Whickwithy

Q: Can mini-Macs communicate peer-to-peer using bluetooth?

If so, can one use X11 to do so?  Is X11, effectively, a cross-windows application?  Does it use error correction for the transfers?

Mac mini, OS X El Capitan (10.11)

Posted on Feb 7, 2016 8:04 AM

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Q: Can mini-Macs communicate peer-to-peer using bluetooth?

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  • by BobHarris,

    BobHarris BobHarris Feb 7, 2016 8:27 AM in response to Whickwithy
    Level 6 (19,272 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 7, 2016 8:27 AM in response to Whickwithy

    Whickwithy wrote:

    Can mini-Mac communicate peer-to-peer using bluetooth?

    I do not know.  There is an entry in System Preferences -> Network for bluetooth devices, but that may be limited to tethering to a cell phone for internet access.  I'm just not sure.  You can experiment with the Network setup at the minimum.

     

    <OS X Yosemite: Connect to the Internet with a Bluetooth enabled mobile phone>

     

    If so, can one use X11 to do so?  Is X11, effectively, a cross-windows application?  Does it use error correction for the transfers?

    If you can get a network connection, AND if you can get X11 to talk, it would have to be TCP/IP connection, and the TCP protocol provides reliable transfer.

     

    Just checking, but you do know that OS X does NOT use X11 as its windowing technology.  You can use XQuartz for X11 usage with a Unix or Linux system.  But you are not going to be able to tell a typical Mac application that its DISPLAY server is over on that other system.  The best you can do with OS X is use screen sharing to view the apps running on the remote system.

     

    NOTE: Bluetooth is not a fast transport, and X11 is a very chatty protocol.  If you do get X11 windows displayed across Bluetooth, it may not be as responsive as using a WiFi or Ethernet connection.  Not having done anything like this, I'm just speculating.

     

    If you can get a connection, then chances are you can do ANY kind of network operation across it that the Mac normally supports.

  • by BobTheFisherman,

    BobTheFisherman BobTheFisherman Feb 7, 2016 8:26 AM in response to Whickwithy
    Level 6 (15,262 points)
    Feb 7, 2016 8:26 AM in response to Whickwithy

    Why don't you tell us what you are trying to do. Maybe we can then help you. Are you trying to transfer files? Are you trying to remote desktop? Are you trying to ...

     

    X11 is a windowing system for bitmap displays, common on UNIX-like computer operating systems

  • by Whickwithy,

    Whickwithy Whickwithy Feb 7, 2016 10:01 AM in response to BobTheFisherman
    Level 1 (68 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 7, 2016 10:01 AM in response to BobTheFisherman

    Sure, Bob.

     

    Right now, I have a single mini-Mac.  I have two places with separate displays that I can use it.  Initially, I was thinking about just moving it from one location to another.  Then, today, I had the bright idea that it would be kinda nice to have one Mac hooked up to the internet and have another that was not but that had communication directly to the other (mostly for backing up everything in two locations (one rather safe from the internet)). 

     

    I guess, from what I've read, use Airdrop and WiFi to do this?  It's probably silly and has no good reason but I kinda prefer bluetooth to WiFi for this.

     

    The actual usage of some form of X-windows is mostly so that I could use only one of the Macs as a connection to the internet, thus pretty much completely protecting the other from any outside intrusion and, yet, still access the internet from both computers. 

     

    I'm not sure what you mean by "windowing system for bitmap displays, if it is not some form of X-windows.  I guess, if it just sent the display of one computer to another without controlling the computer, that might work just fine, since I could keep the keyboard and trackpad connected to, let's say, the internet-based computer while just viewing it on the other computer.  The bluetooth connection to the one computer seems more than strong enough to reach from one location to the other.

     

    Actually, I'm beginning to toy with the idea that a MacPro may be a good way to go for the computer that is not connected to the internet.

     

    I hope that explains.  In actuality, a dumb box that just displayed at a location remote to the mini-Mac might work, as well, but I don't think that exists.

