iTunes 9: At Home With Home Sharing
For me, the Home Sharing feature introduced in iTunes 9 has been a long time coming. I’ve always run at least two Macs, one desktop and one notebook, and over the years I’ve tried various solutions for sharing media between multiple machines.
Of course, there was always the option of sharing your library on your home network. This allowed you to play streaming music from one computer on others via iTunes. It works well enough for what it is, but Home Sharing does that, and much more.
Share More Media
First of all, you can share much more than just music between computers. Movies, music videos, and TV shows are all now playable on any machine in your network you authorize via Home Sharing. Authorization is simple, but requires you to have an iTunes account, and to have authorized the computer in question to play media associated with that account. Once that’s done, your Home Share libraries should appear in your source list.
Clicking on an available library brings up a straightforward list of all the media available on that library. As with Shared Libraries, you can only view Home Shares in list view, not in Grid or Coverflow. It’s inconvenient and unfortunate, but it doesn’t really detract that much from the feature’s usability that much, especially since you can still filter the library via search.
Copy and Sync
You can also break down the shared library into categories, just like iTunes’ native library is divided up. Clicking on any item in any category will activate the “Import” button, which allows you to physically copy the item to your current library with a single click.
To make it easier to find items you don’t already have, there’s a simple drop down menu in the bottom left-hand corner of the media browser window that lets you choose between “All items” and “Items not in my library.” You can also open the “Settings…” dialog to set up automatic transfer of new purchases from one library to another via Home Sharing, ensuring that your content is up to date across all computers.
One Central Location
For my own purposes, I’m much more interested in Home Sharing’s movie and TV show streaming. I couldn’t tell you why I have a problem with keeping a decent amount of hard drive space clear on any of my computers, but the fact remains that I do. It definitely doesn’t help that I can’t keep the lines clear between a dedicated media machine and a work machine.
With Home Sharing, I can use my Mac mini as I intended when I bought it: As a central repository for all entertainment media. On those occasions when I want to watch something on my iMac or on the bedroom TV via my Macbook Pro, I no longer have to transfer any files (which I invariably forget/am too lazy to delete). Media stays where it belongs, and remains accessible.
Good, But Should Be Better
So what is Home Sharing still lacking? How about the big glaring omission: the ability to share content to iPod touches and iPhones on the local network. I can’t imagine what’s preventing Apple from allowing me to view Home Share playlists in my iPhone’s iPod application as well as on other computers. If you’re paying attention, Cupertino, think about working that into iPhone OS 3.2.
If you were hoping that since Home Sharing requires you to be using one of your five account-authorized computers, you’d be able to access shared libraries on the road, you’ll be disappointed. Only computers on the same Wi-Fi network can see active shares. To get this functionality, and to be able to stream iTunes libraries to your iPhone or iPod touch as mentioned above, check out Simplify Media and its attendant iPhone apps.
My ideal vision for the future of Home Sharing? Tie it to MobileMe and have an option to keep libraries synced the way you can Address Book and iCal, make it accessible away from home from authorized computers, and introduce mobile device streaming for iPhones and touches. It’s a nice start, but those features would make it a true game-changer.
Tweet This (28)
Petri on September 11th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
There’s one simple thing that makes home sharing pretty useless to us; lack of support for cover flow or cover views. Browsing your library with just the text fields just won’t do it.
Home sharing seem to be streaming with DRM support and ability to copy media. You cannot manipulate the playlists, rank media, or anything really.
I think Apple could do much better sharing for a home with one library and multiple computers. Now we’re using remote desktop to manipulate the library at the machine with the media.
Blahh! on October 20th, 2009 at 6:37 pm
Text fields is the best way to view your library. Your backwards.
Junk on October 28th, 2009 at 11:00 pm
*You’re* backwards.
Zeran on November 7th, 2009 at 2:21 pm
I am impressed with the change you now can copy files that you download to one computer to another over you home network only problem i must drop my firewall to use this on my PC can’t find which ports to open and my network is hacker friendly someone hacks me all the time opening firewall is like saying here now it is easy no need to work at it upload your junk porn, viruses, spy-ware, mall-ware, etc. I had to purchase a cleaning program to clear us some of the disturbing stuff they uploaded before. Now firewall is down for them again. What do i need to open to just have itunes file sharing work and not let them in. Wish someone would find them and put stuff on them and put them away or 6 feet under :-). I can’t even use my computer to write my stories they delete them or change them. So i just play WOW on my computer and use iTunes lol.
