Which operating system do you use on your computer?

• Windows® XP™
   
• Windows® Vista - This article is located in our Support Knowledge Base. When you click on this link, a new window will open. Make sure you come back to the Online Help and complete Step 2 and 3.
   
• Macintosh® OS X v10.2.x
   
• Macintosh® OS X v10.3.x
   
• Macintosh® OS X v10.4.x
   
• Macintosh® OS X v10.5.x - This article is located in our Support Knowledge Base. When you click on this link, a new window will open. Make sure you come back to the Online Help and complete Step 2 and 3.
   
• Linux® and Unix®

Step 1 - Find the PhotoVu Computer Name   In the Windows XP Control Panel, double click on the System icon then click on the Computer Name tab.  You will see the Full computer name as shown in Figure 1.  This is the name that you (or somebody else) gave to your computer when Windows was installed.   The Full computer name will be used as your PhotoVu Computer Name.   The PhotoVu Computer Name uniquely identifies this computer on the network.  This name, along with the PhotoVu Computer Share Name, will allow the PhotoVu to find and display your digital photos.   Please write down the Full computer name on a sheet of paper.  Do not include the dot or any other text to the right of the dot.  You will only need to do this once since the PhotoVu Web Administration program will remember the Full computer name.

Figure 1: Find the PhotoVu Computer Name

Step 2 - Finding Your Digital Photos Right click on the Start button and select Explore.  This will bring up the Windows Explorer.  Find a top level folder where all your digital photos are stored. Right click on the folder.  You will see a menu similar to the one shown in Figure 2.  Select Sharing and Security. The Sharing procedure is a bit different for Windows XP Home and Professional.  Both are explained below.

Figure 2: Finding Your Digital Photos

Step 2a - Simple File Sharing under Both Versions of Windows XP   If you are using Windows XP Home or Simple File Sharing on Windows XP Professional (the default), use this section.   To understand Windows XP Simple File Sharing, please see the following Microsoft support article for additional information.   The PhotoVu uses Read-Only access and does not modify any files or software on your PC.   Select "Share this folder on the network" and type "Photos" into the Share name field.  See Figure 2a.  Click OK.  Make sure you see a hand underneath the folder after you click OK   Spaces are not allowed in the Share name.  The Share name identifies this shared folder on the network and allows the PhotoVu to access its content.   You do not need to check "Allow network users to change my files."  The PhotoVu does not modify your digital photos in any way.  This sharing setup is commonly referred to as "Read-Only."   Please write down the Share name on a sheet of paper.  You will only need to do this once since the PhotoVu Web Administration program will remember this Share name.

Figure 2a - Simple File Sharing under Windows XP

Step 2b - Advanced Sharing under Windows XP Pro   If you are using Windows XP Professional and have the Simple File Sharing turned off, use this section.   To understand Windows XP Professional security, please see the following Microsoft support article for additional information.   The PhotoVu uses Read-Only access and does not modify any files or software on your PC.   Click New Share, type "Photos" into the Share name field and a Comment.  See Figure 2b.2.  Click OK.  Make sure you see a hand underneath the folder after you click OK   Spaces are not allowed in the Share name.  The Share name identifies this shared folder on the network and allows the PhotoVu to access its content.   Please write down the Share name on a sheet of paper.  You will only need to do this once since the PhotoVu Web Administration program will remember this Share name.

Figure 2b.1 - Advanced Sharing under Windows XP Pro   Figure 2b.2 - Photos Share Dialog

Step 1 - Find the PhotoVu Computer Name   Under System Preferences, click on the Network icon.  The PhotoVu Computer Name for the Mac is the IP Address as shown in Figure 1.   The PhotoVu Computer Name uniquely identifies this computer on the network.  This name, along with the PhotoVu Computer Share Name, will allow the PhotoVu to find and display your digital photos.   Please write down the IP Address on a sheet of paper.  You will only need to do this once since the PhotoVu Web Administration program will remember IP Address.   Also, if this Mac gets its IP Address from a DHCP server, this address can and will change from time to time.  You might consider setting this Mac to have a Manual (static) IP Address so you will always know the PhotoVu Computer Name.

Figure 1 - Find the PhotoVu Computer Name

Step 2 - Enable Windows File Sharing   Under System Preferences, click on the Sharing icon then click on the Services tab.  Check the box "Windows File Sharing" then click the Start button.  The result is shown in Figure 2.   Do not be confused by the Computer Name in this panel.  For the PhotoVu setup, we will use the above IP Address instead.   Also notice the text on the bottom of the panel.  It will instruct you on how to access this computer from other PCs or Macs.  For example, it lists the following:   \\192.168.1.39\photovu   Notice that the "photovu" name in this example is the same as your Short Name found under System Preferences, Accounts in Figure 3.

