Networking 2 Macs....need little help....

[WatchYourStep 0]

Simple question, but I'm a goof....

I have a Mac desktop and a Mac notebook....I work on both of them quite a bit.....how can I use the files on both without lugging around a external hard drive or a jump drive?

Like I said I know it's simple but don't get it....

"You start off your skydiving career with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience up before your bag of luck runs out."

[quade 3]

Do both Macs have WiFi? If so it's amazingly simple.

Do you also have a WiFi connection to the internet or is the desktop Mac plugged into the internet directly?

Also, do you have a me.com account?

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[WatchYourStep 0]

I do not have a me account.....

Both of these Macs are on my home network, but I take my laptop with me most places.....

Thanks for the help....

"You start off your skydiving career with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience up before your bag of luck runs out."

[quade 3]

Quote

I do not have a me account.....
Both of these Macs are on my home network, but I take my laptop with me most places.....
Thanks for the help....

Does that mean they're both plugged in via ethernet cables or do they use Wifi to connect to your home network?

Finally, are we talking about system software that is up-to-date or old? Current version is 10.6.3.

Lemme cut to the chase here;

If you open up System Preferences, under the heading "Internet & Wireless" is there an icon for "Sharing"?

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[WatchYourStep 0]

Connected via a wireless router.....

I do have the "sharing" option available....

"You start off your skydiving career with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience up before your bag of luck runs out."

[quade 3]

Awesome.

On each of your computers, open that setting. Make sure each computer has a unique name. Maybe the Desktop would be called "WatchYourStep's Desktop" and the Macbook would be called "WatchYourStep's Laptop."

Then, select maybe screen sharing and file sharing.

Wait a few seconds for the file sharing to start up.

Now, you should be able to see the other computer and files in the finder of the one you're currently working. If you selected "screen sharing" you should be able to control the other computer remotely as well.

This will ONLY work as long as the two computers are on the same connection. It won't happen remotely from say, the Starbucks down the street.

If you had a me.com account, you could put your files on that "cloud" and access them anywhere. I trust the Apple cloud because, well, I have to trust Apple software in general since that's what I use and if they were going to have a backdoor into my files, it would already be there anyway. I do NOT feel as confident about other companies.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[WatchYourStep 0]

Thanks Quade, that was simple enough.....should have RTFM a while back.....either way thanks again, glad that's solved.

"You start off your skydiving career with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience up before your bag of luck runs out."