With more than 10 sharing features built right into Mac OS X, Apple gives you the ability to share almost anything from your Mac. Whether you’re sharing a printer, scanner, file, or even a website, there’s a little something for everyone in the Sharing preference panes. In this post, we’ll walk you through what each of the sharing preferences do, and how you can put them to good use.
Before we get started, lets take a look at the Sharing preferences pane by navigating to System Preferences > Sharing. Once there, you will notice your computer’s name at the top of the screen. You can change this name by typing a new one into the text box. This is the name that identifies your computer over the network and will show up in Finder's "Shared" section on other computers.
Below, you will notice 12 different native services available on the left-hand side of the screen. You can click on the name of the service to get more information and settings for the service, and then you can turn it on by checking the “On” checkbox.
Now, let's get into the fun stuff.
This feature of the Sharing preferences is built in specifically for those using a MacBook Air without a Super Drive. When enabled, this feature allows you to share a loaded CD or DVD over a wired or wireless network with a MacBook Air, so that you can install software or boot an install DVD. 
To enable this sharing feature, check the on checkbox beside the name; the green light should then appear on the service detail page, letting you know it has been enabled. Now, whenever you have a disc loaded into your computer, your MacBook Air will be able to connect to the disc over the network by clicking on it in the Finder.
Screen Sharing has been in OS X for a while now. This is a very useful feature that gives you the ability to open a VNC session to your Mac over your local network from any other computer. To enable screen sharing on your Mac, check the “On” checkbox, then click “Only these users” for the section labeled “Allow access for.” This will ensure that only administrator accounts can connect and control the Mac. 
When you do this, you can use any VNC client to control your computer using the login credentials for one of the administrator accounts on your Mac. However, Apple has also built in its own VNC client, which you can get to by clicking on your Mac in the sidebar of the Finder (under the “Shared” section). Once you do this, you will have the option for “Share Screen.” Click this button and log in with your administrator credentials to begin viewing and controlling the screen of the connected Mac. 
File Sharing, as the name implies, allows you to access files on a Mac connected locally to your network. Click on the “On” checkbox to enable file access on all administrator accounts, this includes all connected volumes as well. 
After doing this, you will be able to click on the shared computer in the Finder, and then click on “Connect As...” You will then be prompted to login, and if you log in with an administrator account, you will have access to external drives, and all of the files on the computer.
>> Next Page: Printer, Scanner, Web Sharing, Remote login and Remote management
