In early 2001, just as the first version of iTunes was coming to market, Jonathan Ploudre wrote a short series of articles on home networking and setting up an old Mac as a network appliance.

Things have changed a bit since then, especially with iTunes (which eventually added sharing song libraries over a network) and OS X, but the principles remain the same.

• Mac Network Appliance: MP3 Server. How even a lowly Quadra 630 with ethernet has plenty of power to be an inexpensive networked music server.
• Mac Network Appliance: Sound and Pictures. How to turn an old PowerBook into a digital picture fame and music player.
• Home Network Throughput looks at ways to improve file transfer speed over your network.

Short link: http://goo.gl/mE78X5

searchword: homenetworkappliances