Networking computer systems in a school has major advantages. For instance, one computer can be designated a server, and files and applications from this server can be accessed by other computers connected to the network. Additionally, a single or small number of printers can be accessed through a larger number of computers. Finally, one computer's hard drive can be used as a backup device. In effect, these computers share the networked hardware and software. In this exercise you will learn to use AppleTalk Networking using PhoneNET cables. (This network is slower and more limited that EtherNet, but it's also less expensive, especially with low-end computers that do not come with EtherNet cards already installed. All Macintosh computers come with AppleTalk built in; only the more advanced Power PC Macintoshes come with built in EtherNet circuit cards.) In this project you will network two or three computers and at least one printer, and turn on file and application sharing for one computer that will act as a server.
The procedures for this activity are, as usual, found below. However, if you would like to have more detailed instructions, see The Little Mac Book by Robin Williams. See your course instructor to borrow a copy.
1. Using PhoneNET cable **with terminators**, connect your computers and printers using the printer jacks on the back of the computers, and the standard jack on the back of the printer.
2. Select one computer to serve as the Server.
3. On the above computer and through its Control Panel, choose Network. Select LocalTalk (over EtherNet). Close the window.
4. Through the Server's Chooser, select AppleShare. Click on the AppleTalk radio button to make it active if it is currently inactive. Close the window.
5. Through the Server's Control Panel, select Sharing Setup. Turn on File Sharing and Program Linking if you want to share files and programs of this computer with others. Normally only one computer will be designated the Server, and only this computer should have its File Sharing and Program Linking turned on. If you would like to access the Server from other networked computers with a complete command structure available to you, you need to set you name and password.
6. It should be self-evident that you won't share all files on your server with other computers on the network. Hence, the files and programs that you want to be accessible to other networked computers should be in a special folder. Create a folder for shared files and name it appropriately. Select the folder by clicking on it. Under the finder menu File:Sharing, determine what sort of access privileges you wish to provide to those on the network. Close the window and save changes. Note changes in the icon of your sharing folder.
7. Select Chooser and click on AppleShare to see your network computers. Click on AppleTalk...geWriter to see your networked ImageWriter computer(s). If you cannot see your network, the system is not appropriately wired or configured. Repeat the above steps again.
8. Once you have established a visible network, examine how the file sharing system works by downloading a file from the server to the second computer.
9. If you ever want to see how busy your network is, or find out who is accessing the files on the server, go to the control panels and select File Sharing Monitor.
The student will be required to participate in a demonstration interview in which (s)he will demonstrate **from scratch** how to set up and use an AppleTalk network.