Macs All-in-One For Dummies, 6th Edition

Chapter 4

Networking Your Mac

IN THIS CHAPTER

Setting up a wired network

Configuring a wireless network

Connecting devices via Bluetooth

If you have just a single Mac in your home or small office, and if you’re the only person who uses that computer, your setup is inherently efficient. You can use the machine whenever you like and everything you need — your apps, your printer, your scanner, your internet connection, and so on — are readily available.

Things become noticeably less efficient if you must share the Mac with other people. For instance, you might have to wait for someone else to finish a task before you can get your own work done, you might need to have separate apps for each person's requirements, and you might need to set up separate folders to hold each person's data. User accounts and fast user switching in macOS ease these problems (see Book 3, Chapter 3), but they don't eliminate them. For example, you still have to twiddle a thumb or two while waiting for another person to complete their work.

A better solution is to increase the number of Macs available. At home, for example, the current trend is to buy a nice machine for Mom and Dad to put in their office, while ...