How to set up network logins and home folders in Mac Server 5.7.1
I am working at a school that needs me to set up their new iMac as a Server and control login and home folders for about 20 iMacs in the lab. They have evolved over many generations of Macs and Apple Server hardware and software for 20 years using Workgroup Manager and the likes. However, now all they want to do is use a new iMac as a server for Open Directory (network logins) and home folders so students can sit down at any Mac in the classroom. A new clean set up is what they want.
I have decades of experience with Apple hardware and software beginning in 1985 and even owned a very successful Apple Specialist and then Apple Premium Partner store for over ten years so the equipment and technical stuff is typically something I can figure out with a little effort. I only say that so you know that I am not a newbie but admit that my knowledge in Terminal is limited to uses only when needed and not on a regular basis. For example, I can run the sudo configip -checkhostname to see if the DNS is set up properly on the server or use Terminal to fix the .TemporaryItems issue with MS Office on servers but I am not real comfortable using Terminal without Googling my questions or looking in the discussions.
Now, back to the problem. The computer is using Mojave. The new Mac Server software 5.7.1 requires Mojave but has stripped most of the stuff out. I only need Open Directory from Server software and will use File Sharing from the System Preferences on the iMac being setup as the new server. I believe Profile Manager is how I setup Home Folders but am not sure the correct way to type the path to the home folder. The problem is that I have tried the setup and it doesn't seem to be working. I don't get the list of Users at the login pane when restarting the client computer and even typing in the name and password does not allow login.
I have bound the clients to the server with the Directory Utility of each client and I have created the users in the Server software and have tried to activate Home folders on the server with the webpage interface of Profile Manager but I am not sure exactly how to type the path correctly for the home folder.
Any help would be appreciated.
iMac Line (2012 and Later)