Mac 101: File sharing

Open Sharing preferences

1. Log in with an administrator user account.
2. From the Apple menu, choose System Preferences.
3. From the View menu, choose Sharing.

Select folders to share

Click the + (plus) icon below the "Shared Folders:" field.  A sheet appears where you can navigate to the folder you wish to share.  

In the example below, the folders named "John's Public Folder" and "Shared" (/Users/Shared) have been selected for sharing.

Repeat this process for all folders you wish to share.

Note: You can also directly select a folder in the Finder to share. Select the folder, choose Get Info from the File menu, and enable "Shared Folder" to share it (or deselect "Shared Folder" to stop sharing the folder).

Tip: When you open a shared folder, a "Shared Folder" banner appears in its Finder window, as well as any subfolder windows.

Configure the user and group accounts with appropriate access privileges

1. In Sharing preferences, select the folder that's being shared.
2. To add to the default user accounts and groups that were selected when you shared the folder, click the + (plus) icon below the "Users:" field.
3. In the sheet that appears, select an existing user account or group (user accounts can be created in Accounts preferences, in System Preferences).
   
   Tip: You can click "New Person" to create a new Sharing Only user account or a user in your Address Book (also a "Sharing Only" user account).  Enter a new password for the "Sharing Only" account when prompted. 
    
4. The default privilege for a user account or group you add is "Read Only".  If you want to change this, from the "Read Only" pop-up menu choose one of the following privilege options:
   • Read & Write - The user can read, copy, edit and delete the contents of the folder.
   • Read Only - The user can only read and copy (to another location) the contents of the folder.
   • Write Only (Drop Box) - The user can only copy content into the folder.  The user can not see the contents of the drop box folder.  
     
     Note: A "Write Only" user can overwrite items in the drop box folder, if what they drop into it has the same name as an item already in the drop box folder.
      
   • No Access (groups only) = User accounts in this group will have no access to the folder.  However if their user account is added, the privileges assigned to the user account will override their group restrictions.
      
5. Repeat this process for each folder being shared.

You can also manage the user or group access of a shared folder via the Finder; select the folder and choose Get Info from the File menu.

Tip: If you need to assign the shared folder user or group account privileges to items contained in the shared folder, select "Apply to enclosed items" from the Get Info inspector action item menu.  A confirmation sheet will appear, click OK to complete the process.

Choose the appropriate network protocol to communicate with the kind of computer that's accessing your shared files

Follow these steps to select the appropriate protocols for the kind of computer that will log onto your Mac:

1. In Sharing preferences, click the "Options..." button.
2. Select "Share files and folders using AFP" to enable the Apple Filing Protocol.  Use this protocol to file share with other Macs.
3. Select "Share files and folders using FTP" to enable the File Transfer Protocol.  Use this protocol to file share with UNIX and LINUX systems.
4. Select "Share files and folders using SMB" to enable the Server Message Block protocol and check the user accounts to enable for SMB.  Use this protocol to file share with Microsoft Windows-based PCs.
   
   Note: You will have to enter the user's password for a user account that you enable for SMB. 
    
5. Once you have selected the desired networking protocols, click "Done" to complete the process.

Joining a Microsoft Windows workgroup

To help your PCs that shared files appear in the "Shared" section of your Mac OS X Finder sidebar, and for your PC(s) to locate your Mac that is sharing folders using SMB protocol on the network, you should have your Mac join the appropriate Windows workgroup.

Check with your Windows administrator to learn which Windows Workgroup you need to join.  Default Windows workgroups are "MSHOME" and "WORKGROUP".

1. Open Network preferences, in System Preferences, and ensure that the padlock in the lower left is unlocked.  If locked, click on it and, when prompted, enter an administrator name and password.  Click OK to continue.
2. Type "Workgroup" in the System Preferences search field and press Return. (Or, click "Network", select an interface, then click "Advanced", then "WINS".)
3. Enter a name for your Mac in the "NetBIOS Name:" field.
4. Enter the appropriate Workgroup you want to join join in the "Workgroup:" field.
5. Click OK.
6. Click "Apply" to complete the process.  It might take a few minutes for the PC(s) to appear in the "Shared" section of your Finder sidebar, and for PCs to see the Mac in this workgroup.

If your Mac is in an office environment, you might need to enter in one or more IP addresses of your office "WINS" servers.  Check with your Windows administrator to learn the IP addresses of your office "WINS" servers. To enter the IP address of your "WINS" servers, follow these steps:

1. Open Network preferences, in System Preferences, and ensure that the padlock in the lower left is unlocked.  If locked, click on it and, when prompted, enter an administrator name and password.  Click OK to continue.
2. Type "WINS" in the System Preferences search field and press Return.
3. Click the + (plus) icon below the "WINS Servers:" field.
4. Enter one IP address for one of your "WINS" servers.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for each IP address of your "WINS" servers.
6. Click OK.
7. Click "Apply" to complete the process.