macOS Catalina Part 1: Preparing to Upgrade

catalina-installer-icon
In this screencast tutorial I cover how to prepare yourself for the upgrade to MacOS Catalina. Catalina is a major upgrade and there are some big changes that you must be prepared for before even deciding if the upgrade is right for you right now. Catalina is the first Mac upgrade on which you can no longer run 32 bit applications. So if you have applications that are not yet or never will be 64 bit this is not the upgrade for you. I cover how to check on those applications along with other things to check before you actually go through with the upgrade.



Comments

Smart Home Part 12: Harmony Bridge App

Homekit Remote Icon
In this screencast tutorial I cover an application that sets up your multiple Logitech Harmony Hubs to run a separate instance of Homebridge which makes them available to HomeKit.

One the application is running, you will see each Harmony Hub and all of your activities will show as switches instead of showing up as separate HomeKit devices. This then allows you to use your Harmony Hubs in your HomeKit automation and with Siri.



Comments

macOS Mojave Server Part 11: Profile Manager Preference Menu Items

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover how to use the preference menu in Profile Manager to manage settings for your devices. I walk through all of the settings and what they do to help you manage your users and devices from the web interface making it possible to do that management remotely without needing to be in front of the device itself.







Comments

macOS Mojave Server Part 10: Profile Manager macOS Device Profiles

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover how to use Profile Manager to manage settings for your macOS devices. I walk through all of the settings that would be best managed for an macOS device and tell you what each does and how to set them up









Comments

macOS Mojave Server Part 9: Profile Manager iOS Device Profiles

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover how to use Profile Manager to manage settings for your iOS devices. I walk through all of the settings that would be best managed for an iOS device and tell you what each does and how to set them up. In future screencasts I’ll cover how to do the same with macOs devices.







Comments

macOS Mojave Server Part 8: Profile Manager Users & Groups

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover how to use Profile Manager to manage settings for devices used by specific users or user groups. I walk through all of the settings that would be best managed on a per user or user group basis and tell you what each does and how to set them up. In future screencasts I’ll cover how to do the same with iOS and macOs devices.





Comments

macOS Mojave Server Part 7: Profile Manager Overview

OS X Server
The actual Profile Manager interface has a lot to offer in terms of managing your devices all in a web interface. It is handy to have all of your device information available in one place where you not only can view that information but take action on your devices as well and push any changes you want to make over the air without ever having to have physical access to the device.

In this screencast tutorial I do an overview of the Profile Manager Interface. I walk through each section and talk about it’s function and how it is used to manage your users and devices.



Comments

macOS Mojave Server Part 6: Profile Manager-Mac Device Enrollment

OS X Server
Profile Manager gives a great way to manage your Mac or iOS devices in a great web interface. This allows you to manage these devices anywhere you can get a web browser as long as you open the proper ports on your server.

In this screencast I cover how to enroll a macOS device into profile manager on macOS Mojave Server. I cover how to install the trust profile and the remote management profiles that add your Mac devices to profile manager so you can begin managing your Macs through the MDM interface.



Comments

macOS Mojave Server Part 5: Profile Manager-iOS Enrollment

OS X Server
Profile Manager gives a great way to manage your Mac or iOS devices in a great web interface. This allows you to manage these devices anywhere you can get a web browser as long as you open the proper ports on your server.

In this screencast tutorial I cover how to enroll your iOS devices into Profile Manager so you can begin to manage them through the MDM service. I cover how to install the trust profile and the remote management profiles to add your iOS devices to Profile Manager.



Comments

macOS Mojave Server Part 4: Remote Access Set Up

OS X Server
Part of having a server is to be able to access that server remotely. There are a number of ways to do that including using another application or setting up your own domain name.

In this screencast tutorial I cover how to set up your server for remote access. I walkthrough changing the hostname and setting up your DNS at your domain provider to point to your server so you can access the Profile Manager service remotely.



Comments

macOS Mojave Server Part 3: Profile Manager Set Up

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover how to set up Profile Manager in Mojave. There are some differences in how it is set up including not having the requirement of using Open Directory to use the service and the intermediate certificate being set up through the start of Profile Manager instead of it being set up with Open Directory first.

In a future screencast I will cover how to use Open Directory and when you might want to do that. I will also walk through the features of Profile Manager and how to use it to manage your own devices.



