afp over tcp

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Level 1

22 points

afp over tcp

HI everyone

I am wondering if there is a way to avoid (or rather stop entirely) connecting to my server using the 'afp over tcp 'address.

We have a few macs (desktops and laptops) connected to a mac mini server - all running El Capitan. SMB sharing is turned off on the server as, right or wrong, we have chosen to adopt the AFP sharing method.

We use several types of software that link files on the server. The issue that we are experiencing is that there are two ways our workstations are connecting and/or linking files - as show below. However only one connection type seems active at any given time . This makes updating links very time frustrating and time consuming - as we try to shutdown one connection type and have it default to the preferred connection type. The first (preferred?) is how we've tried to maintain file links and a working connection to the server. The second, afp over tcp, keeps rearing its head and causing difficulties if we are not always keeping an eye on our connection method and the way we link files.

address type 1: afp://192.168.2.200/Projects/1000 Queen St..... (preferred as this is our most commonly used type of link)

address type 2: afp://myserver._afpovertcp._tcp.local/Projects/ 1000 Queen St...

Is there a way to keep it consistent, preferably the first address path type? Is SMB perhaps the way to go in the future or would we have similar issues?

Thanks in advance to any advice.

MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2015), OS X El Capitan (10.11.5)

Posted on Nov 1, 2016 8:45 AM

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Answer 1

JimmyCMPIT

Level 7

29,306 points

Nov 1, 2016 8:53 AM in response to emerich_TO

I'm not understanding your workflow and what you're doing with these files but I use an server over AFP and the server has a static IP address, shared to about 5 users with the same log/pass

if that is not a possibility you may wish to try SMB which is less chatty than AFP or CIFS which can be less temperamental than SMB and is newer. newer don't always mean better so your milage may vary.

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Answer 2

emerich_TO Author

Level 1

22 points

Nov 1, 2016 9:05 AM in response to JimmyCMPIT

The Mac Mini functions mainly as a file server - that's the simplest and most important aspect. It has a static IP and 2-3 workstations connected at any given time.

Within some of our software - such as Archicad, Adobe Indesign, various other modelling and rendering softwares, etc - we have several files on the server linked to a Master file. These addresses can vary between:

i) afp - following by a straightforward IP address and file path),

ii) afp - followed by afp_over_tcp followed by a file path, or

iii) smb (which we don't use at the moment)

As mentioned, we would rather stick with the first option as that has a lot of impact on our current work mode.

So the question is can we stick with afp but lose the alternate path to the server. I'm wondering if the same issue might exist with smb.

Thanks

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Answer 3

JimmyCMPIT

Level 7

29,306 points

Nov 1, 2016 9:16 AM in response to emerich_TO

we are using Static IP with AFP and only AFP on a Mac Pro running 10.9 as a file server predominately for inDesign Creative Cloud. The users are logging into the static IP address xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx to one of several folders all shared from the sharing control panel to a single account with RWX rights. The host systems are running a gamut of OS X iterations and we've been this setup for several years and since no Windows users need access it has been our choice to keep it AFP.

The only issues I have seen are either running out of AFP connections (don't quote me, I think the limit is 10 without OS X sever) and needing to reboot to free up a mismatched count but it's very rare. More commonly I have freelancers destroying files, but I keep a TM backup and can restore very quickly in that event.

users connect +K

afp://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx

then mount the volumes and I have a constant rotation of users and systems. This method appears to work for what we need.

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Answer 4

emerich_TO Author

Level 1

22 points

Nov 1, 2016 9:32 AM in response to JimmyCMPIT

Hi again

Yes - I typically connect the way you do - and this has been my experience for years past. And that is how I connected this morning too.

However when I went to link a file just now within an app, I went into Finder first, clicked on Myserver, opened a folder on one of the mounted drives and hit 'Get Info'.

Under 'Get Info, the 'Server' no longer looked like:

afp:// xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx/project folder/...

but rather like the following :

afp://Myserver._afpovertcp._tcp.local/project folder/...

So it's no just about when I first log in. Rather it seems to substitute the connection type and /or file path. Or perhaps even dropping the connection and defaulting to another method. I'm not really sure...

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Answer 5

JimmyCMPIT

Level 7

29,306 points

Nov 1, 2016 11:06 AM in response to emerich_TO

my "server" is on 10.9.4 and when I do a get info on the shared it's showing

afp://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx/volumename

folders/files within that volume also show an IP address in the path.

in my sharing panel it's showing me users can connect afp or smb, but only AFP is selected under

Share files and folders using AFP

nothing selected under Windows File sharing or SMB above.

file sharing on, the local host is shown and in the options for the shared it has

Use dynamic global hostname is NOT selected.

Id look there.

is everyone is using the same method to log in?

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Answer 6

emerich_TO Author

Level 1

22 points

Nov 1, 2016 5:11 PM in response to JimmyCMPIT

Thanks Jimmy - this is reassuring!

Yes we are all using the same method - same way you connect.

After a reboot however, the Mac may beat us to a server connection and has already established a route using the alternate file path. And often re-eastiblish a connect after disconnecting (sometime I have both mounted at the same time!).

Do you use a switch, hub or router to connect to your server? Perhaps our problem lies in the other hardware!?

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Answer 7

Nov 2, 2016 1:43 AM in response to emerich_TO

emerich_TO wrote:

address type 2: afp://myserver._afpovertcp._tcp.local/Projects/ 1000 Queen St...

Is there a way to keep it consistent, preferably the first address path type? Is SMB perhaps the way to go in the future or would we have similar issues?

The address type 2 is the mDNS resolution (aka Bonjour) and is also valid for SMB and many other protocols discoverable in such a way.

smb://myserver._smb._tcp.local

If you want to keep the link consistency among computers, users shouldn't click the server icon on the left side of the Finder, but only use cmd+K to connect network share, and compile for all the Macs a unique favourite server list to choose from.

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Answer 8

Nov 2, 2016 5:28 AM in response to emerich_TO

Hi emerich_TO,

- imo, afp became more stable after implementing the DNS service and some server setting changes within macOS server 5.

- so, all afp connections would use format: afp://example.company.lan/share and use DNS resolution, similar to address type 1 above.

- It is used as well within the Time Machine service with clients resolving the service using the same format, via tmutil terminal command.

server setting changes:

sudo serveradmin settings afp:idleDisconnectTime = 1

sudo serveradmin settings afp:reconnectFlag = none

sudo serveradmin settings afp:reconnectTTLInMin = 20

sudo serveradmin settings afp:idleDisconnectOnOff = yes

sudo serveradmin stop afp

sudo serveradmin start afp

hth,

cheers, dwbrecovery

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