Remote file sharing

It seems you have set up properly.

I haven't used remote SMB connections lately, so I decided to try it again. Connecting from a Yosemite machine to Catalina worked and from Files app on an iPad to Catalina worked as well.

Curiously, If I try to establish a connection with myself (unlike scenario) using the hostname it doesn't work. Using the IP address it does work. I suppose it's because the system refuses to connect with itself. In fact, VNC gives me an error (You cannot control your own screen) when using the hostname and works flawlessly when using the plain IP address.

In my case my local network has a double NAT (Modem and Router). It seems to me that it's your case, too – if true this should be the "scheme" (addresses are not real):

Internet – External IP 123.456.789.000

|

Modem – Internal IP 192.168.1.1 – Port forwarding (22, 137, 138, 139 and 445) to WiFi Router 172.16.0.1

|

WiFi Router – Internal IP 172.16.0.1 – Port forwarding (22, 137, 138, 139 and 445) to iMac 172.16.0.50

|

iMac – Internal IP 172.16.0.50

At least the IP connection should work: smb://123.456.789.000

Speaking of FTP: for SFTP connections (SSH File Transfer Protocol) you have to use a proper FTP client which supports SFTP. Only plain FTP is supported by Finder.

In order to establish a remote SMB sharing connection you have to open the following TCP ports: 137, 138, 139 and 445.

To connect via SFTP you have to enable Remote Login (SSH) first in System Preferences -> Sharing as well open port 22 used by SSH.

I assume that your iMac is connected to the router and not directly to the modem.

The port forwarding has to be "cascaded": modem -> router -> iMac otherwise your MacBook Pro stops to the modem because it can't reach your iMac behind the router, IMO.

Set the modem to forward the ports to the router and keep your router forwarding further to your iMac.

Get your external IP address (https://www.whatismyip.com/ip-address-lookup/) and try with the numerical IP address (e.g. smb://xxx.yyy.xxx.yyy).

One more thing: try to connect the iMac with with ethernet (if it's doable), disable Wi-Fi on your Mac and check if one of the port forwarding setups work.

You could try a product like https://www.realvnc.com/en/#products. I've used it on my local lan. They have a file transfer ability built in. I never used the file transfer. They use the same network protocol as your web browser so there is no messing with ports.

I have verizon fios. I stopped using their router and us my own. On less box to break and configure. Getting network to work is all about divide and conquer. Get a long ethernet cable. You should be able to test without two routers.

be sure all your data is backed up on drive that are not connected to your computer when you open up yourself to remote file access. We are doing our duty to cite best practices.

R

Get a hosting company and set up a file server. It is not a good idea to host a file server from home or a home office private LAN. I'm a firm believer in using the right tools for the job and a LAN behind a residential ISP type setup is not the correct configuration to access 100s of GBs of data on multiple drives.

If you wondering the street, your going to find it hard to keep up with your dynamic ip address that you typically get from your isp. Most isp's provide you a dynmaic ip address. You have to pay extra for a static ip address.

I've forgotten the terminology, but there are services that map your isp dynamic ip address to a fixed name. I believe this is one such service. The service keeps track of the change ip addresses for your machine.

https://www.noip.com/support/knowledgebase/getting-started-with-no-ip-com/

R

Hmm, that's quite strange.

I'm sorry, I'm running out of ideas...

My described setup is the one I use at home and is composed by a modem (provided by ISP) connected to a eero mesh network (both, ethernet and wireless) and it works (SSH, VNC, SFTP, SMB, etc.).

I don't know why your different "network-path-setup" is working with VNC and not with other protocols.

In case you want to follow BobTheFisherman's advice, take a look at nextcloud. Just an idea.

Let's see if other user have something to add to your home setup, though.

Simos805 wrote:

Why? I just want to access my files on the iMac (and the two drives connected to it) from my iPhone or MacBook when I'm not home. Also, SFTP is encrypted, so what's wrong or not safe about it?

You will never be able to secure the hole you put through your router.