It’s inexpensive, easy to set up, and offers a lot of advantages. You don’t need a fast Mac for these tasks I use a five-year old Mac mini as my server (the only requirement is that it be able to run El Capitan and have at least 2 GB RAM). Most users don’t need a server, but I’m going to explain a few reasons why you might want to bring an old Mac to life with OS X Server. OS X Server runs on any Mac that runs El Capitan, even an old Mac. All you need to do is turn on these “services.” Apple makes this really easy you can buy the OS X Server app (for $20) from the Mac App Store, and tweak a few settings, and then turn your Mac into a server in minutes.
It contains all the software you need to host websites, manage email, serve files, and much more. You may not realize it, but your Mac is a server too. And a file server is a computer set up as a receptacle for files, so other users can connect to it and copy files to and from it.Ī server is nothing more than a standard computer what differentiates it from a “client” computer-such as the one you’re working on-is its software and its ability to receive and process connections and requests. You send email through a mail server, a computer with software that routes email to and from your account. For example, this website is hosted on a web server, a computer running specific software that can respond to browser requests and send web pages to users anywhere on the internet. You’ve certainly heard the word “server.” It’s a type of computer that generally provides or manages services.
How To Bring an Old Mac to Life with OS X Server To check your computer name, and change it if necessary, use Sharing preferences.Ĭhoose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Sharing. If your computer name contains a hyphen (-), you might not be able to join a network account server.
You can join one or more network account servers. To add another server connection, click the Add button, then repeat step 4. Įnter the fully qualified domain name of a network account server in the Server field, or choose one from the Server list, then click OK. If you clicked Edit, click the Add button. It’s labeled Edit if you already have an existing connection. The button is labeled Join if you haven’t already connected to a network account server. If the lock at the bottom left is locked, click it to unlock the preference pane.Ĭlick the button next to Network Account Server. On your Mac, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Users & Groups, then click Login Options.
Connect a wireless keyboard, mouse, or trackpad.Get started with accessibility features.Use Sign in with Apple for apps and websites.Manage cookies and other website data in Safari.View Apple subscriptions for your family.Subscribe to podcast shows and channels.Sync music, books, and more between devices.Send files between devices with AirDrop.Make and receive phone calls on your Mac.Insert photos and documents from iPhone or iPad.Use a keyboard and mouse or trackpad across devices.