If you've enabled File Sharing in the system preferences, you may be wondering how to connect to external Macs within a network via AFP. It's easy with a little Finder trick. Plus, we'll also show you how to connect back to your Mac from anywhere around the world.

What You Need:

>> Mac with AFP Enabled
>> A different Mac to connect with
>> Local network connection

The first step to starting an AFP connection to your Mac is to open a new Finder window and clicking Go > Connect to Server.

A new dialog window will open, allowing you to specify the IP address of the Mac you wish to connect to. You can find this IP address on your Mac by opening System Preferences > Network, and selecting the network connection method (Wi-Fi, Ethernet, etc.). After typing in your IP Address, click the Connect button. You can optionally click the Add to Favorite Servers List button, for quick access later.

Once you click Connect, a new dialog will ask which volumes you wish to mount on the remote server. Select the volume, and then click the OK button.

A new Finder window will open, displaying the files on the remote Mac’s volume you selected. You can perform any file action you wish on these files, just as if they were locally available on your Mac.


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