Murphy Mac on September 11th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
Petri makes a good point. I really want those features too.
It WAS a pleasant surprise though, and I’m already streaming tv shows from my iTunes hub to my laptop. Cool that you don’t need file sharing on for the import either. Very clean interface.
Hopefully Petri and Darrell’s wishlists are on the drawing board.
Grant on September 12th, 2009 at 10:04 am
Just to be clear, streaming TV shows and movies between shared libraries was possible well before iTunes 9. Not sure why this comment and the article imply that it wasn’t.
isayhoomhom on September 11th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
This is as much a question as it is a comment. The Home Sharing feature of course only covers iTunes-related media (music, movies, etc.), not photos. Like Mr. Etherington, I have always run two Macs at home and always wished it was easier to share photos between the two machines. Does anyone know a way to use iPhoto as a server of sorts, and let multiple Macs access (and edit) the photo library? This type of synchronicity would be my “game changer.”
reindog457 on September 14th, 2009 at 11:42 am
iphoto -> preferences -> sharing.
same function as this new ‘home sharing’ in itunes 9.
reindog457 on September 14th, 2009 at 11:43 am
drag and drop photos between libraries.
Ryan on September 11th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
This is still crippled by lack of support for single shared repositories.
What becomes clear when you use this is that each Mac in your home becomes a streaming source only while it is online AND only while it is running iTunes running.
Sure, you can import from that Mac and enjoy it’s media even if it goes offline, but now you’ve duplicated the file (and had to wait for the import if you had also wanted to watch it immediately.)
Not as big a deal for relatively small music files, but for video?
Oh, and although I’ve yet to stoop to using Front Row, you’ll be pleased to know that Front Row does NOT support Home Sharing: even though you can stream from the other Mac in your instance of iTunes, that other Mac’s shared media assets are NOT visible in Front Row.
We maintain one big multi-terabyte RAID NAS (Drobo shared via AirPort Extreme) in the house, safely hidden in a ventilated wiring closet with router, etc. The only always-on, immobile Mac is the Mini feeding the big screen in the living room, 802.11g unfortunately — it mounts the NAS wirelessly and could be our master Home Sharing host, but to consume it’s shared media from our MacBooks, we are going over the wireless TWICE: Mini pulling source wirelessly from NAS then feeding wirelessly back through router, then wirelessly from router to my MacBook. Thrice?
Still not THAT evil for audio, but video? HD video?
We are adding a second Mini soon for another room, so yet another consumer of high-bandwidth video.
Moral of the story: zero support or consideration of NAS devices that families are increasingly using to provide a single massive shared and (if you are wise enough to insist on RAID) SAFE repository for all family media.
What to do? Go back to third-party solution like PLEX that auto-crawls a network share for media resources, and continue managing that file system BY HAND … when I should be satisfied with iTunes to organize and consume on my laptop, and Front Row to consume on the big screen, but alas both remain critically neutered. Why, Apple, why?
Astounded Apple has yet to think in terms of “home server”, instead limited to disparate pools of media shared peer-to-peer, requiring at least one always-on Mac and saturating your wireless needlessly.
Grant on September 12th, 2009 at 10:08 am
I’m pretty positive that Front Row has been able to stream from shared libraries for a long time.
Mart on September 11th, 2009 at 10:56 pm
Does this sharing (copying between iTunes on different Macs) available in the US or songs purchased from the iTunes Store?
I’ve been trying to figure out how to copy the songs from my MacBook to Mac Mini and I can’t do it, though I can share and stream from each other.
Any help?
Chad on October 10th, 2009 at 8:38 pm
I am experiencing the same problem. I can short through my itunes list using my windoze laptop, however, the ‘home’ icon doesn’t appear. What can I do to copy the music?
Chad on October 10th, 2009 at 8:51 pm
Why after setting up both computers do I not see the Home icon with the trebel cleff but layered sqaures with a trebel cleff? I can’ copy files from my wife’s account into my itunes. Please help.
Raquel on September 12th, 2009 at 7:06 am
I downloaded itunes 9 and a video popped up to help me navigate through the changes. By accident I closed my itunes application and now I can’t find the initial video which was introducing itunes 9. I have found other videos on line to walk me through the changes but they are not as easy to follow as the one itunes provided. How can I watch that same initial video that itunes 9 popped up when I first opened the application?
Raquel on September 12th, 2009 at 7:09 am
Opps! Found it on my itunes help pull down menu. Thanks!
Michael D on September 12th, 2009 at 9:27 pm
My home PC runs XP my wifes laptop is running Vista. I cannot get them to link up via Home share. I have messed with the firewall settings with no luck,any suggestions?
