Configure and access shared folders on macOS
Learn how to configure shared folders and access them on macOS over Meshnet.
In this article, you will learn how to configure a new network share and access a folder shared from another device using macOS.
To provide access to your shared content for Windows and Linux, you need to create a new user account with a username and a password on macOS.
macOS Ventura 13 or newer
macOS Monterey 12 or older
- 1.Select the Apple menu> System settings, and then click Users & groups.
- 2.Click the Add account button.
- 3.In the new window, select Sharing only, fill in the required information, and click Create user.
- 1.Select the Apple menu> System preferences, and then click Users & groups.
- 2.Unlock the settings menu by clicking the lock in the lower-left corner of the window.
- 3.Enter your device’s password and select Unlock.
- 4.Click the plus (+) button on the sidebar menu.
- 5.In the new window, select Sharing only, fill in the required information, and click Create user.
To provide access to your shared content for other operating systems, you can use Guest user.
macOS Ventura 13 or newer
macOS Monterey 12 or older
- 1.Select the Apple menu> System settings, and then click Users & groups.
- 2.Find Guest user and click the Infobutton.
- 3.In the new window, enable Allow guest users to connect to shared folders and click Done.
- 1.Select the Apple menu> System preferences, and click Users & groups.
- 2.Unlock the settings menu by clicking the lock in the lower-left corner of the window.
- 3.Enter your device’s password and select Unlock.
- 4.Click Guest user and select Allow guest users to connect to shared folders.
Once all of the user changes have been completed, you can proceed to share a folder.
macOS Ventura 13 or newer
macOS Monterey 12 or older
- 1.Select the Apple menu> System settings.
- 2.Head to General and choose Sharing.
- 3.Enable the File sharing option and click the Info button.
- 4.Add the folders you want to share by clicking the plus (+) button in the Shared folders section.
- 5.Click the Options button.
- 6.Select Share files and folders using SMB, choose the user created for Windows and Linux earlier, and click Done. You may be asked to enter the password of the added user.
- 7.Click Done to exit.
- 1.Select the Apple menu> System preferences, and then click Sharing.
- 2.Select File sharing and add the folders you want to share by clicking the plus (+) button.
- 3.To allow devices with other operating systems to access the shared folders, click the Options button in the File sharing section.
- 4.In the new window, select Share files and folders using SMB, select the user created for Windows and Linux earlier, and click Done. You may be asked to enter the password of the added user.
- 5.The finished configuration should look as shown:
Once the network shares have been configured, they can be accessed by your Meshnet peers. Below, you can find instructions on accessing a shared folder from macOS.
- 1.Copy the device's Nord name directly from the NordVPN application by clicking it and choosing Copy device’s Nord name.
- 2.Control-click Finderand choose Connect to server.
- 3.In the new window, enter
smb://, paste the Nord name followed by a slash (/) and the name of the network share, and then click Connect. Examplesmb://secret.meerkat-andes.nord/MeshnetFolder
- 4.Click Connect once more to confirm the connection.
- 5.Select Guest or Registered user, depending on the folder’s configuration, and click Connect.
