Wireless PC connection?

Oriel

Hi Folks,
What exactly do I need to make a Mac Mini part of a wireless PC network?
I'm going to get a mini in the next couple of months, and I'm also going to upgrade my home network to Wireless. As it's a mini, I'm going to have to get whatever I need when I order it. I presume I'm going to need the airport extreme card, but then am I going to have to the get Airport based too?

Also, am I going to find it difficult to get it working with a windows wireless network set-up?

Also, one final thing - will I be able to use the house's broadband connection on the Mac, from the windows network?

Cheers,
S.

bigred

Are you using your BB router as the network hub, and if so, the mac will pick up DHCP and get an IP assigned no problem. To share files, you can switch on 'Windows Sharing' in the mac system preferences. The mac will also be able to map to Windows shares without a problem. The only thing I have noticed is mapping to a Windows share from you mac results in faster transfers than mapping to a Mac share from Windows (probably totally because of my actions). Cant understand how Windows has made such a meal of wireless networking, and on a Mac it's so bloody simple.

Oriel

Aye, the BB router will be the hub. From what you say, it seems like I shouldn't really have any problem. Let's hope so!

Cheers,
S.

poetbloggs

I've used the mac for wireless networking on a PDA and inter-mac stuff in work and have never had a problem- using both airport and bluetooth. PC network at home has been nothing but a headache - thus the move to mac... :eek: bye bye windows!

bigred

poetbloggs wrote:

I've used the mac for wireless networking on a PDA and inter-mac stuff in work and have never had a problem- using both airport and bluetooth. PC network at home has been nothing but a headache - thus the move to mac... :eek: bye bye windows!

An example:
last week had to work from home for a day. I have a laptop with Windows2000 and a pcmcia Cisco card and all the bits. After ONE HOUR of trying in vain I gave up with the bloody laptop and stuck an ethernet cable in the back and spent the day sitting on the bottom step of the stairs (including totally reconfiguring my access point to the simplest possible setting). That evening, I power up Mr. Powerbook, Airport popup appears; 'New acces point found XXXX. Would you like to associate?" then it goes on... "Please enter your WEP key". And that's about it - Windows: 1hr - Failure. Mac - 20 Seconds - Total Success. nuff said

WUSBDesign

If you have the spare cash, consider getting the Airport Express. This way, you can stream your iTunes songs right from your MacMini without having to locate the latter near your sound system(s)!

kevmac

Found this essential but it was still a longish process to hook up my PC laptop to the Airport wireless. Macs just seem to do what you want them to do.

http://www.ifelix.co.uk/tech/1000.html

http://www.ifelix.co.uk/tech/3001.html