Kent on September 13th, 2009 at 1:18 am
Buy macs! :-)
Monique on September 17th, 2009 at 9:24 am
Make sure when you log into your itunes sharing account on both computers. I had to log in twice on my computer once I set it up. Once to set it up, then log into my boyfriend’s computer (make sure your account is authorized on the other computer as well as yours), and then I had to re-log in under home sharing. It worked then. At first it didn’t show up but then it popped up after I re-logged in under home sharing.
Hope this helps!
Kent on September 13th, 2009 at 1:20 am
Another little gripe about the new iTunes 9. When playing one of the new Genius Mixes, you can’t rate the currently playing song. Usually if I am playing a song and like it, I right-click the iTunes icon in the dock and can then assign a rating. For whatever reason, this feature is greyed-out when playing Genius Mixes. It works fine for Genius Playlists however. Anyone else having this same problem?
dkp on September 13th, 2009 at 6:22 pm
One thing I would like to alert folks on is the about the new 8GB iPod Touch. This new device introduced on 8/13/09 is not capable of Voice memos/recording by itself. The product does not come with the headphones that have the remote and Microphone. And, without the microphone you cannot record anything. The Apple retail store rep. told me that I need to buy a headphone set that comes with the remote and mic. in order to use the Voice memo feature that comes with the device. It is a shame that Apple is trying to sell it’s 8GB iPod Touch and still packing in the old headphones which are useless if you want to use the Voice Memo/recording feature. Even when you upgrade the older device with the 3.1 version, you cannot use the Voice memos/recording feature until you buy the new headphones with the mic.
Grant on September 13th, 2009 at 9:26 pm
I was under the impression that the “new” 8GB iPod Touch isn’t new at all, it’s just the 2nd gen iPod Touch with a price drop. The only new hardware is the 32GB and 64GB models. So I thought the 8GB model didn’t even get the Voice Memos app at all.
Sheila on September 14th, 2009 at 8:46 pm
I have 2 computers sitting side by side on the same home network with itunes 9 installed and home sharing enabled and they don’t see each other, what am i doing wrong?
Grant on September 14th, 2009 at 9:30 pm
Preferences – Sharing – Look For Shared Libraries, make sure that’s turned on (and the other settings in there look right.)
Greg on September 14th, 2009 at 9:19 pm
Is there a way to actually TRANSFER the playlists themselves using Home Sharing? If not this is a glaring omission!
Chad on October 10th, 2009 at 8:41 pm
Great question. I am having the same issue. Also, I am getting an error message about port 3689 on my Mac which won’t display my wife’s windoze itunes play list.
Sheila on September 14th, 2009 at 10:21 pm
Yep i have all those set right.
Greg on September 14th, 2009 at 10:42 pm
RE: playlists, note that I realise that the playlists can be accessed, and the files copied, but all I want to do is transfer the playlist itself. This doesn’t appear to be possible.
I just tried manually copying all the files from a playlist to another computer, but this didn’t do what I wanted – it actually copied the CONTENT over, and then put a pointer to the files that had just been transferred into the playlist. As it turns out, I already had all the files, so it created duplicates.
The playlist transfer function needs to be smarter – it needs to first check whether the content exists on the destination, and only if it doesn’t, THEN transfer the content.
Johnny Newsome on September 15th, 2009 at 3:32 am
Home sharing working well between two Windows Vista laptops. I permitted HS on my laptop and my wife’s now shows my library on her own. Can we do the reverse, so I can see her library on mine too?
chris on September 15th, 2009 at 9:13 pm
As far as I know, it will only work with one itunes account, not multiple accounts. If you only use one account between you, then all the music either of you buys will already be in the home share.
The only way you could possibly get it to work would be to somehow transfer purchases from one account to another, but I don’t know whether you can actually do that.
Johnny Newsome on September 16th, 2009 at 12:40 am
Thanks for that. We in fact have seperate accounts and have purchases on both :(
Morgan on September 16th, 2009 at 12:37 am
This may make me sound like a complete moron, but I need help so here it goes. I have a PC and a Mac, I am trying to do home share, and it won’t work. They are both hooked up to an ethernet connection in separate rooms in my house. I have the “Look for shared libraries” selected on both, and I have home sharing enabled on both. I also, of course logged in with the same user name and password. My problem is that the IP addresses don’t match up for some reason. One IP address is 192.168.1.102 and the other is 192.168.1.103. What the heck do I need to do? I’m not too great with computers, so any help will be appreciated, but try and keep it simple.
