Connect MBA to iMac

[Seppentoni]

Hi.

Since the last osx update my websharing on my imac doesn't work anymore. I tried everything even some symlink stuff. But nothing helps.

Here is My problem:

I want to connect a MBA to my imac in order to sync my projectfiles with a syncsoftware. What's the best way to do this?

I actually don't need internetsharing I just want to sync local files.

- Dropbox: No. Files are too big.
- Wifi. Doesn't exist.
- Shared internet connection. Doesn't work.
- Via thunderbolt cable. According to some forum posts that doesn't work.
- Lan cable? Does that work?
- USB Cable? Does this work?

Thanks for any help.

 

[theSeb]

Hi.

Since the last osx update my websharing on my imac doesn't work anymore. I tried everything even some symlink stuff. But nothing helps.

Here is My problem:

I want to connect a MBA to my imac in order to sync my projectfiles with a syncsoftware. What's the best way to do this?

I actually don't need internetsharing I just want to sync local files.

- Dropbox: No. Files are too big.
- Wifi. Doesn't exist.
- Shared internet connection. Doesn't work.
- Via thunderbolt cable. According to some forum posts that doesn't work.
- Lan cable? Does that work?
- USB Cable? Does this work?

Thanks for any help.

Which iMac and which MBA do you have?

You can use a Thunderbolt cable and put one of your Macs into Target Disk Mode.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Thunderbolt/10.6/en/8443.html

To transfer files with Target Disk Mode:
Connect the two computers with a FireWire or Thunderbolt cable.

Start up the computer to be used as a disk in target disk mode:

If the computer is off, start it up while holding down the T key.

If the computer is on, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Startup Disk, and then click Target Disk Mode.

When the computer has started up, a disk icon appears on the desktop of the other computer.

Transfer files by dragging them to and from the disk.

Eject the disk by dragging its icon to the Trash. (While you drag, the Trash icon changes to an Eject icon.)

On the computer you used as a disk, push the power button to shut it down, and then disconnect the cable.

Once the computers are connected you can either sync manually by copying files across from one to the other, or you can learn how to use rsync in the Terminal to do it automatically.

I believe there is one odd USB cable that claims to be able to do something similar to target disk mode. Someone here linked to it recently. A normal USB cable will not be able to do this.

You can also use an Ethernet cable to connect your two computers and create an adhoc network between them. I am old and in my days, we used crossover Ethernet cables. Some of the youngsters claim this is no longer necessary and any Ethernet cable will work, but I've not had a chance to test this.

Thunderbolt TDM will be the simplest.

 

[Seppentoni]

Thanks for your answer. I'll try the thunderbolt target disk mode.

 

[Major.Robto]

To get in thunderbolt target disk mode, have both computers off then on the macbook air. hold down T when its a floating icon turn the imac on,