  • by BobTheFisherman,

    BobTheFisherman BobTheFisherman Feb 7, 2016 10:12 AM in response to Whickwithy
    Level 6 (15,262 points)
    Feb 7, 2016 10:12 AM in response to Whickwithy

    From my understanding of your post I think Back to my Mac, TeamViewer, or VNC is what you need. You can connect to, display the desktop. run apps, and use the Internet from your LAN connected computer to the main computer. The second computer would need to be connected to your LAN using wifi or Ethernet. Bluetooth is not a good networking solution.

  • by BobHarris,Solvedanswer

    BobHarris BobHarris Feb 8, 2016 6:56 AM in response to Whickwithy
    Level 6 (19,272 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 8, 2016 6:56 AM in response to Whickwithy

    A Mac Pro would be overkill, unless you had serious video and graphics processing work to do (or similar very intense CPU work load).

     

    To view either system from the other, go with Screen Sharing, which is built-in to OS X.

     

    But first you need to make a connection between the 2 systems.  I did find something that might work, BUT it will violate your keeping the Mac off the internet.  It is Internet Sharing can share your internet connection via Bluetooth.

    Screen Shot 2016-02-07 at 1.12.05 PM.png

    So you would setup one Mac to do internet sharing via Bluetooth, then on the other Mac use System Preferences -> Netwok -> Bluetooth to connect to the PAN (Personal Area network) server.

     

    A) I have NOT tried this.

    B) It would share the internet.

     

    HOWEVER, I guess if you setup the Internet sharing on the NON-internet Mac and has the Mac with internet access use Bluetooth to connect to that Mac I guess it would keep the one Mac off the internet.  Then again, you would have established the internet capable Mac as not talking to the ISP, but routing all traffic to the isolated Mac instead, which would go no where.

     

    BUT BUT BUT, you could setup up 'route' command on the internet capable Mac to vector only some traffic to the isolated Mac and the rest to your ISP router.  Google "OS X route command examples".

     

    Again, I have not done any of this, and it is all wild speculation.  Also forget X11 unless you are actually using some specific X11 only program.  You will use Screen Sharing to see and interact with the other Mac's screen, and you will use File Sharing to move files around.  Both of which are built-in to OS X via the System Preferences -> Sharing control panel

  • by Whickwithy,

    Whickwithy Whickwithy Feb 8, 2016 6:59 AM in response to BobHarris
    Level 1 (68 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 8, 2016 6:59 AM in response to BobHarris

    While I put that this solved my problem, I am, of course, not sure.  But, that screen sure looks like it would work.

     

    Yeah, I realize that the Mac Pro is overkill by most perspectives and am not sure I will go that way.  Just considering.  I guess I like the idea of overkill, really.

     

    Thanks for this, Bob.  I think this is exactly what I am looking for, since it seems you can disable internet sharing, which means it would be direct between the two machines which is exactly what I want. 

  • by Whickwithy,

    Whickwithy Whickwithy Feb 8, 2016 7:00 AM in response to BobHarris
    Level 1 (68 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 8, 2016 7:00 AM in response to BobHarris

    By the way, look a little closer below the "computer name" in your gif.  You may not have realized that you did not get every instance of the computer name...

  • by Whickwithy,

    Whickwithy Whickwithy Feb 8, 2016 7:15 AM in response to Whickwithy
    Level 1 (68 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 8, 2016 7:15 AM in response to Whickwithy

    Okay, probably a dumb question but I have to ask.  Can I use the wifi connection (without adding some software) to just connect two Macs with no internet in between?  I'm looking at syspref>networks and am a bit mystified.  My guess is that the answer is no.  I'm also a bit mystified on the sharing pref, also.  I know you said that I had to use the internet, I was just thinking there looked like a way around it.  I'm now pretty sure I am wrong.  Sigh.

  • by BobTheFisherman,

    BobTheFisherman BobTheFisherman Feb 8, 2016 7:37 AM in response to Whickwithy
    Level 6 (15,262 points)
    Feb 8, 2016 7:37 AM in response to Whickwithy

    A peer to peer network is an Ad-Hoc network. I think you are coming up with solutions rather than first identifying the requirement or issue. You are over complicating things.

