Change afp/ftp/smb address name

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Level 1

8 points

Change afp/ftp/smb address name

I'm a fairly new Mac user and I've been trying to change my MacBook Pro's computer name. I have been able to change the computer's name through System Preferences > Sharing and I have also changed the WINS NetBIOS name. BUT whenever I go to Sharing > File Sharing my address still shows my computer's original name which I'm trying to change. Whether it's afp ftp or smb it still displays that the computer can be accessed at the address afp://computername or smb or ftp with the same old computer name.

How do I change this? If I have to use terminal, please guide me as I've never done so. Thanks in advance for any help.

MacBook Pro 13", Mac OS X (10.6.1)

Posted on Oct 7, 2009 5:23 PM

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Answer 1

Oct 8, 2009 7:52 AM in response to seemein3d

Changing names is no fun at all. [See this read; it deals with just changing a short name|http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1428?viewlocale=en_US]. [Here is more|http://www.macworld.com/article/132693/2008/03/changeshortusername.html]. Looks like Apple would make these things easier since lots input names they don't really want to use during installs.

Edit: I looked at what you said more carefully. You change what you want to at System Preferences > Sharing > Computer Name. Just do the edit indicated. Edit to the name you want to use for sharing.

Message was edited by: donv (The Ghost)

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Answer 2

seemein3d Author

Level 1

8 points

Oct 8, 2009 7:15 PM in response to donv_the_ghost

Thanks for your help but this isn't exactly what I was looking for. I know how to change both the full name and short name and how to change my name for sharing. The problem is, my computer is STILL accessible for sharing using "afp://myoldcomputername" instead of "afp://mynewcomputername" I'm trying to change this specifically.

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Answer 3

Oct 8, 2009 8:14 PM in response to seemein3d

How did your computer get a new name? Did you reinstall and change the name?

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Answer 4

seemein3d Author

Level 1

8 points

Oct 8, 2009 8:16 PM in response to donv_the_ghost

Well, it's not that it got a new name. I've changed the name but I can't change the afp:// address. I was most surprised when I installed a new hard drive, re-installed Snow Leopard, and it STILL allowed afp/smb access using the name I originally gave it.

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Answer 5

seemein3d Author

Level 1

8 points

Oct 8, 2009 8:23 PM in response to donv_the_ghost

Also, when I open Terminal, it shows my old computer name, then my short user name. I'm ultimately trying to change my old computer

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Answer 6

V.K.

Level 9

56,192 points

Oct 8, 2009 9:25 PM in response to seemein3d

run the following commands in terminal


scutil --get ComputerName
scutil --get LocalHostName

what do you get? normally, you should get the same result. the first command gives the computer name set in sharing system preferences and the second the Bonjour name. if you are getting the wrong names there run the following commands
(copy and paste please)


sudo hostname your-new-host-name-here
sudo scutil --set ComputerName $(hostname)
sudo scutil --set LocalHostName $(hostname)
sudo scutil --set HostName $(hostname)

put the computer name you want in the first command. you'll have to enter your admin password (which you won't see) after the first command. That's normal. This ought to fix the problem.

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Answer 7

seemein3d Author

Level 1

8 points

Oct 9, 2009 12:19 PM in response to V.K.

For the first two commands you told me to try I got the correct name, I also followed through with the commands you gave me. Still no change unfortunately.

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Answer 8

seemein3d Author

Level 1

8 points

Oct 9, 2009 12:21 PM in response to V.K.

One more thing, I believe the issue is my HostName. When I tried your first two commands, it showed my new name, but I tried the same command but for HostName and it showed the old name. I also followed through with the other 3 commands and the HostName has not changed.

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Answer 9

V.K.

Level 9

56,192 points

Oct 9, 2009 12:42 PM in response to seemein3d

something is very strange. the commands appear not be working at all. do you by chance have a blank admin password? sudo will fail silently in this case. make sure the password is not blank. also, restart the computer after running the commands.

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Answer 10

seemein3d Author

Level 1

8 points

Oct 9, 2009 1:16 PM in response to V.K.

Ok, so in total. I've been able to change the HostName. When I open Terminal, everything looks fine. Here's my problem:

http://i36.tinypic.com/2ir53ih.gif

Everything other than this is fine. My computer is STILL accessible using smb://myoldcomputername

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Answer 11

V.K.

Level 9

56,192 points

Oct 9, 2009 1:23 PM in response to seemein3d

sorry, i don't know what else could be doing this.

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Answer 12

seemein3d Author

Level 1

8 points

Oct 9, 2009 2:14 PM in response to V.K.

Thanks for all your help thus far. I just wish I was more comfortable with Terminal then I'd try digging around to figure it out. Anyone else out there with any ideas?

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Answer 13

seemein3d Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 23, 2010 1:37 PM in response to seemein3d

Realized the issue had to do with the router rather than the computer. Thanks anyway.

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