Figure 2 - Enable Windows File Sharing

Step 3 - Find the PhotoVu Computer Share Name   Like AppleShare file sharing in Mac OS X, the Windows File Sharing configuration is limited to sharing each user's home folder,  The default for each user account is off.   Under System Preferences, click on the Accounts icon then click your account.  Click the Edit User button and re-enter the password if necessary.  Next, check the box "Allow user to log in from Windows".  The result is shown in Figure 3.  Last, click the OK button.   In this setup, the PhotoVu Computer Share Name is the Short Name.  Please write down the Short Name on a sheet of paper.  You will only need to do this once since the PhotoVu Web Administration program will remember the Short Name.   The PhotoVu uses Read-Only access and does not modify any files or software on your Mac.

Figure 3 - Find the PhotoVu Computer Share Name

Step 1 - Find the PhotoVu Computer Name   Under System Preferences, click on the Network icon.  The Computer Name for the Mac is the IP Address as shown in Figure 4.   The PhotoVu Computer Name uniquely identifies this computer on the network.  This name, along with the PhotoVu Computer Share Name, will allow the PhotoVu to find and display your digital photos.   Please write down the IP Address on a sheet of paper.  You will only need to do this once since the PhotoVu Web Administration program will remember the IP Address.   Also, if this Mac gets its IP Address from a DHCP server, this address can and will change from time to time.  You might consider setting this Mac to have a Manual (static) IP Address so you will always have a known PhotoVu Computer Name.

Figure 4 - Find the PhotoVu Computer Name

Step 2 - Find the PhotoVu Computer Share Name   Under System Preferences, click on the Sharing icon then click on the Services tab.  Check the box "Windows Sharing" then click the Start button.  The result is shown in Figure 5.   Do not be confused with the Computer Name in this panel.  For the PhotoVu setup, we will use the above IP Address instead.   Also notice the text on the bottom of the panel.  It will instruct you on how to access this computer from other PCs or Macs.  For example, it lists the following:   \\192.168.1.15\photovu   Notice that the "photovu" name in this example is the same as your Short Name found under System Preferences, Accounts in Figure 6.   Like AppleShare file sharing in Mac OS X, the Windows Sharing configuration is limited to sharing each user's home folder.   In this setup, the PhotoVu Computer Share Name is the Short Name.  Please write down the Short Name on a sheet of paper.  You will only need to do this once since the PhotoVu Web Administration program will remember the Short Name.   The PhotoVu uses Read-Only access and does not modify any files or software on your Mac.

Figure 5 - Enable Windows Sharing   Figure 6 - Find the PhotoVu Computer Share Name

Step 1 - Find the PhotoVu Computer Name   Under System Preferences, click on the Network icon.  The PhotoVu Computer Name for the Mac is the IP Address as shown in Figure 7.   The PhotoVu Computer Name uniquely identifies this computer on the network.  This name, along with the PhotoVu Computer Share Name, will allow the PhotoVu to find and display your digital photos.   Please write down the IP Address on a sheet of paper.  You will only need to do this once since the PhotoVu Web Administration program will remember the IP Address.   Also, if this Mac gets its IP Address from a DHCP server, this address can and will change from time to time.  You might consider setting this Mac to have a Manual (static) IP Address so you will always have a known PhotoVu Computer Name.

Figure 7 - Find the PhotoVu Computer Name

Step 2 - Find the PhotoVu Computer Share Name   Under System Preferences, click on the Sharing icon then click on the Services tab.  Check the box "Windows Sharing" then click the Start button.  The result is shown in Figure 8.   Do not be confused with the Computer Name in this panel.  For the PhotoVu setup, we will use the above IP Address instead.   Also notice the text on the bottom of the panel.  It will instruct you on how to access this computer from other PCs or Macs.  For example, it lists the following:   \\192.168.1.15\photovu   Notice that the "photovu" name in this example is Enabled in Figure 8 and is the same as your Short Name found under System Preferences, Accounts in Figure 9.  If your account is not enabled, click the Accounts button.   Like AppleShare file sharing in Mac OS X, the Windows Sharing configuration is limited to sharing each user's home folder.   In this setup, the PhotoVu Computer Share Name is the Short Name.  Please write down the Short Name on a sheet of paper.  You will only need to do this once since the PhotoVu Web Administration program will remember the Short Name.   The PhotoVu uses Read-Only access and does not modify any files or software on your Mac.

Figure 8 - Enable Windows Sharing   Figure 9 - Find the PhotoVu Computer Share Name