Celeste H.G. Boyd on September 16th, 2009 at 5:59 am
I’m having a similar problem to both Morgan and Sheila. I set everything up to do home sharing, by enabling it, and signing into the same iTunes account on both computers. Both computers have “Look for shared libraries” and “share my library enabled.” They are on the same network, but now neither of them even shows the “Home Sharing” icon on the left. It just disappeared as soon as I enabled Home Sharing. Can anyone enlighten us?
Sheila on September 16th, 2009 at 5:41 pm
My “HS” icon also goes away as soon as i confirm home sharing has been turned on.
Jan on October 19th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
Exactly the same thing happened to me as happened to Sheila. I can’t find a solution online and Apple seem to be keeping very quiet about it.
Jason on September 16th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
All of my media is on a Mac Mini running Snow Leopard. I have a Powerbook G4 running Leopard. I want to plug my iPhone into the Powerbook G4 and transfer music to it from the Mac Mini, because there’s a massive hard drive attached to the Mini with all of our media on it. Even with the Home Sharing feature in iTunes 9, I still cannot do this. What good is it that I can copy it from the Mini’s hard drive to the Powerbook’s using Home Sharing? I could do that 6 years ago from the Finder. I don’t have a whole lot of room on the Powerbook’s hard drive.
Just stupid.
And while I’m at it, let’s allow the iPhone to sync wirelessly with the computer and do away with the damn dock connector. The Zune has done this for years. I’m sure Apple could do it better, if it chose to do it at all.
melanie on September 20th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
I guess this is great if you have 2 computers, but what if you only have one and are trying to connect your music with both ipod and iphone? Is this at all possible. The ipod was done on a computer thats now broken. So I had to purchase new labtop.
jos! on September 20th, 2009 at 10:12 pm
I cant copy my movies or my applications whats the problem!
jos! on September 20th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
Can some1 plz help it wont let me copy my movies or apps. with home shareing.
spesys on September 22nd, 2009 at 8:16 pm
Does anyone know why I would only be able to copy some music from a shared library? I select all music in shared, copy and paste into my purchased and only some paste.
VS on September 24th, 2009 at 7:24 pm
Looks like Apple needs to update the itunes 9 update already cuz the “transfer” of songs from one shared library to another DOESN’T WORK! Someone at Apple probably said, “wait a minute, we are losing money by allowing this transfer of songs crap, who’s idea was this anyway…pull it and say it was a bug…”
Chad on October 10th, 2009 at 8:45 pm
No kidding. I can’t copy songs, but the video manual states that it is possible.
Jdhart294 on September 27th, 2009 at 2:40 pm
i set up the home share continually and it just disapears and does not show up on either computer i have no clue what to do can u plzz help me!!! any1???
Celeste Boyd on September 27th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
Two suggestions for those having trouble:
** Make sure you’re using the same iTunes account on both computers! **
** Make sure you have enough authorizations left on that account for both computers! **
I had the same problem as many people here, where I would enable Home Sharing on both computers, and the Home Sharing icon would simply disappear on each computer as I hit “done.”
Then, I realized I was using two different iTunes accounts (my husband has two accounts set up under two very similar email accounts, so I didn’t realize that each computer was using a different account).
Also, I read on another site somewhere that you need to make sure you have enough authorizations left on your account for each computer that you set up with Home Sharing.
As soon as I made sure the iTunes account was the same on each computer, the Home Sharing icons popped up just as the instructions say they will.
Good luck to everyone!
Chad on October 10th, 2009 at 8:47 pm
What does “enough authorizations left on your account” mean?
Bahi on October 22nd, 2009 at 6:08 pm
Celeste
The account you use to buy things at the iTunes store doesn’t have to be the same account you use to activate Home Sharing. Your husband can continue to buy his stuff using his Apple ID and you yours; sharing must be activated for both computers using the same account but that is an entirely separate thing. In our network, my wife and I buy our music using entirely separate accounts but Home Sharing is activated using just my account. You’re right about the authorizations: either the other computer must already be authorized or you must have one remaining authorization on your account (each account has five) in order to add it.
J Ronin on September 28th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
Apple really should allow iTunes to work alongside a PS3.
P Pattison on September 30th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
I am having the same problem as others. I have checked everything suggested, but when I swith on home sharing , log on and click done the icon just disappears.
On the preferences section at the bottom, it says sharing on, no users connected.
The frustrating thing is that it was there for about 6 hours but then disappeared.
