jonrobbins413

Q: Networking Help....

Usually I try and research to figure stuff out, but after months of combing the internet, I have decided that I am beyond my scope of understanding and need the guidance of you fantastic people.  So if I am asking something that has already been asked I apologize.  Here's the rub.

 

I am a pilot, so I travel over half the month.  Here is what I have at home:

ATV

Time Capsule

Seagate 4TB external drive

Mac Mini

Cable Modern going to aforementioned TC

Mini PC (Stick that plugs into TV or media streaming with some sort of Android software...maybe Jellybean)

 

Traveling with me or the wife:

(2) iPhones

iPad 2

Macbook Pro 13" Retina (2012)

 

Here is what I would like to be able to do:

Plug hard drive into TC

Access Hard drive from Mini PC (JellyBean) for owned movie streaming (not illegal downloads--I recently converted my entire DVD library to digital)

Be able to access hard drive from the road

Be able to access Aperture library from road to be able to edit pictures both on road and in house and have one common place for them (thinking the hard drive attached to the TC)

 

Here are the problems I have already run into:

While traveling, a lot of airport and hotel WIFI have different settings, so over the last month, with my harddrive setup on the TC, I got multiple errors while trying to connect (I think it was the internet at the hotel).

I have looked up port mapping, etc., but am not sure the exact way I need to set everything up. I am pretty good with a computer, networking is just not my strong suit so looking for advice on what I should do, or rather what the best way to have my network setup would be.

 

Thanks in advance!

Mac mini (Mid 2011), Mac OS X (10.7.5)

Posted on Sep 30, 2014 8:17 AM

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Q: Networking Help....

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  • by LaPastenague,

    LaPastenague LaPastenague Sep 30, 2014 1:44 PM in response to jonrobbins413
    Level 9 (52,675 points)
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    Sep 30, 2014 1:44 PM in response to jonrobbins413

    We need a bit more info..

     

    What method are you using to remote access the TC?

     

    I presume you are using BTMM and iCloud?? You will need to confirm that.

     

    And you are using the MBP for access in remote locations??

     

    Neither the ipad or iphone can do remote access to a TC by BTMM method so if you use one of those you need to tell us which one.

     

    The movie library is not iTunes?? Since you are using the Android device not your ATV??

     

    I would suggest since you are not actually using apple architecture for one of the key things you are doing.. the TC is the wrong product for it.

     

    Buy a WD MyCloud. It is a very cheap end NAS but is designed specifically for remote access. Not over fast but it will have DLNA media extensions and probably a media server. But it is far easier to use remote access via https or some other method.. Apple greatly restrict remote access to the TC. That is why you have issues at hotels and airports.

     

    As far as Aperture is concerned that is rather more complex. Apple says specifically the iphoto/aperture library should NOT be network hosted.

     

    See

    iphoto network no no.

    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1198

     

    It's recommended that you store your iPhoto library on a locally mounted hard drive. Storing your iPhoto library on a network share can lead to poor performance, data corruption, or data loss.


    Remote access makes that even worse.. whatever applies to iphoto also applies to Aperture. And remote access is many times worse.. this is about LAN access which is much more reliable than WAN access.


    I honestly don't know how to get around this.. I am not sure if the sharing method will work over WAN..


    The correct method to share photos in a network is using home share.


    Understanding Home Sharing


    This applies not to itunes only but also to iphoto/aperture.

    iPhoto '11: Share your photos among computers on a network

     

    Aperture: Use locally mounted Mac OS X Extended volumes for your Aperture library

     

    It basically means you should not mount a library anywhere but on a local computer.. however if that library is then shared to the network.. you should be able to copy the photo to a local library .. manipulate it and send it back.. but I am not sure. Sometimes working on raw original files is much better and much safer.. since these can be simply used direct from a NAS.

     

    Finally .. I would seriously consider replacing the TC as the main router with a vpn router. Remote access by vpn is more reliable, and allows you to work as if you are a member of the local network.. it is secure for using in public terminals and hotels.

    If you are serious about it.. then even buying a static public IP so you are not bound to using a dynamic DNS service would also be well and truly worthwhile. Any ISP giving you a dynamic IP is doing so to prevent remote access.. using any of the tricks around it.. in the end.. is just doing it the wrong way. It might work for a while but every now and then you will hit trouble. VPN have been well worked out and that might mean getting a business level account from your ISP. If you are serious. You can buy a VPN based router fairly cheaply now.. but these are also more business level so have higher quality and more robust / stable operation.