  • by Whickwithy,

    Whickwithy Whickwithy Feb 8, 2016 8:11 AM in response to BobTheFisherman
    Level 1 (68 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 8, 2016 8:11 AM in response to BobTheFisherman

    Ha!  May very well be.  I'm ready to just start lugging my computer between the two locations rather than fool with the whole thing.  I took a hard look at system preferences> network and sharing and it just seems like way too much effort to figure out how to set up an Ad Hoc network that is not going over the internet but is a direct wireless connection between the two computers through which I can control either computer from either computer. 

     

    The funniest thing is that the reason I've not already just set up the mini-Mac to move between the two locations is due to the lack of finding an easy source for a second power cord for the Mac.  Apple doesn't seem to sell them.  I figure I'll have to try Best Buy sometime.  The rest of the cables  are set up.  If I don't have to move the cables, that is one pretty easy move - just the mini-Mac.

  • by Whickwithy,

    Whickwithy Whickwithy Feb 8, 2016 8:18 AM in response to BobHarris
    Level 1 (68 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 8, 2016 8:18 AM in response to BobHarris

    Screen sharing seems to be the one I'm really looking for.  Key question is whether I can set up a local network (an Ad Hoc network, a peer-to-peer network) over wifi without involving the internet.  I feel like everything I am reading indicates I can, but I'm just not sure how.

  • by BobTheFisherman,

    BobTheFisherman BobTheFisherman Feb 8, 2016 8:20 AM in response to Whickwithy
    Level 6 (15,262 points)
    Feb 8, 2016 8:20 AM in response to Whickwithy

    As I originally posted, I think your best bet is to use Back to my Mac, TeamViewer, or VNC. These work well to allow control and screen viewing between two local or remote computers.

  • by Whickwithy,

    Whickwithy Whickwithy Feb 8, 2016 8:27 AM in response to BobTheFisherman
    Level 1 (68 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 8, 2016 8:27 AM in response to BobTheFisherman

    It seems like Back to my Mac requires a router.  VNC (if it means virtual network connection), I am guessing will require the internet and I have no idea what TeamViewer is but I would guess it would require the internet.

     

    The thing under screen sharing that has me wondering is that both computers need to be logged in with Apple under the same id, so that seems to indicate that the connection itself is going over the internet but I can't say that for certain.

  • by BobHarris,

    BobHarris BobHarris Feb 8, 2016 8:43 AM in response to Whickwithy
    Level 6 (19,272 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 8, 2016 8:43 AM in response to Whickwithy

    Whickwithy wrote:

     

    It seems like Back to my Mac requires a router.  VNC (if it means virtual network connection), I am guessing will require the internet and I have no idea what TeamViewer is but I would guess it would require the internet.

     

    The thing under screen sharing that has me wondering is that both computers need to be logged in with Apple under the same id, so that seems to indicate that the connection itself is going over the internet but I can't say that for certain.

    Screen sharing does not need Apple.

     

    On a local area network you can specify the IP address of the other system (Screen Sharing is just an Apple modified VNC server/client which never requires an intermediate server).  Also on a local network, you can use the Bonjour name, which is typically your Sharing Computer Name.local (which I tried to scratch out - poorly , no  harm done really - BobBookPro.local is not all that unique in the world, and you already know my name is Bob ).

     

    All that is needed for Screen Sharing is the ability to talk to the other computer, and of course the other computer to have Screen Sharing enabled.

     

    If you have a 2nd Mac to play with you can experiment with all of these things.  If you have a friend with a Mac, you can see about playing with their cooperation, by one of you going to the other's home.

     

    Back-to-My-Mac does require an intermediate server to establish the initial connection.  TeamViewer.com also requires the TeamViewer.com intermediate server to establish the initial connection.  Once the connection is established, the computers just talk between themselves.  Also in both of these situations, all computer to computer communications is encrypted and no one else can decode it.

     

    I just do not understand the strong desire to keep the other Mac off the internet.  Especially if you are going to have your primary Mac on the internet.

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