Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Apple Releases Preview of IP over FireWire

Posted by pudge on from the now-i-really-need-to-remember-the-difference-between-MB-and-Mb dept.

A user writes, "Apple has finally released IP over FireWire drivers for Mac OS X. It is now possible to connect two or more Macs together with FireWire cables and if needed, FireWire hubs."

7 of 116 comments (clear)

  1. Any iPod-based Applications? by kalidasa · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I know this is for OS X, and the OS on the iPod is different, but what about using IP-over-Firewire for IP synching of iPods?

    1. Re:Any iPod-based Applications? by Wesley+Felter · · Score: 3, Insightful

      The iPod doesn't have a networking stack, so that would require a lot of work.

  2. Re:FireWire Target Disk Mode by tim1724 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Why would you want and/or need AppleTalk?

    AFP (Apple Filing Protocol, what the marketing people call "AppleShare") works great over TCP.

    Given Jaguar's support for Rendevous and AFP over TCP, what does AppleTalk get you? AppleTalk's only place in today's world is for compatibility with legacy machines, but that doesn't apply here, as Apple only supplies this software for Jaguar.

    --
    -- Tim Buchheim
  3. Re:Oh, come on by tyrione · · Score: 2, Insightful

    No I do believe iLink that Sony adapted from Apple's Firewire and developed for XP is the skillful use, not Microsoft since afterall, Firewire is an "add-on" by 3rd parties and hence the sole responsibility of the 3rd party, not Microsoft.

    Someone could correct me and I'd be more the wiser.

    Apple since it has Firewire built-into OS X wasn't about to do IP over Firewire until they sorted out all the "critical needs" first for Mac Users. Adding a kernel extension tells me its been in the testing stage for quite some time but relinquished as unimportant until now when Apple's Digital Lifestyle devices become more of a reality to market.

    Steve likes to have all his ducks-in-a-row before dazzling the crowds.

  4. Re:On XP it works nicely. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    The Mac architecture has the firewire port hanging off the Northbridge chip, not on the PCI bus.

    This is the same chip that the ethernet port hangs off as well. This allows high bandwith access to memory, and this is especially good on the new DDR RAM based computers, which can serve up a lot of data very quickly.

  5. Re:Oh, come on by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    ...and they'll need IP over firewire so that they can use Rendezvous to connect to Philip's up and coming devices.

    e.g. you'll be able to control your tv via firewire, or you'll be able to record TV on your mac.

  6. Re:FireWire Target Disk Mode by tim1724 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The whole point of Rendevouz (a combination of automatic link-local address assignment, multicast DNS, and service discovery) is to provide all the ease of use of AppleTalk on an IP network.

    When you connect two machines together with FireWire and have IP over FireWire enabled, they will assign themselves link-local IP addresses, exchange name information via multicast DNS, and advertise their services (such as file or printer sharing) to each other.

    The machines will automatically appear in the Finder's "Connect to Server" window, the same way they would if they were running AppleTalk. Shared printers will automatically appear in the Print Center and in print dialogs.

    AppleTalk is not any easier than that!

    --
    -- Tim Buchheim