How to Share Files Between 2 Computers

Series Summary

Computers are complex machines built upon very simple principles. They perform arithmetical operations millions of times over to transform digital information moving at lightning speed into usable human data. A personal computer's job is to help a user create, manipulate, deliver, receive or delete media content. This is a simple, sterile definition that sounds uninteresting on the surface. Nevertheless, these fundamental functions mimic human ability in some surprising ways. Therefore, the computer is increasingly becoming an engine of the imagination, a platform for the digital life. In this free video series, learn computer networking tips from a computer specialist. First, he talks about how to share files between two computers, choose a network hub, connect computers to a network and organize a home network. Next, he discusses choosing a broadband router, connecting two computers to the same internet connection, setting up a wireless network and how to ping an IP address. Finally, learn how to renew a computer's IP address, improve the range of a wireless signal, share files between two computers and transfer data from an old computer to a new one.

Video Transcript

"Hi, I am Jason Mac Genius and we are going to talk about file sharing today between computers. Basically, to start with the external options. You have a flash drive which is usually USB and it will hook right into a USB port. And this will allow you to transfer files quickly and easily between computers. And the flash drives will work between Mac's and PC's with no problem. And then you've also got external storage which is an actual hard drive, and this is a smaller two and a half inch hard drive, enclosed in a case, which is also like the flash drive bus powered, which means when you plug it in, it is powered by the bus on your computer. So, you don't have to worry about carry around extra power cords or power adapters or anything like that. This just plugs straight into the computer. And those are really nice portable options that you can use. And, you can pick up those hard drives usually anywhere between $80 and you can pay all the way up to $300 for them, for the larger capacity ones. But, a 40 gig drive runs about $100, the smaller drives. So, those options are the quickest and most readily available. And, you can also do file sharing on your computers. To do this though, what you first need to do, is you need to go into your system preferences which can be accessed down here by this panel on the dock. I am just going ahead and do that. We are going to go to "Internet and Network". Open "sharing". And, we are going to click on "personal file sharing" and you can see it is starting up here. And there is also some other options here, but we are just going to leave the personal file sharing on. And you've got some other options in here for your firewall. And what we like to do is, you can turn the firewall on and it is as easy as a click, it is build into the MacIntosh operating system. And then you've got your Internet and you can share your connection if you are sharing. If you are sharing Internet access through your computer you can basically make your computer basically a hub and to do that, you just turn on your Internet here and you share it through your ethernet or build in firewall. We are going to leave Internet sharing off for now. And in your firewall pane, if you go to your advanced button here, you are going to see some stuff. And this is build into the system once again, you can enable stealth note which ensures that uninvited traffic receives no response. And that is what I usually do and that is a pretty secure thing. And, our file sharing is on and that is how you setup file sharing on a MacIntosh. I am Jason McGenius talk to you later."