iMac Computer Name on Local Network Duplicating in Yosemite

Supposedly, this has been fixed in 10.10.1 (14B25). At least according to Apple Engineering in a reply back to me.

I haven't re-experienced the problem since I updated to 10.10.1 on Nov. 16/17 (midnight).

After updating, I restarted the AirPort and my cable modem ( Motorola SB6141 ). I do not have Bonjour Sharing Off.

I will however, hold my breath for the next few months.

There is another thread going on regarding the same issue -

Shared name of Mac keeps changing

Cheers!

In case it helps, my duplicate names disappeared when in Sharing Prefs/File Sharing/Options I un-checked "Share files and folders using SMB" and un-checked my user name from "Windows File Sharing."

On my computer, using 10.10.1, I don't have the things to uncheck that you have. I have a "file sharing" box, with no reference to SMB, which I unchecked, but not the windows file sharing one.

In System Preferences, select Sharing, then in the box on the left with "On" and "Service" at the top, select "File Sharing." On the right you should see a button "Options...". Click Options.

OK, thanks. I found the correct boxes and unchecked them. I then restarted my computer, and the extra iMacs still show up in the network folder. Oh well, the computer seems to be working OK, so I will live with it and see if a future update takes care of it. BTW, OS 10.10.1 did not.

From what I have seen, some solutions work for some users, some not. And it seems to depend on what other devices are on the network, and which make and model of router is being used. I had five or six duplicates for quite a while.

My strategy was to always use the basic name (without any parenthetical number) and whenever there was a parenthetical number added for another computer I went to Sharing prefs on that computer and removed the parenthetical number and restarted.

Other people have had success with assigning a particular local IP address to each device (and switching from DHCP to "DHCP with manual address"). Still others have had success with making specific device assignments in the router. And others have disabled "Wake for network access" either permanently or until things work out.

Keep reporting the problem to Apple, though.

Forgive me for being so dense, but I am confused. With all I have done, when I look at the list of shared computers--which I find under the network symbol on the left sidebar of the hard drive window--I now see quite a few computers with the same name and parentheticals going as high as (17). When all this started, it showed my iMac with no parenthetical, plus the list of parentheticals, and my wife's iMac. So, there is no listing of my computer without a parenthetical, just a series with my computer's name and parentheticals ranging from (3) to (17). It also shows my wife's iMac, as it should.

I have been unable to do anything with the computers and parentheticals. When I try to delete them, I am told they cannot be deleted. You suggested going to Sharing Preferences and deleting the parenthetical numbers and restarting. Where are the Sharing prefs? I go to System Preferences, open Sharing, and there are no preferences there that I can find, just boxes to check, like you suggested after an earlier exchange of notes. I cannot find the list of computers with parentheticals at all. I asked the Apple Help program where the Sharing Prefs were, and it gave me an answer about sharing emails.

So, at the risk of sounding totally clueless, (which, basically, I am), how do I get to a list of the computers which I can modify? Assuming I can find them, do I have to do the removal and restart one at a time for all of the 14 or 15 computers that are on the list in the sidebar to the hard drive window?

Thank you again for all your help, I hope I am not trying your patience too much.

This is a sticky problem, for sure. Confusion is understandable, and you are not alone.

By the way, what make and model is your router? AirPort Extreme? Time Capsule? Other?

I don't think you can delete the parenthetical names directly (there may be a way, but it's a hassle).

Here is a strategy you can try.

First, on each computer displaying extra name with parenthetical, do the following:

Control-click on System Prefs icon in the dock and go to Network prefs.

Select and copy the computer's IP address just below the "Configure IPv4" pulldown. (Mine is 10.0.1.2 with the red arrow in the pic).

Then from the "Configure IPv4" pulldown choose "Using DHCP with manual address" and in the now-empty field for IP Address paste or enter the IP address you just copied. Then click Apply.

Next, still in System Preferences, go to Sharing and in the list of Services on the left select File Sharing. If the Computer Name at the top does not have any parenthetical number, do nothing. But if Computer Name has a parenthetical number, click "Edit" and in the Local Hostname box change it to the desired name without parentheses (and with no spaces or apostrophes, only alphabetic characters and hyphens as appropriate) and click OK.

Quit System Preferences and Restart.

After you have done this for all computers which have been displaying parenthetical numbers, restart your router.

This may not get rid of the parenthetical numbers, but it should help make sure that you always have an unnumbered computer name in the list. Always use the unnumbered computer name and just ignore the ones with parenthetical suffixes.

It's a start, and worth a try.

The 'issue' is noted by MacWorld today:

http://www.macworld.com/article/2849849/bugs-and-fixes-whats-with-yosemite-renam ing-shared-devices.html