Running MirrorSync on ad hoc network

[Michael Ashley]

http://fmforums.com/forum/topic/88324-running-fm-server-in-ad-hoc-network-no-internet/

 

Hello, great people of 360works. Thanks again for making mirrorsync awesome. 

 

I posted to the FM Server forum about using FM on a Mac ad hoc network, but thought I'd cross post here because it's really about mirror sync, or my desire to setup asynchronous sync without internet. This seems to be square with what would make mirrorsync even more awesome - being able to work completely offline in field environments (archaeology, for example) - and that's exactly what we're doing.

 

I am sure you've dealt with this before, so I thought reaching out to the source would be worth a shot.

 

Details in the other post, but some more details here:

 

Goal: Run Filemaker in ad hoc network without internet access (WAN). Be able to run FMSA/MirrorSync to sync, using MacBook Pro as server.

 

The Setup: Mac running FMPA 12, network created from this mac. Other macs and iPads connected to this network. 

 

The Problem: The iPads may not be on same IP address range, nor have static/reliable addresses.

 

The Proposed Solution: Set static router address and NAT out a range of addresses for the attached devices (10.0.1.1, with a range of addresses like 10.0.1.7)

 

The Question: How to do this on a MacBook without a router? We do have Airport Express we could use (See suggestions below) but it'd be ideal to avoid this, since we're looking to build a solution that'll work in a mixed PC/Mac/iPad environment.

 

Any suggestions/solutions are gratefully accepted. FWIW, we're Portfolio Bundle customers (UC Berkeley).

 

Thank you...

 

Michael

 

Notes from Facebook

 

 

hello mac geeks. looking to build an ad hoc LAN without router (or power) using a macbook pro as host server. Running Mountain Lion, got the apache server up and 'it works' and other macs connect, but ipads do not. Thoughts? 

 

For all the non mac geeks out there, sorry for getting geek-naked on a Monday. — feeling amused.

Like ·  · Share · Promote · about an hour ago · 

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AJ Alfieri-Crispin Another twist might be to "share" the macs Ethernet(or other) connection over wifi. You'd have to play with it, but the Mac might then do dhcp NAT for you. You don't really need to plug in the shared connection, you're just doing that to force the dhcp server to kick in, maybe.

25 minutes ago via mobile · Like

 

AJ Alfieri-Crispin On the iPads, the blue circular arrow under the wifi settings will let you set manual IP addresses.

25 minutes ago via mobile · Like

 

Kim Christen fingers crossed 

16 minutes ago · Like

 

Michael Ashley ooh, I like the airport express idea, got one of those. You are definitely jogging the memories... Last time I tried this, Prince was still the artist known as... so it's been a while. The port share is interesting, too. I tried it... and since there's...See More

14 minutes ago · Like

 

 

 

[Jesse Barnum]

I do this often when demoing MirrorSync at user groups offline. I usually set up a peer-to-peer wifi network on my laptop. An Airport Express could work as well (and it will support Windows wifi clients just fine). The key is to DISABLE cellular data in the iPad when you want to get it onto the same network as the FM Server. Otherwise the iPad will see that the wifi network doesn't have a real external network connection, but it's cellular connection does have a real external network connection, and it will always use the cellular connection, ignoring the wifi one.

[Michael Ashley]

Thank you, Jesse, this was as I suspected, which is a relief!
 
The iPad I was testing with is wifi only, and I've tried with airplane mode, turning wifi on, and now with an iPad mini that does have a cell connection. Still not 'quite' connecting.

 

Steps taken:

 

1. setup peer-to-peer with mac by selecting Create Network... give network a name.
2. confirm FMSA 12 IP address has changed to match ad hoc network
3. confirm CAN connect with Mac on this ad hoc network
4. Airport mode, or turn off cellular (on iPad mini), and or confirm with wifi only iPad that it's IP has changed when connecting to ad hoc
5. Attempt connect FMGo to 'local'. It sees the network [mobile streams], but then requests filename and fails.
    

Some screenshots: 

 

Here's the IP address from the peer-to-peer network

 

and the 

 

FMSA 12 base URL

 

so far, so good.

 

but the iPad connects to this laptop and assigns itself a different IP ranged address entirely. So then I get this strange thing... where I can 'see' the FM server on the network by name [Mobile Streams, in this case], but it says there's no network connection, and it asks for the filename, which fails.

 

Additional details: No firewall or other actual security measures in place. When connected to wifi, it all works perfect. 

 

So, I think I have it narrowed down to this IP range issue, but still stuck on how to address it. Feels really very close, but just can't quite get it.

 

When you do your peer-to-peer, are you on a Mac and follow the above?

 

Thanks in advance,

 

M

[DevDude]

On April 22, 2013 at 11:45 AM, Jesse Barnum said:

I do this often when demoing MirrorSync at user groups offline. I usually set up a peer-to-peer wifi network on my laptop. An Airport Express could work as well (and it will support Windows wifi clients just fine). The key is to DISABLE cellular data in the iPad when you want to get it onto the same network as the FM Server. Otherwise the iPad will see that the wifi network doesn't have a real external network connection, but it's cellular connection does have a real external network connection, and it will always use the cellular connection, ignoring the wifi one.

Jesse does this only work with FMP Server or can two client versions be synced? I need to sync two laptops and that it.