Is there a way to install a program from a DVD in a desktop to a laptop via a network

[OrionMaster]

I have a macbook pro with only 2 USB ports. one of the is taken by a external monitor (USB display link adapter, the HDMI and one thunderbolt port are also connected to external monitors, the other thunderbolt has a RJ45 adapter on it) and the other USB has a USB 3.0 hub with a mice and keyboard in it. I need the macbook to have access to my USB DVD drive. But when I plug on the hub it lacks the power (even though its USB 3.0 with an external power source), so the mice/keyboard stops working and even then the drive doesn't work (even only by itself it doesn't work, only way for it to work is to plug it directly with no hub). Bluetooh mice/keyboard is totally out of the question.

I'm thinking of building a network between my PC (that is close by the macbook) and pluging the drive there. Is there a way that I can run stuff and install things from the PC to the laptop? Essentially I want to share the DVD drive like a printer. I'm sure windows by itself wont let you do that but there is got be a software that can make that happen
Or some other creative solution. All the ports from the macbook are taken (except the USB 3.0 hub ones)

 

[Fardringle]

Sharing a DVD drive between Windows machines on a network works fine. Sharing from a Windows computer to a Mac in order to install the files might work or it might note, depending on whether the Windows PC can read the Mac install disk, and whether the Mac software will allow installation from a Windows shared drive. It can't hurt to try.

 

[OrionMaster]

I'm not running OSX on the macbook but the same windows (w7) via bootcamp

 

[OrionMaster]

You are right, apparently windows can share DVD drives. so its a solution. Does anyone know of another solution? if its my only option, then I will do it but it won't be super convenient given that I will have to bootup the PC everytime I want to use the DVD

 

[cubby1223]

Copy the contents of the dvd to a flash drive

 

[OrionMaster]

The windows sharing solution looks to be a complete mess. Even though the DVD is shared is still running the program on the PC instead of the mac, I would have to choose the network drive of the macbook in the PC as the destination installation folder but this creates so many permission issues that it quickly becomes a nightmare. not to mention the numerous times I have to type in the admin password on the PC.

I'm not really looking to install something once but rather to have easy access to the DVD from the mac. thats why just sending the files to a flash drive isn't an option

 

[Fardringle]

Connect the DVD drive to the desktop.
Share the drive on the desktop.
Connect to the network drive from the Mac to the PC.
Run the installer on the Mac.

 

[cubby1223]

Okay, then buy a better usb hub.

If you open a program from the dvd on your mac, the process runs on the mac, not on the Windows machine. Windows is just sending the file over to the mac. You're doing something wrong in your setup.

 

[OrionMaster]

Okay, then buy a better usb hub.

If you open a program from the dvd on your mac, the process runs on the mac, not on the Windows machine. Windows is just sending the file over to the mac. You're doing something wrong in your setup.

Which hub do you think can handle this?

 

[Fardringle]

Which hub do you think can handle this?

Any powered USB hub that isn't broken will be able to handle it just fine.