Home Forums Mac Software Mac Operating Systems Connection failed (across office network) on 1 Mac

This is somewhat annoying, partly because I know that I've asked this question before, was given a solution, but I cannot find that thread.

There are 4 Intel SL Macs in this office. Everyone shares everything.

One of them (let's call it Window, because it's near the window) can connect instantly to the other three. However, the other three cannot connect to it. You always get "connection failed" EVEN THOUGH the password on all 4 is the same. Three of them have the same admin's name, all except for Window. However, typing in the admin's name on Window, putting in the network-wide password, still results in 'connection failed'.

It's an irritating minor inconvenience and makes no sense. It only means that people have to walk across the office to Window to get it to push files across, because no-one can connect to it from where they sit, to pull them.

I've checked file sharing: the set-up is identical on the other 3 Macs.

(I hope that my use of the word 'window' does not distract any repliers: we don't use that software, it's just a pseudonym for the purposes of this thread.)

thanks

I seem to recall this issue from last time, and as I remember it, the solution was to use the correct username when logging into this particular computer.....so, using your own "window" terminology let's walk through a straw man to see if we can keep terms clear.

You've already set the stage with three of the four computers all having the same password and admin username, with the fourth one having a different username (but still retaining the same password). When establishing a file sharing login to ANY computer on your network you need to use BOTH the correct username and the correct password.....so let's give the username for your fourth computer as "window" and the password for all four computers as "abcd1234" and we'll call the username for the other three computers "common". To log onto any of the three computers with the same username and password it will always be "common" and "abcd1234" to establish a file sharing connection, but to get the same thing going with the fourth computer requires that you login as "window" AND use the same password "abcd1234".....this means that you have to physically enter the username as each of the other three computers will automatically default to using THEIR OWN USERNAME (which won't work for "window").

Let us know how things go.

Seems like an account problem? Pls help.

Thanks for the replies Macmaniac and dkm. I've fixed it now but it took a while.

Trying to connect to "window" using window's admin name resulted in either an instant connection failed, or a spinning trying-to-connect for unacceptably long. (Activating guest access was no use, so that was abandoned too.)

Eventually I made a new user on "window" with the same person-name as on all the other Macs. Connection succeeded, but then I had to go back to "window" and select each folder one by one where file push+pulling is required (to save walking across the room as hereinbefore described).

I'd have thought that the entire disk and all its contents could be shared with one simple click - that's the way I recall it in OS9 - but apparently not.

Anyway, it's sorted now, albeit with what seems to me an unnecessarily roundabout route. That will teach me NOT to have one Mac on a network with a different admin username to all the others. I can also foresee it asking who wants to log in, every time it's rebooted.

I have said this before, but it has gotten easier since then. In App Store take a look at OS X Lion Server. It installs as an add-on to OS X Lion and has features specifically designed for what you are doing in your office. Install it on Window and set it up once. After that most if not all of the problems you have talked about in the past go away. At $50 USD it is a bargain.

Hi Joe

We're on Snow Leopard

"....There are 4 Intel SL Macs in this office....."