Dynamic SMB url on Mac, how most easily make it fixed for infuse?

Streaming & Network
1

Hey guys I’m a bit newbie on this. I have an iMac directly connected to the wall. In System Preferences > General Sharing > File Sharing, it says the URL has the following format smb://xxx-xxx-xxx-x.myisp.net

I also have a router which my Apple TV is connected to.

The infuse app on the Apple TV doesn’t automatically recognize the iMac, but if I manually create a new share with smb://xxx-xxx-xxx-x.myisp.net then everything is great.

I’m a bit afraid that the xxx-xxx-xxx-x numbers change sometimes? In that case, how can I most easily fix this?

  • I see that there is a setting for “dynamic global hostname” in this sharing screen, is that useful?

  • Is there a website that can do this? I’ve heard of dyndns and a bunch of other services, are those useful? Is there a service that doesn’t require an app/service to be installed? I prefer to have as few scripts/app as possible on my Mac.

  • any other way?

2

If you go to Settings on the iMac then to General, then Sharing, and scroll to the bottom it will give you the Local Hostname.

You can enter that instead of the IP address and you shouldn’t have to worry about changes then.

3

This is how that screen looks like:

Screenshot 2023-07-31 at 20.14.30
Screenshot 2023-07-31 at 20.14.30960×1352 74.9 KB

And I think it was me putting in that “iMac” hostname manually a while ago, I’m not sure. But now I can’t even reset it, if I click on Edit and then hit backspace and then Save, this window still says iMac.local.

Anyway, I just tried manually adding a new share in Infuse with the address iMac.local or smb://iMac.local, but both failed.

I also just realized that if I go to System Preferences > Network > Ethernet, the “IP address” field has the same xxx.xxx.xxx.x as the smb://xxx-xxx-xxx-x.myisp.net address shown in the File Sharing screen, but it was enough to put in smb://xxx.xxx.xxx.x for InFuse so I didn’t need the myisp.net part.

Anyway I wonder why the iMac.local doesn’t work? Maybe the iMac and the AppleTV doesn’t think they are in the same local network?

4

They both need to be on the same local net and I really don’t understand what you mean by

The iMac and the ATV both need to connect to the router or switch to be on the same network. Anyway, if it works with the IP numbers I’d not mess with it too much more.

There are some Mac specific instructions for connecting here.

5

Ah, the iMac is too far away from the router and is instead connected via ethernet to an ethernet outlet in the wall, not the same which the router is connected to.

But my understanding is that the IP number changes every week or every two weeks, isn’t that right? That’s why I’m also trying to understand whether to use a “DNS updater” free app, or if the “dynamic global hostname” setting is useful…

6

Where does that Ethernet wall outlet connect to? It has to connect to a internet modem which usually has a router built in.

7

Are you in a dorm or office building or something?

If you want the iMac and AppleTV connected to the same (sub)network managed by your router (which is plugged into a different wall Ethernet port?) … can you connect the iMac to your router’s Wi-Fi?