Because fellow Mac using teachers at the MUGS forums have requested for it, I thought I’d put up this simple guide on getting your OS X Mac working with your school network. Yes, internet access is automatic via an access point in the staff room (well at least in mine anyhow), so I shan’t cover that, but using the networked printers and folders requires a little sleuthing and configuration. So here goes!

1. Go into Applications –>Utilities–>Directory Access. Highlight SMB and click on Configure. Select the correct Workgroup for your school network (probably a number like 3011 or East or West etc)
2. Go to any Windows terminal in the staffroom, login and take note of the following:

   (a) Open up My Computer and look under Network Drives. See something like “Teachers on Wxxxxxxxxxxx”? Take note of the Wxxxxxxxxx on paper (or somewhere) – this is the server where your Workspace and Shared Folder (among other things) are stored.

   (b) From the Start menu, click on Printers and Faxes.Take note of the server name on the printer e.g. “Lexmark on Wxxxxxxxxxxx” .Select the printer and click on File–>Properties–> Sharing and take note of the printer’s “share name”.

3. Now back to your Mac, click on Finder and search for the server name you noted in 2(a) earlier. Double-click on it and key in the username/password that you use to login to the school’s Windows computers.Now you get the option to “Select a share”. Select TEACHERS and now you will see in Finder that the “TEACHERS” volume has been mounted. Click on it and search for the folder bearing your own NRIC number. Now, while holding BOTH the Option and Command (Apple) buttons on the keyboard, drag-and-drop this folder on your desktop to create an alias.Rename this folder into “My Workspace”
4. Now repeat the procedure above, in exactly the same way except:

   (a) instead of selecting TEACHERS, you select SHARING

   (b) instead of naming the alias “My Workspace”, you name it “Shared Folders”

5. Finally, we are now going to set up printing to the staffroom printer.Click on System Preferences–>Print & Fax –> Set up printers. Click on Add and select the Windows Printing option.Scroll to the printer server name that you took note of above in 2(b) , select the appropriate printer driver and give it a suitable name.
6. Voila! Now you have finished configuring your Mac to easily access your Workspace, Shared Folder and staffroom printer! Congratulations!

Note: If you were unable to browse for the networked printer in Step 5, you will have to add it manually as described here.

I intend to add screenshots, but I haven’t got the time to do it yet! Hope this mini guide has been useful! Any problems? Suggestions?
These steps work for my school network, but might not work for yours. So please feedback and post your comments below!