LAN via Ethernet no longer possible?

f you run Safari on the Mac whose Network Preferences are shown in that screen shot, can you get to sites like www.google.com, www.apple.com, or www.dpreview.com?

If you can, it proves that Ethernet is working on that Mac - because that dialog tells us that there is no other network interface enabled on your Mac.

Even if you couldn't get out to Internet sites, the green dot and "Connected" status for "USB 10/100 LAN" would make me think that the Ethernet was working.

I don't know if this might be of any use.

https://osxdaily.com/2012/04/25/share-files-mac-os-x-without-creating-new-user-account-apple-id/

You have created a LAN, you have a permissions issue with the sharing.

What's the sharing settings look like?

Do the short names and numeric user IDs of your user accounts match?

On each Mac, go into Terminal and type id -un to get the short name, or id -u to get the numeric user ID. If you are only being asked for a password (and not name + password), then maybe with the Registered User option, the client machine is trying to authenticate with (user_ID_of_current_user_on_client_machine, typed_in_password) … and the server machine is going "I don't know that UID" or "that password isn't correct for that UID".

Just to be clear... The message is asking for the user name and password for the other computer -- the server -- not the shared folder. Have you tried that?

Saint 112 said:

Whatever the option the option I choose I am requested to enter a password. I was not asked to setup a password when I created the shared folder.

Click to expand...

I don’t think it ever asks you to set up a password when adding a shared folder. Access permissions are in the Users list, to the right of a selected shared folder. Looking at the options there, permissions are based on the macOS/Unix users and groups that are set up. It does not look like you can set an arbitrary password for a shared folder. If a user other than you needs access, you set them up in the OS.

If it’s just you sharing folders to your other Macs, then the reason it does not ask you to set up a password is because it is your own macOS account on that Mac that you will use to gain access. So if you are using the Registered User option, it’s the very same password you already use to log into the Mac that is serving the folder (not any account on the Mac you are typing on). Technically, it is the password for the user account owning that folder, on the Mac serving that folder.

The time that it is the same password is if you use the Using an Apple ID option. Then, of course, assuming your Apple ID set up the served folder, then those will be the same Apple ID credentials that you would use to get into it remotely.

That’s just about the login part. About the direct networking between Macs, I haven’t done it in a while but I haven’t seen any notice that it has been removed. Apple still has a direct Ethernet networking tech note for Ventura, the current OS. As far as I know, it is still possible to create a LAN between two Macs with nothing more than a cable, using IP over Thunderbolt, USB, or Ethernet. I believe the only feature removed from current Macs might be IP over FireWire.

Also what I have not done is try it with a switch in the middle. The last time I did this, I was connecting the Macs with nothing more than a cable.

graybalanced said:

The time that it is the same password is if you use the Using an Apple ID option. Then, of course, assuming your Apple ID set up the served folder, then those will be the same Apple ID credentials that you would use to get into it remotely.

Click to expand...

According to the 2012 OS X daily article linked above, when you set up File Sharing to allow an Apple ID, you also set up a password for the client on the remote Mac to use.

This way,

• The user of the remote Mac doesn't automatically get remote access to your machine for any purpose other than file sharing, and
• You don't get to know their AppleID password (that they use with Apple. The AppleID e-mail address is just a unique user name.

Tom_N said:

f you run Safari on the Mac whose Network Preferences are shown in that screen shot, can you get to sites like www.google.com, www.apple.com, or www.dpreview.com?

If you can, it proves that Ethernet is working on that Mac - because that dialog tells us that there is no other network interface enabled on your Mac.

Even if you couldn't get out to Internet sites, the green dot and "Connected" status for "USB 10/100 LAN" would make me think that the Ethernet was working.

Click to expand...

As I said I can get on the Internet and print on the Ethernet printer.

The only issue is accessing shared folders from one Mac to the other.

I used to set up this type of network years ago and now that I try this normally simple task it doesn't work.

Nick

Tom_N said:

I don't know if this might be of any use.

https://osxdaily.com/2012/04/25/share-files-mac-os-x-without-creating-new-user-account-apple-id/

Click to expand...

When I chose Go > Connect to Server… and I tick Using an Apple ID I get this. The field contains my email address and there is no way I can put anything else.



Nick

Barry Twycross said:

You have created a LAN, you have a permissions issue with the sharing.

Click to expand...

Right… and?

Barry Twycross said:

What's the sharing settings look like?

Click to expand...

What more can I say that I haven't already said?

Nick

terse said:

Just to be clear... The message is asking for the user name and password for the other computer -- the server -- not the shared folder. Have you tried that?

Click to expand...

Yep.

Nick

Saint 112 said:

As I said I can get on the Internet and print on the Ethernet printer.

Click to expand...

So Apple isn't denying the possibility to create a LAN without Thunderbolt. WIthout an Ethernet LAN, your Mac – as set up – wouldn't be able to perform either of those tasks.

graybalanced said:

Saint 112 said:

Whatever the option the option I choose I am requested to enter a password. I was not asked to setup a password when I created the shared folder.

Click to expand...

I don’t think it ever asks you to set up a password when adding a shared folder. Access permissions are in the Users list, to the right of a selected shared folder. Looking at the options there, permissions are based on the macOS/Unix users and groups that are set up. It does not look like you can set an arbitrary password for a shared folder. If a user other than you needs access, you set them up in the OS.