Gere on October 19th, 2009 at 2:58 pm
dont hit done it is like a ejection button for itunes home sharing just leave it and wait for your other computer,s libary to pop up
Lauren Smith on September 30th, 2009 at 6:24 pm
Alright…so my roomate and I have downloaded the itunes 9 and we are trying to homeshare, but I think im starting to figure this out. You can only share ONE account right? She has her account and I have mine and we cant share from each others? We just have to have them bought on the same account to share? I hope this is making sense because we have tried EVERYTHING.
B Lee on September 30th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
This is driving me crazy! I only have one iTunes account, so I am obviously not using two seperate accounts (both of the computers belong to me and me alone); I have both computers authorized; I have my “look for shared libraries” turned on; I have Homeshare turned on (under the “Advanced” tab); and still, no Homeshare.
Keith on October 4th, 2009 at 10:09 am
Finally got this set up…appears you can “pull” content from a shared Library, but not “push” content to one. I have a mac mini set up as a media player to the big screen, which I have always managed manually via VNC/Screen Sharing. Was hoping that Home Sharing would simply allow me to push new content from my desktop to the mini via iTunes.
Is this “sharing” only one-way, or is my setup still not working correctly?
tim on October 9th, 2009 at 9:23 am
Home sharing is weak at best…..
When trying to copy a shared library from a MacBook to a win xp pro laptop, it locks up the XP box after about 300 songs/videos. and I mean locked up to the point where you have to force a power down to get the system back.
Apple has never delivered anything like a workable admin component to itunes. they should be embarrassed with this round…
I won’t even go into the repeated crashes going on in the latest Safari version for the XP Pro box.
I love my mac book, but maybe they should stick to hardware/OS and not mess with apps, cause my experience to date is that it is not their strong suit
Manuel on October 11th, 2009 at 11:13 pm
I’m so pissed, i have a new Pc with windows xp and i’ve done everything every website recommends and i can not activate home sharing, i have logged on both pc, i have activated the sharing options on both computers, we are on the same network and nothing. PLS help me!
Sean on October 13th, 2009 at 9:44 pm
I am unable to even sign in with my itunes account. I have tried every way of entering the account that signs in just fine with the store.
GR on October 16th, 2009 at 8:44 am
Problem: Home Share icon dissapears as soon as you set it up.
Solution: Get off of wireless
I have two laptops running iTunes, one on wireless and one plugged into a wireless router. Once I plugged them both into the wireless rounter, the icons appeared and iTunes was shared. Problem solved.
DJ on October 17th, 2009 at 8:37 am
Thanks , that works even though it’s pointless. Why have homesharing if both your computers have to be sitting next to each other plugged into the router? Apple SUCKS!!
megan on October 16th, 2009 at 2:28 pm
help!!!!! homesharing is set up on my pc desktop. on my mac i log in through the itunes account in the itunes store and it works fine. but when i try to use that same account for the laptop and desktop it says ” home sharing could not be activated because this computer is not authorized for this account what do i do????
emily on October 19th, 2009 at 8:36 pm
if i take my laptop to school and my music is on homesharing will i loose all that music from the computer at home?
Blahh! on October 20th, 2009 at 6:41 pm
Naw.
Blahh! on October 20th, 2009 at 6:41 pm
My problem is that it worked once or twice. But every time I wanna lisen on the other comp I can’t bring up home sharing any more. Help me to find out why it wont home share between my two comp’s.
Dawn on October 22nd, 2009 at 8:39 am
I’m trying to set up home sharing between my laptop and my sisters laptop but i cant get it to work. We dont have broadband but we do have a mobile internet stick. Is it not working because of the internet? Or is it because we have laptops instead of computers.
I have checked all the setting, and its set to look for shared libraries but still not working. Please help. :)
ryan on October 25th, 2009 at 5:02 pm
i need help every time i try to click on my brothers play list it says check any fairwall on your or shared running are set to allow communication on a port
Jonny on October 29th, 2009 at 11:38 pm
I can see my shared libraries, and start copying them from my PC (XP) to my Laptop (Vista) and it transfers 5-15 songs then I get an iTunes error “There was a problem downloading “SongName”. The network connection timed out. I can click OK and then click Import again and it will copy a few more songs before timing out again. Firewall is off on both systems. Connection is through home network protected by filtered Mac Addressess. I even turned off Anti-Virus. No luck, it only transfers a few files and then stops again. I have 600+ songs to transfer. Any suggestions?
