Howdy! Struggling with Registered User File Sharing Authentication! Decades of Apple product use but very little experience with File Sharing on LAN, wired or wireless.
Read a pair of TC ebooks but still one problem remains:
The “Connect As…” authentication is not recognizing the correct password!
MBAir with German Keyboard on MacOS Sequoia 15.2; MBPro Touch Bar on Sierra.
Screen sharing both ways works; File Sharing from MBP to MBAir works;
MBP Appears in MBAir Finder > Network window and allows trying to Connect As…;
Main issue: Password is not recognized from MBAir to MBP.
Things I’ve tried:
Proper and short names in Name field of the Connect As authentication window;
Passwords of both Accounts, MBP and MBAir;
Ensured MBAir keyboard is set to US English;
Tried using bluetooth Keyboard with US English keys set to English on MBAir;
Typed password with Keyboard Viewer;
copy/pasted password from 1Password, TextEdit, Keychain Access;
Tried to ‘go there’ via contextual click on MBP network password item in Keychain Access;
Tried to add a new Registered User in File Sharing Prefs on MBP but it only opens a window to add from Contacts App, which I don’t use;
Checked Firewall Settings on both macs and confirmed set to Allow Incoming Connections.
There might have been other things I tried but am baffled. When attempting to Connect As…, one is supposed to enter password of the account to which one is attempting to connect (although I’ve entered the connecting computer password as well, which also didn’t work).
I have carefully verified correct typing (there is not ‘show password’ checkbox) and have not changed the password on the destination mac in a while. Even if I am typing wrongly or keyboard set to wrong language, pasting from a plain text source should enter the characters correctly I would think (not a tech expert).
So… I think that’s all the details.
Anyone have any idea why the Connect As… File Sharing Registered User authentication window would not accept a correctly typed or pasted in password?
Many Thanks to those who read thru this blather!
I’m not sure I understand. You say “File Sharing from MBP to MBAir works” but then describe that it doesn’t work.
It sounds like you’re browsing the network and using the Connect As option. What happens if you simply enter the IP address of the machine you’re trying to access into the address field? I’ve found Connect As to be less reliable than specifying a direct address.
Are you sure sharing is turned on and you have a share set on the target machine? (I’m still not sure which machine is the issue). Have you tried the admin password of the target machine?
If you want to add a new user to test you need to create one in Users and Groups and make sure they have permissions for the share. Then add the user in the File Sharing Panel.
Thanks for the reply @trilo, apologies for less than full clarity.
From the MBP I can Connect As… (Finder Window > Network > double click on target mac > click on Connect As… upper right of window) and have access to everything in the MBA; On the MBA I try to Connect As… to access the MBP and am unable to pass the authentication window.
yes.
In Finder’s Connect to Server… you mean? I tried that with the IP address and the authentication step does not reject the password but then no connection is made, there is connection attempt activity going on but nothing happens. I also tried 2 variations of smb:// .local, one including the password, and they also fail to authenticate.
Yes I’ve quadruple or more verified the File Sharing settings are on and correct and the Firewall allows File Sharing.
The MBP shows up in the MBA Finder’s Network window (I don’t think it does if File Sharing is off but am no expert).
The issue: MBP can access the MBA; the MBA cannot access the MBP because the MBPs Name and Password are rejected at the Connect As authentication step (the window shakes side to side and no connection attempt occurs).
Yes, I have tried all combinations of short and full Names and Passwords for both macs, authentication step fails.
I’m away from the MBP now, will check U&G later but I recall setting the full Name set for Read and Write in File Sharing Preferences.
U&G is used for the computer in which the Settings are viewed, though, or not? I don’t have the MBP user account in the MBA U&G yet it can File and Screen Share the MBA.
A problem with the File Sharing pane is that if I click the + below to add a user, a little window comes up wanting to display only Contacts, which I don’t use. Cannot directly add a user, maybe that’s in the U&G Prefs.
PS-I’m specifying Registered User as the type of user to authenticate in this Topic, as the MBA is not attempting to connect to MBP as a Guest or by using an Apple Account.
Back to the desk, went to Finder > Connect to Server… entered the smb IP address given in the target MBP’s File Sharing Prefs, got the window to enter Name and Password, pasted (and typed on keyboard set to US English, same as when MBP account was established) in the password and… not accepted (window shook side to side and didn’t progress to trying to connect).
On the MBP went to Users & Groups Prefs and figured out how to add a new User (account on the MBP) without going thru Contacts app, with Read & Write permission, then on MBA tried to Connect to Server (MBP), entered the new User password and a connection was made, but folder contents had the do not enter signs on them. Double clicked, message said not authorized to view the contents. Sigh.
So the test of adding a new (“Registered”?) User on the MBP shows the keyboard on the MBA is not an issue, though only partially solves my dilemma as I am still not able to interact with contents of the MBP despite new User with read & write permissions.
Rebooted both macs and no change to situation.
Also tried plugging an Anker and later an Apple usb-c to c cable into each Mac to see if it made any difference; on the MBA a notification came up “Cannot use Thunderbolt Accessory” (possible needs to be specifically a Thunderbolt cable).
Since the problem seems to be the MBP not recognizing its own password, I might next try changing the password to see if that changes anything.
OK Hurrah! (with 
).
So, I changed the MBP to a temporary pw and was able to get File Sharing to work! Then I changed it back to the original. Turned off wifi on both, shut down both.
Booted both, wifi on, connected from MBA to MBP using the old but new password and shazam! File Sharing!
Seems to have been some temporary glitch in recognizing the password. Under the hood network wizards might know what happened but at least it’s working for now!
Thanks again @trilo for your input.