Chapter 25: Macintosh Networking


This book dwells on networking Windows-based computers, as if Microsoft were the only game in town. (Hah! They wish.) To be politically correct, I should at least acknowledge the existence of a different breed of computer: the Apple Macintosh.

This chapter presents what you need to know to hook up a Macintosh network, use a Macintosh network, and mix Macintoshes and Windows PCs on the same network. This chapter isn't a comprehensive tome on Macintoshes, but it's enough to start.

What You Need to Know to Hook Up a Macintosh Network

The following sections present some key things you should know about networking Macintosh computers before you start plugging in cables.

AppleTalk and Open Transport

Every Macintosh ever built, even an original 1984 model, includes networking support. Of course, newer Macintosh computers have better built-in networking features than older Macintosh computers. The newest Macs include builtin 10/100 Mbps Ethernet adapters and sophisticated networking support built in to the operating system-similar to the networking features that come with Windows XP. The beauty of Macintosh networking is that the network card is built in, so you don't have to worry about installing and configuring the network.

Macintosh computers use a set of networking protocols collectively known as AppleTalk. Because AppleTalk is built in to every Mac, it's become an inarguable networking standard among Macintosh users. You don't have to worry about the differences between different network operating systems because all Macintosh networking is based on AppleTalk.

TECHNICAL STUFF 

AppleTalk has gone through several major revisions since it was first introduced back in 1984. Originally, AppleTalk supported only small networks that operated only over low-speed connections. In 1989, Apple enhanced AppleTalk to support larger networks and faster connections.

In 1996, with the release of Mac OS System 7.5.3, Apple folded AppleTalk into its current networking scheme: Open Transport. The idea behind Open Transport is to bring all the different types of communications software used on Macintoshes under a common umbrella-and make them easy to configure and use. Currently, two types of networking are handled by Open Transport:

  • Open Transport/AppleTalk: Handles local-area networks (LANs) according to the AppleTalk protocols. Open Transport/AppleTalk is a beefed-up version of AppleTalk that's more efficient and flexible.

  • OpenTransport/TCP: Handles TCP/IP communications, such as Internet connections.

Open Transport is standard fare on all new Macintosh computers; old Macintosh computers can be upgraded to Open Transport, provided they're powerful enough. (The minimum system requirements for Open Transport are a 68030 processor, 5MB of RAM, and MacOS System 7.5.3.)

AppleTalk enables you to subdivide a network into zones. Each zone consists of the network users who regularly share information.

Tip 

AppleTalk zones are similar to workgroups in Windows for Workgroups.

Although basic support for networking is built in to every Macintosh, you still have to purchase cables to connect the computers to one another. You have several types of cables to choose from. You can use AppleTalk with two different cabling schemes that connect to the Macintosh printer port, or you can use AppleTalk with faster Ethernet interface cards.

Mac OS X Server

Apple offers a dedicated network operating system known as Mac OS X Server (the X is pronounced "Ten," not "Ex"), which is designed for PowerMac G3 or later computers. Mac OS X Server is based on a Unix operating-system kernel known as Mach. Mac OS X Server can handle many network-server tasks as efficiently as any other network operating system, including Windows 2000, NetWare, and Unix.

TECHNICAL STUFF 

image from book
Who's winning in the AFP West?

AFP is not a division of the NFL but an abbreviation for AppleTalk Filing Protocol. It's the part of AppleTalk that governs how files are stored and accessed on the network. AFP allows files to be shared with non-Macintosh computers. You can integrate Macintoshes into any network operating system that recognizes AFP. NetWare and all versions of Windows since Windows 95 use AFP to support Macintoshes in their networks.

In case you're interested (and you shouldn't be), AFP is a Presentation-Layer protocol. (See Chapter 29 if you don't have a clue what I'm talking about.)

image from book

Mac OS X Server is the server version of the Mac OS X operating system, which is the current operating system version for client Macintosh computers.

The Mac OS X Server includes the following features:

  • Apache Web server, which also runs on Windows and Linux systems

  • NetBoot, a feature that simplifies the task of managing network client computers

  • File services using AFP

  • WebObjects, a high-end tool for creating Web sites

  • QuickTime Streaming Server, which lets the server broadcast multimedia programs over the network




Networking For Dummies
Networking For Dummies
ISBN: 0470534052
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2004
Pages: 254
Authors: Doug Lowe

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