Need Folder Sharing help!

[rocketbuc]

In our business, we use several MacBooks (Monterey and Sonoma) and a Mac mini (Ventura). We have set up a several folders on the Mac mini that should be shared with full read/ write access to all other computers to allow for file sharing and collaboration between the different devices.

Unfortunately, the folder and file sharing turns out to be a major headache. One of the users (my wife) is using the Monterey Macbook and the Mac mini. I have created another user on her Mac mini to allow me full access to the different folders. It was working well at first but now we constantly get errors (read-only alerts, files cannot be saved, additional administrator credentials are required even though she is the admin) that I, or sometimes even she herself cannot save to these shared folders. Could anybody explain me a fool-proof way to set this up reliably?

Both users (the local and the one specifically created on the Mac mini) both have read/ write privileges. All Macs are even part of the same family account.

Your help would be highly appreciated!

 

[FreakinEurekan]

If you’re using it for business, don’t futz around with file sharing. Get a NAS and have all the devices save files there.

 

[rocketbuc]

If you’re using it for business, don’t futz around with file sharing. Get a NAS and have all the devices save files there.

I actually have a Synology NAS in operation. It is an older model with slower spinners. My idea was to use the Mac mini as the "file home base" because it is faster and won't be moving around like the laptops. Are there any tips and tricks that I should know about? I am puzzled how confusing these settings are. macOS should be set up and forget.

 

[Basic75]

macOS should be set up and forget.

That would require Apple to care more about any serious networking.

Your problems might stem from trying to serve the same files as two different users. If I were to try this I'd set up one dedicated user on the mini that shares all files read-write, and then have all other Macs mount that user's home directory as that user, i.e. give that user's credentials when connecting to the server and mounting the shared folder for the first time.

 

[rocketbuc]

That would require Apple to care more about any serious networking.

Your problems might stem from trying to serve the same files as two different users. If I were to try this I'd set up one dedicated user on the mini that shares all files read-write, and then have all other Macs mount that user's home directory as that user, i.e. give that user's credentials when connecting to the server and mounting the shared folder for the first time.

@Basic75, thank you for your feedback. Do you think it would be less confusing if I logged into the folders with the same credentials as my wife (Mac mini user) from the MacBooks? This would avoid any user complications.

On the other hand, this should not be an issue. In an enterprise environment it would not be feasible to share the admin login details with everyone, just for them to have access to the same files in a few folders.

 

[Basic75]

It shouldn't matter whether the single login you use on the "server" is your wife's, the important part is that you both use the same login.

You have just discovered one of the reasons why Macs are not well suited to an enterprise environment, at least not as servers.