is there any way around this?
Nope. Your going to want at least a 100baseT ethernet network if you want to use netboot.
I HIGHLY recommend using Netboot alongside Bombich's Netrestore and Netrestore Helper found here. If you are not familiar with it, this guide helps: http://rogue.sdsu.edu/netboot/
yeah, but 802.11n is faster than that, correct?
thanks for the links, i'll check them out.
is there any way to make the home folder mount with the netboot image? i was able to get netboot to work, but i can't log-in with a user account, and it won't write to the image
Netboot images are meant to be read-only. What you want are managed home folders, which are setup on the server.
yeah, but 802.11n is faster than that, correct?
Only in the same way that USB 2 is faster than Firewire 400. In practice ethernet is a) a much more reliable and stable connection and b) faster.
anyways, enough of that. what about the managed home directories? is it possible to have those mount with the netboot image?
My understanding is that if you want to have managed home directories you need to have them setup on the server separately from the netboot image. Basically you configure the settings in the image and then have the home directories on a share that is outside of the netboot image if that makes any sense? I could be completely wrong on that front, in fact I'm pretty interested in hearing about this myself.
I don't have any direct experience with OS X Server but from what I have read that seems to be the method to use. Are you using Leopard Server?
thanks. i am using leopard server. i have a open directory master running, but i always have trouble with the clients logging into the server from the log-in screen. that's why i thought i'd give netboot a try
What problems specifically?
well, right now at the client log-in screen, it shows the network accounts available, and when i try to log-in, it just stays at the log-in screen.
before, i was able to actually log-in at one point, but i could never sync with portable home directories
You're not giving us a lot to go on. All problems are solvable. Have you looked at the logs while you're logging in, DirectoryService.error.log and also /var/log/syslog ? Those should explain what is failing so you can fix it.
Just because it might be faster doing it via a wired network, doesn't mean its the correct option....
Laptop implementations are not usually hard wired. So this would require you to create a hardwired network or go into a a hardwired lab and use its resources.
I would much rather start the machines up, netboot wirelessly and doing something else for the morning.