TCP network Mac to PC

MeetallO's icon

Hi guys, I'm going crazy over this problem:
I need to send messages over TCP from Max 7 on Mac to PC (Windows 10 Home Edition).

I tried some guides like this https://cycling74.com/forums/ot-windows-xp-mac-ethernet-configuration-nightmare but I can't get on it. Nothing seems to work.

Mac and PC are connected through LAN cable. Has anyone ever solved this kind of problem?

Thanks for any help!!

ben sonic's icon

The only recommendation I can provide is to use a router in between. It doesn't need internet access. But it makes things a lot easier. You don't need special cables, you don't need to create a special network. There still might be some adjustment to do , but I bet no nightmare. I'm a mac user, and did work a lot with non mac users over udp network in the past.

ben sonic's icon

Btw I never used tcp, but udp in both directions on different ports.

MeetallO's icon

Hi Ben,
Did you set up the communication between Mac and Win (Max to VLC?)? What kind of router?

Thank you

ben sonic's icon

Did you set up the communication between Mac and Win?

yes, and vice versa.

(Max to VLC?)

I don’t know what you mean. vlc media-player? nope.

What kind of router?


The kind of router, you use at home, like fritzbox, d-link, netgear... nothing special. I recommend to use ethernet cables, it’s more reliable (and more powerful). But you can test it also with wifi.

If you plug your computer into a router without any adjustments, every ip-address is automatically provided (standard case). Means, after figuring out the given ip-address of the receiving computer and writing it into your udpsend object, it should work already. Next step would be to assign the addresses manually to avoid changing ip-addresses. you can apply the same settings (like the automatically given) . On a mac this can be done in the network preferences. and here I conveniently use a new "location", which is just like a preset. this allows easily to switch between different settings.

MeetallO's icon

Yes I mean vlc media player.
Thank you Ben, I'll give it a try! :)

Bill 2's icon

Haven't got a clue about this stuff, but today a friend mentioned using a crossover cable instead of a straight-through cable or router to connect computers. Do what you will with this potentially useless and irrelevant info.

MeetallO's icon

So you think that could be the problem? A straight through cable instead of a crossover one?

Bill 2's icon

I personally don't know, but the way my friend put it was the other way around - use a crossover cable, NOT a straight-through.

MeetallO's icon

Ok thank you Bill.

Bill 2's icon

No worries Meetallo. Please let us know when and how you get it working - I'm definitely curious now.

MeetallO's icon

Yeah think I got it. It was a mix of your solutions: crossover cable, router and manual ip-address.

This worked for me.

sonichel's icon

mxj net.tcp.recv & mxj net.tcp.send :)