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User profile for user: stuarta99
stuarta99 Author
User level: Level 1
9 points

AFP or SMB

Just got a quick query regarding AFP and SMB on Mountain Lion connecting to a 2008 R2 server.


I don't fully understand the differences between AFP and SMB when connecting to Windows shares, but noticed that by default it's using AFP. If I connect via AFP, I don't see all the file shares. If I use SMB, I see them all fine.


Only problem is that historically users have just clicked on the server in the folder, which then connects AFP. To connect manually, looks like they have to 'Connect to server' then manually type in SMB://IP address.


Is there anyway around this They've also had some issues with long file names talking back to the server, not sure if this is AFP related as well.

Posted on Aug 1, 2013 1:04 AM

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7 replies
User profile for user: stuarta99
stuarta99 Author
User level: Level 1
9 points

Aug 1, 2013 1:34 AM in response to aggelos

Surely that's going the wrong way around and sharing from mac to windows.


I've done some digging and seems this goes back to an inherent problem. It seems some time ago when their Win 2008 box was first installed, there was an issue with long file names and deep folder structure names. To overcome this, a piece of software was installed called Extreme Z IP which appears to create all the shares as AFP. I've just realised that in this software you have to add in the folders you create in order for the mac clients to see them over AFP.


Now I'm thinking that the issue they had was because they were connecting via AFP and not SMB and if I were to disable this software and get all users back on SMB, they wouldn't have a problem. Not sure on people's thoughts on this. We have other people using macs and Windows 2008 boxes and have no known issues of long file name problems.


So for now, I've got around it by adding the shares to be visible in this Extreme Z IP software and continue to connect using AFP. My only worry is that it could be better to get them over to SMB, especially as Applie appear to be dropping AFP in OSX 10.9 in favour of SMB2.

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User profile for user: felixp33
felixp33
User level: Level 1
5 points

Aug 5, 2013 12:02 PM in response to stuarta99

stuarta99, how are you connecting AFP to Win Servver 2008? The removed that protocol from Windows Server in the first version of 2008. The removed Print services and file services for Macintosh and don't support it. I am in a commercial printing environment and had to move to SMB/CIFS when we upgraded to Server 2008 and 2008 R2. It seems like with every new version of OS X, something else in Apple's SMB connections break. I am afraid to see what happens when we upgrade to Windows Server 2012.


We have issues with slow file copies when connecting SMB using 10.6, 10.7, and 10.8. Still trying to figure out why!


But I ask again, are you sure that you are truely connecting via AFP?

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User profile for user: felixp33
felixp33
User level: Level 1
5 points

Aug 6, 2013 3:48 AM in response to stuarta99

Have you ever tried Thursby's Dave software? From what I am reading it helps improve a Mac's SMB connection. I am considering trying it myself. I have been having issues connecting to 2008 R2 server using Windows native SMB. Have been searching for a solution and this seems to be the answer. I was hoping Apple would fix their OS but that doesn't look like it is ever going to happen.

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AFP or SMB

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