Sharing files

1

Hello all,

I have a network with these computers:

  • macMini M4Pro running Sequoia 16.7.1- replacing a macMini 2014
  • Dell running Windows 11 - will replace an old Acer running Windows 10
  • MacBook Pro (retina15-inch Mid 2014) running Big Sur 11.7.10 - could be replaced with a newer MacBookPro

I want to share files on the macMini. Sharing fails, I can't connect from the Win 11 computer. The macMini (Windows File Sharing is On) is not seen by the Win 11 computer, it is not displayed under Network. Strike 1.

Since macs play nice together, I tried to access a macMini shared folder. That did not work. Strike 2.

On the MacBook Pro, this is what Network displays :

image
image209Ă—104 5.02 KB

There is a question mark to the left of Mac-mini-MP4, spells something wrong. As you can see, I am connected and a list of shares (?) is displayed :

image
image235Ă—280 9.44 KB

I am not sure all the displayed folders are shared, but fmsoup is shared, well I tried to share it. Note that the question mark is still displayed, and since the Disconnect button is displayed, I am connected.

When I double-click fmsoup, I get :

image
image372Ă—340 31.4 KB

I wonder why the messages reads "... the original item fmsoup" ?!? The macMini being replaced had an item called fmsoup, it is not running at this moment, so I renamed the folder nfmsoup but got the same message. Note that when I click OK, the message is dismissed, and the finder Window gets closed.

So what is wrong in my network :

  • It's a bug with Sequoia
  • Sequoia and Big sur are not good friends
  • I did something wrong
  • all of these answers

?

Note that Apple has strength Sequoia security, can't tell which version it was.

Thanks for bringing some light

2

Default file sharing on macOS is AFP (Apple Filing Protocol); windows uses SMB (Server Message Block). Make sure SMB sharing is set under sharing options and Windows will be able to see the share.

Caution: SMB is a massive security issue both in difficulty in locking it down and in resulting it being one of the top Internet attack vectors. If your router / firewall can, (most consumer grade firewalls are so basic as to be near useless from a selective security basis) block SMB from your WAN connection at the firewall.

1 Like
3

Just a note about AFP from Apple - it is not supported in macOS 26 and will be removed in future versions. Users should transition to SMB for file sharing and backups. What I am not 100% sure of though is if it works at all in macOS 26. Apple says “not supported” but that could mean that it still works though.

1 Like
4

That’s a shame, as SMB (aka CIFS … Common Internet File System), is a security nightmare. AFP is “chatty” but it easily secured. At least MacOS uses encrypted connections automatically on SMB3+ systems, but additional server side encryption, VPN, and - if your firewall supports it - port remapping Might consider Tailscale or ZeroTier only support, as locking down SMB, or even reducing the attack volume when SMB ports are detected as open, can be onerous.

1 Like
5

image
image462Ă—368 23.6 KB

As you can see, SMB is enabled. Thing is I don't get what the bottom part is used for. Does that mean the user on the Windows computer, or a Mac, needs to provide this account name and password ?

One other thing I don't get is that the account name is "Gilles Plante", but the directory under /Users is "gillesplante". When I want to connect to a share, which one should I use ?

Thanks

6

When I upgraded to Sequoia (as well as clients' servers on Sonoma) I encountered several new security issues to address.

In System Settings, you may need to specify access under Privacy & Security. There's also an Accessibility tab under Privacy (not the same as the Accessibility tab in the primary left panel). I've had to dig around in these areas to specify access a number of times which I did not need in prior versions.

7

The system always creates a lower case, no spaces user name from your account name. On the command line you use the lower case no spaces user name. In Finder dialogs you usually use the account name.

8

Yes, could have been that, but it is not. In System Settings, Privacy is explained as Control which apps can access your data, location, camera, and microphone, ad manage safety protection.

Browsing in System Settings, I found this :

image
image487Ă—231 13 KB

smbd ? Found here Sharing files

smbd is part of macOS. It handles file and printer sharing services in your Mac. If you want to connect 2 or more Macs on your network in order to copy files between them, or share a printer among multiple Macs, you need smbd. You should allow Full Disk Access, otherwise it would not work properly. There is no downside to giving Full Disk Access to smbd.

I may be on something. I turned it it on, but can't test anymore today. On other test I made is pick Connect to a server..., in the Finder, and connected in no time to a Windows computer, I was shown all the shares on that computer.

9

Success !!!

Enabling smbd did it. Since this setting is not documented, hello Apple, can't tell what was changed. I did not enable com.microsoft.autoupdate because I didn't know what it does. Now I know. From Microsoft on Allow Microsoft AutoUpdate to run in the background on macOS - Microsoft Support

Microsoft AutoUpdate is the program that keeps your Microsoft 365 or Office apps up to date on a computer running macOS. It works by detecting, downloading, and applying updates automatically in the background to minimize disruption and productivity loss when Microsoft publishes updates to your Microsoft 365 or Office apps.

On macOS Ventura and later, it's possible to control which programs run in the background through the System Settings app.

If AutoUpdate was turned off and you open an app such as Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, you might see an error message to change the System Settings. To fix this, you need to turn AutoUpdate on (or reinstall it if it's missing), so it can run in the background.

Now I can access the Mac-mini shares from both my Windows 10 and Windows 11 computers, using the IP address of the computer's name. But on both Windows computers, the Mac-mini does not appear under Network. I don't recall if the Windows 10 computer showed my old Mac-mini late-14. On top of that, the Windows computers does not see each other...

Is it possible that the Mac-mini does not broadcast its presence ?