macOS NEED HELP! How-to for intranet/internet server!

[mlrproducts]

This seems like the right place to ask.

Basically I'm running a machine with 10.4 server. I want to be able to share files over a local intranet (just hooked up to a wifi router), and be able to access it remotely to share files via the internet (perhaps through VPN, but doesn't have to be).

I want to be able to at least read, but hopefully write from all platforms. Can anyone please help me out? I would be MUCH appreciative!

 

[Lukasha]

Wow, that is such a small question that has so much to it! Your best bet is to:

1. Look through the OS X Server Manuals, downloadable in PDF form from Apple for free.
2. Buy any of the OS X Server books.
3. Make your new home at http://www.afp548.com
4. Make your second home at the OS X Server forum on the Apple discussion boards.

I taught myself how to setup server (mail, file, vpn, PHP/MySQL, webserving, etc.) from those 4 things. Good luck!


Jeff

 

[mrichmon]

Basically I'm running a machine with 10.4 server. I want to be able to share files over a local intranet (just hooked up to a wifi router), and be able to access it remotely to share files via the internet (perhaps through VPN, but doesn't have to be).

I want to be able to at least read, but hopefully write from all platforms. Can anyone please help me out? I would be MUCH appreciative!

If you are just talking about file sharing then effectively you need to set up a samba share. This will be accessible over the local intranet. If you want also want internet acces then one of the easiest ways to achieve it securely is by tunneling the samba protocol over ssh.

You can set this all up yourself by poking around with the terminal. However, if you do not have unix shell experience there is a handy-dandy third party preference pane that does all of what you asked about: AlmostVPN.

 

[mlrproducts]

Thanks you two! I think that'll get me started in the right direction.

I'm not wanting to do an email server, just a basic fileshare. I wasn't sure how to do it locally and via internet at the same time. I'll look into some of those resources.

If anyone else has something please let me know.

EDIT: Is there a way to connect over SSH through a site like dyndns. My IP changes ever so often, so that is something I need to consider.

 

[mrichmon]

EDIT: Is there a way to connect over SSH through a site like dyndns. My IP changes ever so often, so that is something I need to consider.

So long as you have some way to find out what your current external router address is, you can use ssh. Dyndns is intended to solve this external addressing problem.

Effectively, you either set up your router so that it updates the dyndns database whenever your external IP changes -- some routers support this in the router configuration. As an example, I think my linksys WRT54GS supports this.

Otherwise, if your router does not support dyndns updates, then you set up a small script that periodically runs on your file server. This script needs to determine the external IP being used by your router and publish the external IP to dyndns.

 

[mlrproducts]

Thanks, rich, sounds good!

EDIT: So ya'll don't think I could pull it off with a B&W G3??

 

[ChrisA]

So long as you have some way to find out what your current external router address is, you can use ssh. Dyndns is intended to solve this external addressing problem.

Effectively, you either set up your router so that it updates the dyndns database whenever your external IP changes -- some routers support this in the router configuration. As an example, I think my linksys WRT54GS supports this.

Otherwise, if your router does not support dyndns updates, then you set up a small script that periodically runs on your file server. This script needs to determine the external IP being used by your router and publish the external IP to dyndns.

Best I can figure is that DYNDNS updating is broken in most routers. The DYNDNS website was a very short list of non-broken routers. Look there.
You are best off doing it on the server so it gets logged.

Logs are good. Just today I dicovered a brutforce password guessing attach on the root acount (I have root logins disabled. Someday you will need to know what your IP was a week ago. who knows why.

One good way to share files over the Internet is with a password protected web page. This is easy to set up. and the user only needs a browser at his end. It is easy to set up Instructions are in the Apache confg file comments and in the on-line manual. FTP can give you to you home folder too.

 

[mlrproducts]

Yeah I was thinking of doing some sort of FTP. Is there any way to tie in part of my hosted domain elsewhere to the box?