MobileMe Help needed!

[raz25]

Hi,


Does MobileMe can connect and share access to files from one computer to the other - 2 computers:
- a Macbook 2.2Ghz on OS X 10.5.5
- an iBook G4 with OS X 10.4.11 ?

If not, any alternatives? Thanks

I want to have access while away with the MacBook to the home computer (iBook) and share files.

[ElDiabloConCaca]

Not exactly.

If you use the iDisk portion of MobileMe, then you can access common files between the two systems -- but the files themselves do not reside on one system or the other -- they reside on the MobileMe servers.

MobileMe provides something called "Back To My Mac," which allows you to remote-control another Mac over the internet, but it's not exactly file-sharing in the sense that you would mount a drive from one Mac on another and access the files currently on the remote Mac.

What you probably need if you want to access a Mac's files remotely is a static IP address (or a dynamic DNS account), a router that can port forward (or a Mac connected directly to the internet with certain ports open in the firewall), and a properly-configured file sharing scheme on the remote Mac (ssh, FTP, AFP, etc.).

[Satcomer]

The question you have to clarify is is the sharing on the same LAN (Local Area Network) or over the WAN (Wide Area Network).

[fryke]

The Back to my Mac feature _does_ work for filesharing. If activated, your computer will just pop up in the Finder, as if it were in the same local network. (Of course the connection will be slower.)

[raz25]

Thanks for the answers!
Are you sure that MobileMe will work if the computers have different systems :
- a Macbook 2.2Ghz on OS X 10.5.5
- an iBook G4 with OS X 10.4.11 ?

[fryke]

Oh. I'm not sure, but I think Back to my Mac only works on Leopard. :/ I'm not entirely sure, though. I don't have any 10.4-Macs here to test right now... :/

[raz25]

May be what I need is just a FTP server, so that I can access remotely from the MacBook to the iBook. Could you please help me on this?

[ElDiabloConCaca]

There are three things you need in order to FTP to a computer at home (or anywhere, for that matter):

1) A path to the FTP server (IP address/domain name)
2) Port 21 open on the FTP server
3) FTP Sharing enabled in the system preferences on the FTP server

Typically, home-based internet access (DSL, Cable, etc.) have a dynamic IP scheme, meaning your IP address changes every so often... so if you know your IP address now, you can't guarantee that'll be your IP address later today or tomorrow. In this case, you can sign up for a dynDNS.org account, which will allow you to access your computer with a name like "homeftp.dyndns.org", and dynDNS.org keeps track of your ever-changing IP address. Sign up there if this describes your setup.

Next, you need to open port 21 on your FTP server. If your computer is connected directly to your DSL or Cable modem, head on over to the Firewall settings on your FTP server and ensure that port 21 (or "FTP Server") is selected/enabled/opened. If you have a router in between the modem and your computer, then you'll need to read up in the owner's manual about how to do "port forwarding" -- then, open port 21 and forward it to the local IP address of your FTP server.

Last, enable FTP sharing in the System Preferences > Sharing section.

That's it! You'll be able to connect from afar by launching your favorite FTP client program and entering either your home-based FTP server's external IP address, or your dynDNS account domain ([something].dyndns.org) using your Mac OS X username and password on the FTP server machine.