Question about switching

I read through the "switcher's guide" but still have a question. We have a wireless network set up in our house which is pc based. I get a mbp, will I be able to connect to the internet via our current system?

 

It doesn't matter what the router is based on, it will work with any mac, linux whatever machine.

I mean you see people at coffee shops, colleges etc. connect to a wireless network with both PCs and Macs right?

And also, that router is not really anything based. It's just a router sending wireless signals. It's not based on whatever computer you set it up from.

 

Networking is not limited by operating system. You can network between PC, Mac, and Linux without any trouble at all on a router, and you can network between them with just a cross-over cable if you know what you're doing.

 

Yes, it will work fine. As adinu stated, you see both Macs and PCs at Starbucks, don't you?

 

To reiterate, there is a reason it is called IEEE 802.11 and not Microsoft or Apple 802.11. It is a universal standard. But Apple does come up with fancy names like Airport that uses the standard.

 

Yeaps, Apple has some really cool brand names...like Airport for 802.11, as you said, and Firewire for IEEE 1394. Yes, Firewire is a trademark of Apple's .

 

The only part that might take a bit of tinkering, is the network sharing.

You have to turn on windows file sharing to get stuff from that windows machine. (pretty sure)

I havnt tried sharing though from windows to mac, so I dunno what you have to do for that.

 

For pureposes of keeping ones sanity this is best not done.....
although when a really good router is used this kind of shared network is MUCH better. Especially when doing shared printing.

 

Err, made a mistake there, I meant that I havnt tried to access my mac from windows. Came out wrong up there.

But I can access my windows machines shared files fine on my mac.