In Mac OS X, how do I turn file sharing on or off?

Note: This document assumes that you already have a network connection.

To turn file sharing on or off in Mac OS X:

1. From the Apple menu, select System Preferences... .
   
   
2. In System Preferences, from the View menu, select Sharing.
   
   
3. To turn file sharing on or off, check or uncheck File Sharing. It may take several seconds to start up or turn off.

If you turn file sharing on, you may want to adjust some settings:

• In the area to the right of the service list, you can add and remove shared folders and control who has access to your computer.
  
  
• Next to "Computer Name:", give your computer a descriptive name. Bonjour users on your local network can use this name to access your computer.
  
  
• By default, file sharing will make your computer available via the Apple Filing Protocol (AFP). To change this protocol, click Options...  to switch to FTP (not recommended) or SMB.

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