Important: Before beginning, be sure not confuse the terms "AppleShare" and "AppleTalk." The information used in activities known as AppleShare and File Sharing is carried in "packets" across your network. These packets may be of the type "AppleTalk" or "TCP/IP."
First, you need IP addresses for each device on your network, which you must get from your network administrator or Internet service provider. If you are setting up a private IP network that will not be connected to the Internet, then see this technical document to determine what IP addresses to use.
Article 30821: "
TCP/IP: Setting up a Private Network"
Second, set up each computer's TCP/IP control panel either via DHCP, via BootP, or manually, as appropriate for your network. If Configuring manually, you will need the following information:
- IP address
- Subnet mask
- Router's IP address (if any)
- Name server's IP address (if any)
Third, you'll need applications or processes that use TCP/IP. AppleTalk is the only protocol for File Sharing in Mac OS 8.6 and earlier and for many Apple LaserWriter Printers, so you would need alternatives to these. File Sharing in Mac OS 9 and later can be done using TCP/IP as an option in the File Sharing control panel. AppleShare IP server software allows you to share files using TCP/IP. It also includes TCP/IP services for email, FTP, web service, and Windows sharing (SMB).
Fourth: Printing. Many third-party printers and Apple's later LaserWriter printers support printing via LPR, a TCP/IP protocol. The method used to set up the printer with an IP address depends on the printer you have. You can search the Apple Spec Database and the Knowledge Base for more information on Apple printers.
To print via LPR, you will need a print driver that supports LPR. The Desktop Printer Utility included with Mac OS 8.1 and later supports LPR.
You need to determine which of your network applications use TCP/IP versus AppleTalk.