preferences () in the Dock.
The System Preferences window appears.
Click Printers & Scanners.
Click .
Note: If OS X displays a list of nearby printers, click the printer you want to add and skip the rest of these steps.
Click Default.
Click the shared printer.
A Look for the word Shared in the printer description.
Click Add.
Note: If OS X alerts you that it must install software for the printer, click Download & Install.
B OS X adds the printer.
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Can I add a shared Windows printer?
Yes. Follow steps 1 to 3 and then click the Windows tab. Click the Windows workgroup, click the computer with the shared printer, log on to the Windows computer, and then click the shared printer you want to use. In the Print Using list, click , click Other, and then click the printer in the list that appears. Click Add.
How do I print to the shared network printer that I added?
In any application that supports printing, click File and then click Print. In the Print dialog, use the Printer pop-up menu to click and then click the shared printer. Choose any other printing options you require, and then click Print.
Share a Screen with Another Mac
You can share your Mac’s screen with other computers on your network. Sharing your screen means that everything displayed on your Mac’s desktop is also displayed inside a window on the other user’s Mac. This is useful for demonstrating something on the screen, because the other user can watch the demonstration without having to be physically present in front of your Mac.
Once you share your screen, the other user can also work with your Mac just as though he or she is sitting in front of it. This is useful if that person needs to troubleshoot a problem.
Share a Screen with Another Mac
Turn On Screen Sharing
Open the Sharing preferences.
Note: See the section Turn On File and Printer Sharing to learn how to display and unlock the Sharing preferences.
The Sharing preferences appear.
Click Screen Sharing ( changes to ).
OS X configures the desktop for sharing.
View a Shared Screen
On another Mac, click Finder ().
In the sidebar, click the Mac with the shared screen.
Click Share Screen.
OS X prompts you to log in to the remote computer.
Type the password for an administrative account on the Mac that is sharing the screen.
Click Connect.
A OS X displays the shared screen in a window.
View OS X on Your TV
If you have an Apple TV, you can use it to view your OS X screen on your TV. If you want to demonstrate something on your Mac to a group of people, it is difficult because most Mac screens are too small to see from a distance. However, if you have a TV or a projector nearby and you have an Apple TV device connected to that display, you can connect your Mac to the same wireless network and then send the OS X screen to the TV or projector. This is called AirPlay mirroring.
View the OS X Screen on Your TV
Mirror via System Preferences
Click System Preferences () in the Dock.
The System Preferences window appears.
Click Displays.
The display preferences appear.
Click the AirPlay Display and then click your Apple TV.
OS X displays your Mac’s screen on your TV.
Mirror via the Menu Bar
Follow steps 1 and 2 to open the display preferences.
Click the Show mirroring options in the menu bar when available check box ( changes to ).
A OS X adds the AirPlay Mirroring icon (
) to the menu bar.
Click .
Click your Apple TV.
OS X displays your Mac’s screen on your TV ( changes to 
).
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Is there an easy way to make my Mac’s screen fit my TV screen?
Yes. If you have a high-resolution TV, the OS X screen might look a bit small on the TV. To fix that, click and then in the Match Desktop Size To section of the AirPlay Mirroring menu, click your Apple TV.
Can I use my TV as a second monitor for the OS X desktop?
Yes. This is useful if you need extra screen real estate to display the OS X desktop and applications. To configure the TV as a second monitor, click and then in the Use AirPlay Display To section of the AirPlay Mirroring menu, click Extend Desktop.