[Step by Step: Connecting two Mac and enable sharing of media]
Step by Step: Connecting two Mac and enable sharing of media.
Simply connecting an Ethernet cable between two computers will create a small network that allows sharing of files between them. It will then be possible to share one copy of media between two editing stations. This is a quick guide on how to do so between an iMac and Macbook Pro. You?ll need to have admin user account access on both machines (user name + password).
Since you are using DVCPro HD media (~100Mbit/sec), you will need Cat5e / Cat6 cables. Both of these cable types support gigabit Ethernet speed (1000 Mbit/sec). Regular Ethernet (Cat5) will only support speed up to 100Mbit/sec, and will not provide you with the speed to run your media files across the network.
- Take both computers that you?d like to connect off the current network by unplugging any existing Ethernet cable, and turning off WIFI
- Unplug any existing Ethernet cable connected to computers.
- Go to Apple Icon System Preference Network
- Click on Airport on the left hand menu
- Go to ?Configure? choose ?Off?
- Connect the two computers with Cat6 / Cat 5e cables.
- Assign IP address
- ? Go to Apple Icon System Prefrence Network
- Click on Ethernet on the left hand menu
- Go to ?Configure? choose ?manually??
- On the first machine, put in IP Address: ?10.0.1.1?*
- On the second machine, put in IP Address: ?10.0.1.3?*
- On the Subnet Mask on both machine, put in ?255.255.255.0?
- Click on ?Apply?.
- * You can up in any numbers for the IP address, as long as the first group are the same between the two machine, and the fourth group different, ie IP Address for the computers need to be: A, B, C, D for machine 1; A, B,C, E for machine 2.
- ** By default, your machine should assign you a random IP address such as ?192.168.254.x? on both machines. Although this should work, it is recommended to manually configure the IP assignment to ensure stability in the network.?
- Sharing drive / files (on iMac)
- Go to Apple Icon System Preference Network
- Click on ?Sharing?
- Put in a name for your computer under ?Computer Name? on the top (ie iMac)
- Click on File Sharing on the left panel
- It should read ?File Sharing: Off? with a RED balloon in the main panel.
- If it says ?File Sharing: On?, then turn it now by un-checking the ?on? column besides ?File Sharing?.
- Click on ?Options?
- Check mark ?Share files and folders using AFP?
- Click ?Done?
- Underneath the menu ?Share Folders?, click on the ?+? sign
- A window will popup, navigate to the drive you?d like to share
- Click ?Add? *
- The drive will now appear under ?Share Folders?
- Click on it, and on the right hand panel ?Users?, make sure the main users have ?Read & Write? access.
- Click on the box beside ?File Sharing? on left hand panel where it says ?On?.
- After a minute, your panel should read ?File Sharing: On?.
- Your files / hard drive is now shared across the network.
- * Alternatively, you can just simply drag the hard drive /folder you?d like to share into the ?Share Folders? box, and this will add them to your list.
- Connecting Drives (on MacBook Pro)
- Click on the Finder
- Click on ?Go? on the menu bar ?Network?
- You should see the iMac listed in the finder under the name you had provided it (ie Imac)
- Click on it, you will be connected as ?guest?
- Click on ?Connect As?
- Click on ?Registered User?
- Type in user name / password of iMac (NOT of your MacBook Pro).
- You are now connected as ?your user name?, and all shared drives will be listed
- Click on the drive you would like to use.
- The file directory will be listed, and an eject button will now appear beside the drive name.
- You now have access to your files through the finder.
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Additional Notes:
If after connecting to the shared drive and you do not see the drive appear on the desktop of your computer, do the follow:
- Click on Finder
- Go to Finder Preference
- Under ?Show these items on Desktop?, make sure ?Connected Server? is checked.
- After it is checked, any connected server / shared drives will appear on your \desktop after they are connected.
Restarting Computer
Every time you restart the computer, you?ll have to re-connect to the shared drive. Also, be aware that the MacBook Pro is not connected and access files while you need to shut down / restart / unmount a shared drive on the iMac.
If you restart the iMac while the MacBook Pro is connected, the drive will disconnect and your media will become offline. You?ll then have to re-connect the share drive once the iMac reboot. However, on occasions where this happens, you run the risk of needing to reconnect all files as they will be recognized as ?offline? even after the shared drive is reconnected. (on the project file side)
Using Project Files
It IS possible to access the same project file / editable document (ie word documents) between the two computers simultaneously. However, it is not recommended as this method of file sharing is not meant as a collaborative tool.
It is highly recommended that you copy over project file onto the machine locally and access them on your local hard drives while editing.
Back up your project files often. Since running files through a network without a dedicated server put you at more risks of disconnection / media offline situation.
Rendering Folder / Auto Save
Avoid using unnecessary bandwidth by setting your rendering folder as well as your autosave folder onto your local drive instead of across the network.
Expansion beyond two computers
For connecting more than two computers, you?ll need to integrate either a gigabit switch / router. Connect all computer into the switch / router. If you are using a switch, you?ll have the manually assign IP. If you are using a router, the IP will be assigned automatically. And in the network setting, instead of choosing ?manual? and then inputting your IP yourself, you?ll need to choose ?Use DHCP Server?, and an IP will be assigned to you automatically by the router.
