Forcing afp over smb for default file mount

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Level 1

5 points

Forcing afp over smb for default file mount

Looks like Leopard is defaulting to using smb, to mount network shares -- even IF the machine is a Mac! Here is my setup:
- iMac 2.8Ghz as "client" (Leopard)
- Mac Mini C2D as "server" (Tiger)
- Both connected to the same Netgear GigE switch, both showing GigE as connection speed.

On my client, I see the shares on the server and mount them by entering my password. Copying files, via smb, isn't that fast (~20MB/sec). Once I use Apple-K to force an afp mount, the file transfer is ~50MB/sec.

Is there any method to force Leopard's Finder to default afp for a Mac to Mac connection? Seems very weird that the default is smb when the machine is 100% Apple/OSX.

imac, Mac OS X (10.4.10)

Posted on Jan 14, 2008 11:19 AM

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Answer 1

petrock

Level 3

980 points

Jan 15, 2008 2:47 AM in response to modefan

The default connection to anything, doesn't matter what the OS/hardware is, is AFP. You have to explicitly specify SMB for it to connect via SMB.

How are you connecting to the other machines? Connect To Server or via the Shared section in the sidebar?

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Answer 2

modefan Author

Level 1

5 points

Jan 15, 2008 7:13 AM in response to petrock

From my own testing, it can't be AFP. Why? The transfers are of SMB speed, NOT of AFP speed.

From my iMac (Leopard), I see my Mini (Tiger server) via Finder (via the sidebar). Clicking on the machine name, authenticating and I now am mapped to shares on the Mini. My transfer speeds are ~20MB/sec -- SMB speeds.

If I disconnect and use Apple-K to force an afp:// connection, the speeds are ~50MB/sec.

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Answer 3

petrock

Level 3

980 points

Jan 15, 2008 1:46 PM in response to modefan

Transfer speed is not an indication of what protocol is used to connect to the server.

If AFP file sharing is enabled on the Server, the Finder will use that to connect to the machine. Plain and simple. You can use one of those packet sniffers available online to see for yourself.

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Answer 4

R C-R

Level 6

17,794 points

Jan 15, 2008 2:19 PM in response to modefan

When you use Command-K to get the "Connect to Server" window, are there any non-afp server connections listed in the popup "Recent Servers" list" or "Favorite Servers" list? (IOW, any that do not begin with "afp://"...)

If not, then you are connecting with AFP, even if something is causing a transfer speed slowdown.

Also, go to the iMac's System Preferences -> Sharing & click on the File Sharing service, then "Options." Do you have "Share Files & Folders Using SMB" enabled? Do you have it enabled on the Mini?

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Answer 5

modefan Author

Level 1

5 points

Jan 15, 2008 2:21 PM in response to petrock

Transfer speeds are a good benchmark as to what protocol you are using. I did another quick test using manual connections to the server. Apple-K to the mini and specifying smb as the protocol showed my transfers were roughly 20-25MB/sec. Disconnecting and copying the same files via afp showed 50-55MB/sec as the transfer rate.

Where, on the file system, can I 100% determine what the mount is?

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Answer 6

modefan Author

Level 1

5 points

Jan 15, 2008 2:27 PM in response to R C-R

"When you use Command-K to get the "Connect to Server" window, are there any non-afp server connections listed in the popup "Recent Servers" list" or "Favorite Servers" list? (IOW, any that do not begin with "afp://"...)"
There are several non-afp servers on my network (those are all Windows). My "slow" transfer rate is about the same going to the 100% authentic Windows machines.

"If not, then you are connecting with AFP, even if something is causing a transfer speed slowdown."
I'm trying to figure out what that is! If I force an afp:// connection, it's fine. It's the default Finder mounting of the sidebar that seems wrong.

"Also, go to the iMac's System Preferences -> Sharing & click on the File Sharing service, then "Options." Do you have "Share Files & Folders Using SMB" enabled? Do you have it enabled on the Mini?"
This mini does have smb and afp (along with nfs) as protocols it's supports, yes.

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Answer 7

R C-R

Level 6

17,794 points

Jan 15, 2008 6:27 PM in response to modefan

modefan,

You aren't really answering the questions I asked, which are about specific things you can see in the indicated places on your screen & we can't. Without that info it is very hard to be of any help.

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Answer 8

modefan Author

Level 1

5 points

Jan 15, 2008 8:18 PM in response to R C-R

/**
When you use Command-K to get the "Connect to Server" window, are there any non-afp server connections listed in the popup "Recent Servers" list" or "Favorite Servers" list? (IOW, any that do not begin with "afp://"...)

If not, then you are connecting with AFP, even if something is causing a transfer speed slowdown.
**/
When I use Command-K to get "Connect to Server" there are OTHER connections that are listed as smb:// because I connect to other machines with smb://. For the Tiger machine in question, I ONLY connect with afp:// when using Command-K.

/**
Also, go to the iMac's System Preferences -> Sharing & click on the File Sharing service, then "Options." Do you have "Share Files & Folders Using SMB" enabled? Do you have it enabled on the Mini?
**/
On my iMac, the only sharing available is Remote Login. On the Tiger machine, (running server) it's serving afp, smb, web, dns.

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Answer 9

Snoop Dogg

Level 4

1,502 points

Jan 15, 2008 8:38 PM in response to modefan

Is your system info accurate and are you really running 10.4.10 on the server? Try upgrading to 10.4.11 and see if that fixes it.

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Answer 10

R C-R

Level 6

17,794 points

Jan 16, 2008 12:18 AM in response to modefan

Transfer speeds are a good benchmark as to what protocol you are using.

