Whickwithy
Level 1 (68 points)
Mac OS X

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

by BobHarris,Solvedanswer
BobHarris BobHarris
Level 6 (19,292 points)
Mac OS X
A:

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

Posted on Feb 8, 2016 6:56 AM

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

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  • by Whickwithy,

    Whickwithy Whickwithy Feb 8, 2016 10:15 AM in response to BobHarris
    Level 1 (68 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 8, 2016 10:15 AM in response to BobHarris
    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.


    I'm being picky.  There's no other real reason worth its salt.

     

    I'll probably just find a second power cord.  Easy-peasy.

  • by BobTheFisherman,

    BobTheFisherman BobTheFisherman Feb 8, 2016 12:17 PM in response to Whickwithy
    Level 6 (15,279 points)
    Feb 8, 2016 12:17 PM in response to Whickwithy

    If you have an ad hoc network between the two computers the options I suggested work without a router or Internet. This is what an ad hoc network is. See this https://www.teamviewer.com/hi/help/40-can-teamviewer-be-used-within-a-local-netw ork-lan-only to set up Team Viewer in your ad hoc network. VNC works as well,

  • by BobHarris,

    BobHarris BobHarris Feb 8, 2016 12:22 PM in response to Whickwithy
    Level 6 (19,292 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 8, 2016 12:22 PM in response to Whickwithy

    Getting another power cord, keyboard, mouse, monitor, and just moving the Mac mini around would be the least expensive and easiest for moving around.  If you was cheaper, you lug your monitor, mouse and keyboard.

     

    But if you were willing to consider buying an expensive Mac Pro, why not just by a nice Macbook Pro which is very portable.  Then turn the Mac mini into a home server.

     

    If you need a larger monitor in your primary location, it is easy to plug in the monitor to the Macbook Pro.

     

    Something to consider.

     

    And as a bonus, you will have multiple Macs to do all the networking experiments you desire so that in the future, you will be better armed with what you can and cannot do.

  • by Whickwithy,

    Whickwithy Whickwithy Feb 9, 2016 4:51 AM in response to BobHarris
    Level 1 (68 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 9, 2016 4:51 AM in response to BobHarris

    It's really not that important, I guess.  If it was simple I would do it for two reasons: it's easier than lugging the Mac back and forth and I would have one computer completely secure because it would never get near the internet.

     

    The thing is, though, that it is just a luxury.  I can actually move the Mac seasonally from one location to the other.  It would just be convenient to have one in each place.  It's not a necessity.  It is an effort/reward trade-off.  I'd do it in a heartbeat (and maybe get a stripped version of a mini-Mac for the online device) if it were straightforward and simple.  It is not.

     

    But, thanks for all of the input.  If I can figure it out to a surety without too much effort by going to the Apple Store, I may change my mind.

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