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Connect your first classic Mac

This tutorial gets one modern Mac and one classic Mac to the first named session. The alpha bundle includes the NOW Extension, but this first connection uses the normal applications and leaves the Extension uninstalled.

What you need

  • A Mac running macOS 13 or later.
  • A PowerPC Mac running Mac OS 8.6–9.2.2 with CarbonLib 1.6.
  • Both machines on a local network you control.
  • The alpha bundle containing the host app, PowerPC guest, and optional NOW Extension.

The alpha bundle with the host, PowerPC guest, and bundled optional Extension identified

1. Put each application on its machine

Install New Old World.app on the modern Mac. The guided alpha path is Connections > Set Up a New Mac…; follow Set up a new PowerPC Mac to build and download a personalized setup disk. That flow has host and emulator evidence but is not yet end-to-end verified through a classic browser on hardware.

For the manual fallback, transfer New Old World.bin and let the transfer tool restore its forks, then configure the connection. In either path the bundled NOW Extension is an optional selection, not a separate product or a requirement for the first connection.

2. Start the host listener

Launch New Old World on macOS. Open Connections, confirm the listener port, and note an address the classic Mac can reach. Keep the window open for this first connection.

The macOS listener ready with an address and port visible

3. Point the classic guest at the host

Launch the guest on the classic Mac. On PowerPC, use the Workshop's Connection page. Enter the host's reachable address and the same port, then connect.

The classic guest connection settings before the first dial

4. Prove the session

The host should show the classic Mac by name, not merely say that a socket is open. Open Hardware and request the overview, or open Processes and refresh. A typed answer from the selected machine proves more than a green connection light.

A named connected session with its capability state visible

5. Decide whether to install the bundled Extension

Open Core features. Ordinary modules do not need the Extension. Install the bundled component only when you want to evaluate the Extension-required Mirror features and can recover by booting with Extensions disabled.

Result

You now have a normal NOW session without the bundled Extension installed. Continue with Transfer a file, browse the module reference, or compare core feature coverage.

If the dial is refused or never settles, use Recover a connection. Do not weaken the network boundary to make a first run easier.