Summary

This Chapter showed you how to connect to and work with files and use storage space located on file servers on your local network. The file servers can be dedicated file servers, or they can be personal computers running file sharing. We covered using the Finder to connect to AFP, SMB, and FTP servers. To determine your access privileges to a folder, you can look at the folder’s icon, open it, and look for a small icon in the status bar of its window. This Chapter also discussed transferring and opening files on the network. In addition, you learned how to disconnect from shared folders and disks.

You can use the Mac OS X keychain to automatically provide your name and password when you connect to a file server. And you can streamline subsequent connections to a file server by making a favorite.

This Chapter discussed the peer-to-peer (distributed) file sharing provided by Mac OS X. Peer-to-peer file sharing in Mac OS X is great for small groups, but a dedicated file server (such as AppleShare IP or Mac OS X Server) is generally better in a large environment.

You learned how to activate and deactivate file sharing, specify privileges for folders, and take basic security precautions.

You also learned how to share your Internet connection between other Macs.