If it’s just you sharing folders to your other Macs, then the reason it does not ask you to set up a password is because it is your own macOS account on that Mac that you will use to gain access. So if you are using the Registered User option, it’s the very same password you already use to log into the Mac that is serving the folder (not any account on the Mac you are typing on). Technically, it is the password for the user account owning that folder, on the Mac serving that folder.

The time that it is the same password is if you use the Using an Apple ID option. Then, of course, assuming your Apple ID set up the served folder, then those will be the same Apple ID credentials that you would use to get into it remotely.

That’s just about the login part. About the direct networking between Macs, I haven’t done it in a while but I haven’t seen any notice that it has been removed. Apple still has a direct Ethernet networking tech note for Ventura, the current OS. As far as I know, it is still possible to create a LAN between two Macs with nothing more than a cable, using IP over Thunderbolt, USB, or Ethernet. I believe the only feature removed from current Macs might be IP over FireWire.

Also what I have not done is try it with a switch in the middle.

Click to expand...

I did it dozens of times in the past. I don't remember it was such a hassle.

graybalanced said:

The last time I did this, I was connecting the Macs with nothing more than a cable.

Click to expand...

I just tried that option: connecting both Macs with an RJ45 cable. The remote Mac doesn't even exist anymore.

Anyway it's not an option:

• All Thundebolt ports are used on both Macs.

• In order to access Internet and the printer it has to be via the switch.

Nick

Saint 112 said:

Tom_N said:

I don't know if this might be of any use.

https://osxdaily.com/2012/04/25/share-files-mac-os-x-without-creating-new-user-account-apple-id/

Click to expand...

When I chose Go > Connect to Server… and I tick Using an Apple ID I get this. The field contains my email address and there is no way I can put anything else.



Nick

Click to expand...

Connecting using an AppleID only works if

• You have set up the Mac that is sharing the files to accept an AppleID as a user name. According to the OS X Daily article, you do this by adding a entry to the Users: list for the shared folder, an entry selected from your Contacts.
• You choose a password that the remote user will use when doing a Connect to Server using that AppleID. (This doesn't have to be the AppleID password. For security reasons, it's better for it to be something else.)

AppleIDs are associated with e-mail addresses for the same reason as many Web site accounts are associated with e-mail addresses. It's an easy way to get a name that is globally unique.

So you set up the file sharing Mac with your AppleID and a file sharing password; then use that AppleID and the same password in the Go -> Connect to Server dialog on the client Mac, to authenticate that you have the right to access the shared folder.

Or you authenticate as a Registered User, in which case you would need to have a local account on the file sharing Mac, and in the Go -> Connect to Server dialog, you'd need to prove that you were that user.

And presumably, if you connect as Guest, the shared folder on the file-sharing Mac needs to have a Users: list entry giving "Everyone" a privilege higher than "No Access".

Ottherwise, why would the file-sharing Mac allow any connection from an unknown user?

Saint 112 said:

Anyway it's not an option:

• All Thundebolt ports are used on both Macs.

• In order to access Internet and the printer it has to be via the switch.

Nick

Click to expand...

On my 2021 MBP M! Max I'm using a USB-C hub with an ethernet port. Will that work for you? My power supply brick is plugged into the hub PD port so I charging and ethernet at the same time. As well as some USB ports.

Tom_N said:

And presumably, if you connect as Guest, the shared folder on the file-sharing Mac needs to have a Users: list entry giving "Everyone" a privilege higher than "No Access".

Click to expand...

Of course, that's trivial.

Nick

Ken Seals said:

Saint 112 said:

Anyway it's not an option:

• All Thundebolt ports are used on both Macs.

• In order to access Internet and the printer it has to be via the switch.

Nick

Click to expand...

On my 2021 MBP M! Max I'm using a USB-C hub with an ethernet port.

Click to expand...

Me too. That's where the Ethernet cable is plugged. I can also plug it into the TB3 Dock where it works as well for Internet access and for using the printer but it doesn't better for LAN operations.

Nick

Actually I have a suspicion. There are precedents for it:

1. When I bought the Mini I connected it to a 27" 2560 x 1440 monitor via an HDMI cable but I could not get a higher resolution than 1080. After trying many tricks I was informed that Mac OS didn't have the driver for a better resolution than 1080 via HDMI. "Why so?" I asked. "This is the way it is. Period. The only possible way is via DisplayPort." So I had to buy a miniDP cable and it worked fine.
2. When I bought the M1 MBA I bought also a Thunderbolt Dock that includes a DP port. I connected everything and the screen remained black. I tried many things: I changed cables, I tweaked the settings, to no avail. Then I tried with the USB-C adapter that includes a DP port and I had an image. So I had to ask the question. Answer: "This version of Big Sur is not able to send images to a display via Thunderbolt." What!? Apple has for years been promoting TB for display connection, sells MBs with only 2 TB ports, and omitted to make the OS able to use them fully? After upgrading Big Sur I eventually had an image.

Is my issue yet another shortcoming of Mac OS? Apple has a habit in this department.

Since there is no way out than via TB do I have to upgrade Mac OS or forget about creating a network. Yet I couldn't get a connection via WiFi either.

Nick