Please believe us when we say that is not true, at least not the way you apply it here. There are too many other variables involved that can influence the results besides the basic, low level protocol choice between SMB & AFP.

Take this one step at a time. The first is to determine if the iMac is connecting via AFP or SMB via the Shared sidebar method. That's easy. Connect in that way, then open a Sharepoint from the Finder list by double clicking it. Type Command + the letter eye to bring up the "Get Info" window. Note what follows "Server:" in the Info window. If it doesn't begin with afp:// then it isn't using AFP. If it does, it is. Period.

Now disconnect & connect via Command + K. Repeat opening the Get Info window. If the "Server:" info is the same, the connection method is the same. Period.

If there are differences in the "Server:" info of any kind, please report specifically what they are, especially if the IP address portions differ. If not, report that & we will take it from there.

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Answer 11

modefan Author

Level 1

5 points

Jan 16, 2008 4:21 PM in response to R C-R

Connecting with the sidebar, then running "Get Info" doesn't show an area for "Server". However it does show "Kind" that this labeled as "Mac Server". Performing the same with Command-K shows the same information about the connection.

Is there another method (via bash) to determine how it's been mounted on OSX?

Also, the server is Tiger v10.4.11.

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Answer 12

modefan Author

Level 1

5 points

Jan 16, 2008 4:36 PM in response to modefan

Alrite, have a little more testing done with this setup. As R-C-R has kindly pointed out, I should break it down one at a time. Here is what I did:
- Mount the share, via the Leopard sidebar
- Mount the share, via Command-K

Mounting via the sidebar shows this via bash:
imac:/ vash$ mount
/dev/disk0s2 on / (hfs, local, journaled)
devfs on /dev (devfs, local)
fdesc on /dev (fdesc, union)
map -hosts on /net (autofs, automounted)
map auto_home on /home (autofs, automounted)
/dev/disk0s3 on /Volumes/Untitled (ntfs, local, read-only, noowners)
afp_393tmw0008OL0000oM0000VU-1.2e000007 on /Volumes/vash (afpfs, nodev, nosuid, mounted by vash)
imac:/ vash$

YES! It is mount via afp. My immediate assumption was wrong. Let's benchmark copying 2.78gigs from the mini to the imac: max of 32MB/sec. Why that speed? I haven't a clue, but that's the current speed using the Leopard sidebar to mount.

Disconnect all of it and mount via Command-K. Here is the cli output:
imac:/ vash$ mount
/dev/disk0s2 on / (hfs, local, journaled)
devfs on /dev (devfs, local)
fdesc on /dev (fdesc, union)
map -hosts on /net (autofs, automounted)
map auto_home on /home (autofs, automounted)
/dev/disk0s3 on /Volumes/Untitled (ntfs, local, read-only, noowners)
afp_393tmw0008OL0000oM0000VU-1.2e000009 on /Volumes/vash (afpfs, nodev, nosuid, mounted by vash)
imac:/ vash$

Same 2.78GB copy maxed out at 78MB/sec.

My first conclusion of smb vs. afp is dead wrong. Sidebar vs. Command-K mounting is definitely different.

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Answer 13

R C-R

Level 6

17,794 points

Jan 17, 2008 3:26 AM in response to modefan

Connecting with the sidebar, then running "Get Info" doesn't show an area for "Server".

That is because you are getting info on the server. Note that I said, "Connect in that way, then *open a Sharepoint from the Finder list* by double clicking it." If you follow these instructions exactly & do nothing else, you will be getting info on the volume mounted at the sharepoint. The info window will list "Kind: Volume" & below that will be the "Server:" line with the info you need.

Please read the posts carefully. If specific info is asked for, please try to furnish that & not some interpretation of what it means instead (but of course furnishing that as supplemental info is fine). If specific instructions are given for a test, please try to follow them exactly & report the results, or if you can't or won't for some reason, please report that instead. Above all, remember that we cannot see what you see & know only what you tell us about what you see & do.

This will greatly speed up the process of helping resolve your issue, avoid unnecessary confusion, get you elected to higher office, & shed 10 pounds of fat the first week.

OK, it won't do all of those things, but it will be greatly appreciated. 🙂

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Answer 14

R C-R

Level 6

17,794 points

Jan 17, 2008 5:16 AM in response to modefan

Sidebar vs. Command-K mounting is definitely different.

Possibly so. I'm investigating something on my own LAN that might be related but I don't know enough about what's going on to say much more right now.

In the meantime, please retry the 'get info' steps I outlined in my earlier posts & report what the "Server:" line says for a volume (not the server itself or a sharepoint) for each of the two connection methods. You may get different results depending on which method you try first after relaunching the Finder -- there seems to be something weird going on after using the Finder's "Disconnect" button, but this may be confined to my system/LAN.

Knowing what you see, & especially if it changes depending on which connection method is used first after a relaunch, may be helpful to both of us.

Thanks!

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Answer 15

modefan Author

Level 1

5 points

Jan 19, 2008 3:45 AM in response to modefan

RCR: This is the requested info.

Steps: Mount a share using the Leopard Finder, run Get Info on a Sharepoint.
Result: Server: afp://imini. afpovertcp.tcp.local/vash/Desktop

Steps: Mount a share using Command-K, run Get Info on a Sharepoint
Result: Server: afp://imini.fenjikufenji.com/vash/Desktop

BINGO! That's the difference, immediately. Now we have to consider DNS. My Leopard box is using the Mini as the sole DNS provider (it's the only IP for DNS resolving). The Mini is running DNS server for my local network.

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