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The same safeguards that prevent weirdoes from accessing your computer also prevent you from sharing your files. Now your Mac is running an FTP server, but if you’re on a local network, it’s still inaccessible to the rest of the world. Make Your FTP Server Accessible to the World You’ve successfully turned on your Mac’s FTP server. This will allow people to access your files through your Mac’s firewall.Ĭlose the System Preferences. Also make sure that the checkbox next to FTP Access is selected. (This may take a minute or two.) After it has started, click the Firewall tab and make sure your Mac’s firewall is turned on. Select FTP Access, and then click the Start button. Here’s how to do it:įrom the Apple menu, select System Preferences.Ĭlick Sharing, and then click the Services tab. Thanks to Mac OS X, this is a relatively straight forward process. The first step to setting up your Mac’s FTP server is to actually turn it on.
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If you have an FTP server setup, you can retrieve the file in a matter of minutes.Įvery Mac ships with a built-in FTP server, and it’s easy to turn on and use. You’re at work, and you need to access a file stored on your Mac at home.Instead of mailing him the CD or posting the songs on a website, you decide to give him access to your FTP server so he can download the songs. You’re in a band, and your friend wants to hear the songs on your newest CD.You’re using your Mac as a web server and you need to add files to your website while you’re away from home.You need to turn your Mac into an FTP server! This will allow any individual with a user account on your Mac to remotely access your Mac’s files with an FTP client. After all, any good web server should be remotely accessible - that is, you should be able to add and remove files from your Mac when you’re away from home.
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That article is useful for individuals needing to host web pages on their Mac in a pinch, but it doesn’t really go far enough. Several weeks ago, we showed you how to turn your Mac into a web server.
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