Andrew Dale on November 1st, 2009 at 10:54 am
Am I right in thinking that Home Sharing only allows you to share music you have purchased form iTunes Stare? i.e. You can’t share ripped CDs.
Waste of time for me …
Jonny on November 1st, 2009 at 12:04 pm
Nope, it’s sharing all my library, including ripped CDs. It just errors out after 5 to now 50 or 60 songs.
Chris on November 3rd, 2009 at 7:48 pm
Is there any way you can share two libraries on the same computer?
Andrew Dale on November 8th, 2009 at 12:59 am
still not working …
Marta Keller on November 9th, 2009 at 8:42 am
This may sound like a dumb question but do the computers have to be on the same network to share? I’m at work and I want to listen to my Itunes at home can I do that? Or do I have to take my laptop home in order to mesh my work itunes and my home itunes?
Jimmy on November 10th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
OK, here’s what I did:
This works on 2 (and probably more) Macs—
without messing around with any port settings
with OS X Preferences, Sharing, File Sharing turned OFF on BOTH computers
with iTunes Preferences, Sharing, “Share my library on my local network” turned OFF on BOTH computers
(apologies for documentation overkill—just being thorough)
1. Turn OFF Home Sharing on BOTH computers (this is NOT done in Preferences; instead, go here: Advanced, Home Sharing)
2. Make sure BOTH machines are authorized for BOTH iTunes accounts (Store, Authorize Computer)—i.e., if each has its own iTunes account
3. You do NOT have to be logged into the same account on both computers; each computer may stay logged into the iTunes store under its own login
4. For sanity’s sake on this part, check to make sure of this—i.e., that each machine is logged into the store with its own store account (Store, View My Account, check to see ID is correct)
5. NOW turn Home Sharing back on (Advanced, Home Sharing) on each computer, but use ONE account to log into Home Sharing on both (or all) computers
6. DON’T WORRY, this does not “flip” the login ID for a particular computer’s iTunes Store connection to the ID being used for Home Sharing
7. On each computer now you should see a “Home” icon with the shared library in the left-hand sidebar
8. Open the shared library and drag and drop as desired
The bottom line seems to be this:
1. Keep each computer logged into the store with a separate iTunes ID (if you need to)
2. Get all the computers authorized for all available IDs
3. Use ONE ID to log into Home Sharing on ALL computers
You will of course ONLY see the Home Sharing icon pop up if both computers are on, with iTunes open on each
You’ll know that this whole thing is working if the shared library listed on the left has the correct “Home” icon (and not the blue, “shared” icon that shows up when Preferences, Sharing, “Share my library on my local network” is turned on—yes, this is the one you see in Internet cafes filled with Mac users)
I’ve tested the above over and over again, even completely rebooting my two machines (they have different iTunes accounts), and it still works. This is running Leopard on both machines.
__________________
MBP 2.4 GHz Santa Rosa 17-inch 4 GB RAM 320GB HD 1920×1200 matte
Airport Extreme; Airport Express x5; iPod G5 60GB x2; iPod Shuffle x2; iPhone 2G 8GB
Laura on November 10th, 2009 at 10:16 pm
Yeah, I was having a beast of a time with this (I have a HP laptop and HP desktop) and I took the above advice — I logged off completely from my iTunes store account on both computers, disconnected from the libraries, turned Home Share OFF and made sure that file sharing was enabled on my computers. Then I turned on Home Share on each computer, typing in my iTunes account email and password for both computers to enable Home Share. At that point, the Home Share icon popped up on both computers and I am in the process of updating my laptop library with my complete desktop library — 25 songs transferred so far and going strong! Weird.
allygill on November 11th, 2009 at 9:46 am
Everything was working fine until 10.6.2 / iTunes 9.0.2 after which I can’t share my iMac / MacBook Pro machines over the wireless network any more. No problem if the laptop is connected via Ethernet however…
Brian on November 11th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
I downloaded itunes 9 and watched the video about home share. I don’t even have a home share icon to do it. how do I get it to show up?
addie on November 19th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
i tried to do that and I downloaded all of my songs from 1 computer to the other but it won’t let me do anything with them. Like i want to put them on my iPod, but when I drag them on it does not work. I cannot copy them either or make a playlist and i am just veeeerrrrrrrrryyyyyy confused…. will someone please help me??? i would it appreciate it very very much!
addie on November 19th, 2009 at 3:50 pm
*By the way, there are not saved under the library. they are under Shared > Home Sharing > aack’s library (my library) > Playlists > Addie’s. But now it will not let me do anythhing with them.