Using campus WIFI to access dorm computer from anywhere?

[G5Unit]

My university has virtually the entire campus covered in wi-fi, and one computer can access another computer's files through SHARED in Finder.

Recently I purchased a MacBook Air as a secondary computer to my MacBook Pro, which sits on my desk with my backup hard drive pretty much 99 percent of the time.

Would it be possible to create a sort of constant connection between my MacBook Air (which I will carry around campus to classes and such) and the MacBook Pro on my desk? This would be to access photos, music, documents that won't fit on my Air, but are already stored on the MacBook Pro and external HD.

I can already access my MacBook Pro via SHARED in finder, but then I have to leave it on constantly. Is there a way to wake the MBP via wi-fi, get files that I need, then put it to sleep again?

Is there a program that brings everything I've asked together?

Thank you!

 

[MacForScience]

My university has virtually the entire campus covered in wi-fi, and one computer can access another computer's files through SHARED in Finder.

Recently I purchased a MacBook Air as a secondary computer to my MacBook Pro, which sits on my desk with my backup hard drive pretty much 99 percent of the time.

Would it be possible to create a sort of constant connection between my MacBook Air (which I will carry around campus to classes and such) and the MacBook Pro on my desk? This would be to access photos, music, documents that won't fit on my Air, but are already stored on the MacBook Pro and external HD.

I can already access my MacBook Pro via SHARED in finder, but then I have to leave it on constantly. Is there a way to wake the MBP via wi-fi, get files that I need, then put it to sleep again?

Is there a program that brings everything I've asked together?

Thank you!

You can use screen share. This is an easy way to access your macbook pro from anywhere.

Cheers

 

[dXTC]

You can use screen share. This is an easy way to access your macbook pro from anywhere.

Cheers

But the MBP would still have to be fully active.

The solution will have to be at least partially hardware-based. There is a setting in Snow Leopard called Wake For Network Access, also known as Wake On Demand; it's found in System Preferences > Energy Saver. Having this checked will allow a Bonjour-capable router, such as an Airport Extreme Base Station, to send it a message to temporarily wake up the processor and storage subsystem (screen stays off) for network access and file transfer, then return to sleep mode. I use this so that I can sleep my iMac and still use it as an iTunes source on the AppleTV in the family room.

However, I think it works only with Bonjour-capable routers, so you may need your own AEBS or Time Capsule (I don't think Airport Express supports this). If your university's computer policy prohibits personal routers, and many do, then this solution will not work.

Wake For Network Access was new for Snow Leopard. If your MBP has Leopard, you'll need to upgrade to SL.

 

[MacForScience]

But the MBP would still have to be fully active.

The solution will have to be at least partially hardware-based. There is a setting in Snow Leopard called Wake For Network Access, also known as Wake On Demand; it's found in System Preferences > Energy Saver. Having this checked will allow a Bonjour-capable router, such as an Airport Extreme Base Station, to send it a message to temporarily wake up the processor and storage subsystem (screen stays off) for network access and file transfer, then return to sleep mode. I use this so that I can sleep my iMac and still use it as an iTunes source on the AppleTV in the family room.

However, I think it works only with Bonjour-capable routers, so you may need your own AEBS or Time Capsule (I don't think Airport Express supports this). If your university's computer policy prohibits personal routers, and many do, then this solution will not work.

Wake For Network Access was new for Snow Leopard. If your MBP has Leopard, you'll need to upgrade to SL.

True, I did not read the question carefully enough.

Cheers