Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

revelated

macrumors 6502a
Jun 30, 2010
994
2
As the OP has stated, tech has advanced. Significantly.

DropBox is probably the most efficient way of doing this process without having to know anything about networking. Otherwise, pay $30 to get Apple Remote Desktop, do the port forwarding steps in the first post, then add the external address into ARD. You can drag and drop to and from the window.
 

sandrodz

macrumors newbie
Jun 25, 2012
3
0
I solved this problem by having my own home server.

I constructed server from miniATX board and ATOM proc and 1TB space for about 200$ with parts from ebay.

Installed:

1. Ubuntu server
2. SAMBA (can be configured to be accessed from outside local network) cool thing is that I can access it from windows computer too.
3. Subsonic - this is awesome piece of software, it basically streams video and music files from a cool web interface. I can be anywhere in the world, and simply stream videos and music from my server to any computer not just MBA.

I also installed apache/mysql/php stack for my web development needs.

oh and I forgot, ubuntu can be configured with AFP also, and it can act as timecapsule :) so my way is 200$ spent well :D
 

silverjam

macrumors regular
Apr 25, 2012
121
2
You could use an AirPort Extreme with a USB drive and then use Back To My Mac. My Extreme Drive appears anywhere I go.

Silver.
 

jj97101

macrumors member
Feb 13, 2012
54
0
Sorry, noob question here. Will the original Method work with a normal iMac or do you have to run these river software? Sorry if it's obvious but I'm new to Mac.
 

kidwithdimples

macrumors 6502a
Jun 17, 2007
739
0
Best $20 investment I ever made. 32GB SanDisk USB. It's so tiny that I can barely even see it on my 2012 MBA.

aK3H6.jpg


UasSG.jpg
 

arnamak

macrumors member
Dec 8, 2012
39
0
You could use an AirPort Extreme with a USB drive and then use Back To My Mac. My Extreme Drive appears anywhere I go.

Silver.

Could you give a little more detail? This intrigues me. Do you mean you plug a USB drive into your AirPort Extreme and access the files on that USB drive from any other WiFi connection? Could it work with an external hard drive? Any settings you need to change on the router that may not be obvious?
 

Jimbogiant

macrumors member
Feb 7, 2008
37
0
Best $20 investment I ever made. 32GB SanDisk USB. It's so tiny that I can barely even see it on my 2012 MBA.

aK3H6.jpg

Thinking about picking up one of these to leave in 24/7 -- have you noticed any hit on battery life using this?
 
Last edited:

sssdornier

macrumors newbie
Mar 10, 2013
1
0
Hi Blutooth 101 why do you need port forwarding??? I think in today's world these are not needed especially in the world of cloud computing. Just try dropbox or google drive.







______________________________

http://repemployment.com
 

MikeyMike01

macrumors 6502
Apr 4, 2010
395
107
I solved this problem by having my own home server.

I constructed server from miniATX board and ATOM proc and 1TB space for about 200$ with parts from ebay.

Installed:

1. Ubuntu server
2. SAMBA (can be configured to be accessed from outside local network) cool thing is that I can access it from windows computer too.
3. Subsonic - this is awesome piece of software, it basically streams video and music files from a cool web interface. I can be anywhere in the world, and simply stream videos and music from my server to any computer not just MBA.

I also installed apache/mysql/php stack for my web development needs.

oh and I forgot, ubuntu can be configured with AFP also, and it can act as timecapsule :) so my way is 200$ spent well :D

This is exactly what I have done as well. Only, I have also set up SSH and use SSHFS to connect outside my network (securely, unlike the OP). It also does a great job of running Plex to my Apple TV, and a host of other neat things.
 

jdechko

macrumors 601
Jul 1, 2004
4,230
325
In all of my searching, I've found Teamviewer to be the easiest way of remotely accessing my files when away from my home network. It's free for personal use and includes remote control (VNC) of a Mac or PC as well as remote file access.

The other big advantages are that you don't have to worry about firewalls/port forwarding and that you use space that you already own.

One disadvantage, besides being routed through a third-party (although the connection is secure) is that you don't use the native file browser, it's more like a FTP window with local and remote directories.

However, since I already have it installed on my machines for VNC purposes, it works well enough that I don't need to worry about another solution.
 

kage207

macrumors 6502a
Jul 23, 2008
971
56
I solved this problem by having my own home server.

I constructed server from miniATX board and ATOM proc and 1TB space for about 200$ with parts from ebay.

Installed:

1. Ubuntu server
2. SAMBA (can be configured to be accessed from outside local network) cool thing is that I can access it from windows computer too.
3. Subsonic - this is awesome piece of software, it basically streams video and music files from a cool web interface. I can be anywhere in the world, and simply stream videos and music from my server to any computer not just MBA.

I also installed apache/mysql/php stack for my web development needs.

oh and I forgot, ubuntu can be configured with AFP also, and it can act as timecapsule :) so my way is 200$ spent well :D
This is what I did but I built a 18TB. :D
 

Handle

macrumors regular
Apr 16, 2013
143
0
Best $20 investment I ever made. 32GB SanDisk USB. It's so tiny that I can barely even see it on my 2012 MBA.

aK3H6.jpg


UasSG.jpg

Oddly, 2 years later and the price is still the same. But they do offer a 64 gig model for $30 which seems pretty good.

I just bought a MBA with the 128 gig SSD so it's nice knowing I can easily add space with one of these small USB thumb drives.
 

CYB3RBYTE

macrumors 6502
Sep 2, 2014
454
293
Midwest
I really wish I could get this to work, i've been tearing my hair out on numerous occasions to the point I want to throw my Mac out of the window and having to stop in order to save my own sanity.

I follow the instructions to the word to try and enable my MBA to see my USB hard drive attached to my AEB but to no avail.

I set up port forwarding on my AEB using the private ISP to the right ports etc, then I try and connect on my MBA using my external IP and port number i've used and it just times out.

Weirdly I have BTTM working so I can access my iMac over the internet from my MBA and I can also access my AEB USB hard drive over my home wireless network from both computers, but the last piece of the puzzle is beating me at the moment.

I can't help thinking its something to do with how i've set my AEB and router up perhaps.

I have just about given up now...

SAME. I FEEL THE SAME AS YOU 20000% ABOUT THIS!!

The worst part is the Airport Extreme Hard Drive shows up for me, but every time I try to connect to it, finder says the connection failed. ERG!!
 

mefistos

macrumors member
Apr 29, 2015
39
6
did you guys check the transend jetdrive lite? they just released 256Gb version... And you don't need to fill up your USB port... :)
 

Madame Defarge

macrumors regular
Jul 6, 2007
128
6
Bay Area
Great post. I've been thinking about getting either a MBA or MB but I was worried about the relative lack of HD space, compared to my MBP, which is my main computer. This helps a lot and it allows me to get a MB, instead of MBA.
 

NazgulRR

macrumors 6502
Oct 4, 2010
420
81
This is exactly what I have done as well. Only, I have also set up SSH and use SSHFS to connect outside my network (securely, unlike the OP). It also does a great job of running Plex to my Apple TV, and a host of other neat things.

Hi. I assume you set up SSH like this, correct? http://www.tech-otaku.com/networking/establishing-ssh-tunnel-remotely-access-mac-afp-vnc/

Is port 22 the only you opened up on your router? Do you tunnel Plex over SSH too or does it go directly through 32400?
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.