Comments

macOS Mojave Server Part 2: New Installation

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I walk through a new installation of MacOS Mojave Server. I show you the set up of a new server long with a walk through of the features that are left in macOS Server and set the stage for how to move forward with the server in it’s new form.

In future screencasts we will cover each of the features in depth so you can use and control your how home server.




Comments

macOS Mojave Part 2: Software Update & Screenshot

mojave
In this screencast tutorial I cover the new Software Update Utility and the updates to the Screenshot tool built into macOS Mojave. With some of the refinements made to the OS Apple is fine tuning how it handles things in macOS and is making it closer to what we see in iOS. This is not so much a merging of the OSes but rather bringing some similarities to both platforms so things look familiar on both OSes.





Comments

macOS Mojave Part 1: Finder & Desktop Updates

mojave
In this screencast tutorial I start a series taking a look at some of the updates to macOS Mojave. In this particular screencast I take a look at some of the upgrades made to the Finder and to the desktop which help to make the process of working on your Mac a lot smoother. I cover the view changes, in finder editing options, the new dark mode, stacks on the desktop, and the new add from iPhone or iPad feature.





Comments

macOS Mojave Server Part 1: Upgrade Walk Thru

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I walk through the upgrade process from High Sierra Server to Mojave Server. With this change Apple is killing most of their server services except Profile Manager and Open Directory which in essence is moving macOS Server to strictly becoming a device management application.

For those of you already running server and wondering what will happen to your existing set up after you upgrade to Mojave, I am doing this walk thru so you can see ahead of time how Apple handles the transition. As you will see you will want to make sure you have a clone of your server if you want to try this but in the end you will move likely want to stay with your previous install as all of your services will stop working.

I will continue to look at other options for server software and will also walk through the Mojave version of server for those who want to use it in conjunction with other services to create the server package that is best for you.



Comments

macOS Server Replacement Part 2: VPN Enabler

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover how to replace the VPN service in macOS Server that will be deprecated in upcoming versions of server. I look at a free application called VPN Enabler as a way to enable the VPN service that is built into every macOS. I show you how to take your settings from macOS Server for VPN and transfer them to VPN Enabler and then start and run the VPN service to take over the service on your own Mac.



Comments

Smart Home Part 4: Logitech Harmony Hub Install & Set Up

harmony-hub-home-automation-control-hub-and-app
In this screencast tutorial I cover another smart home tech product called the Logitech Harmony Hub. With all of the smart assistants out there for other household needs one of the things that can be forgotten about is our home entertainment centers. These usually include multiple remotes and can be a pain to manage. Logitech tries to fix the with a hub for your entertainment center that works as a universal remote and also controls other things like some of your smart home tech. It can also be integrated with other smart assistants like Amazon’s Echo to bring voice control to your home theater.

In this screencast I cover the installation and set up of the Harmony Hub to get you up and running with the device. In a future screencast I will cover how to integrate the harmony hub into your smart home set up.

As always thanks for you support. Please subscribe to get more of my content and like and favorite these videos so others can find them.






Comments

OwnCloud Part 1: Installation & Set Up

1200px-OwnCloud_logo_and_wordmark.svg
In this screencast tutorial I cover how to set up an OwnCloud Server on your Mac to replace some of the services that will no longer be available in macOS Server as of June 2018.

I cover how to install and use an application called Docker (
https://www.docker.com) to set up a virtual machine to run your OwnCloud Server inside. I also cover how to set up OwnCloud and get it launched and ready to configure.

If you find this content helpful please subscribe and hit that like button. Also if you have ideas for other shows or questions feel free to leave them below.





Comments

Smart Home Part 3: Apple HomePod Review

HomePod-Apple
In this screencast tutorial I so a review and walk through of Apple’s new HomePod. I’m doing something different to try to introduce some of these devices with a combination of review and walk through to help you get an overall view of the product first to decide is you want it add it to your smart home and second if you do choose to pick one up, have a walk through of the set up and features. So let me know what you think!

The HomePod is Apple’s foray into the smart speaker market which has been dominated by Amazon’s Alexa and the Google Home. Where Apple is different is their attempt to selling the music side of the speaker first with voice assistant technology added in. This comes at a premium as the speaker comes at a $349 price tag and which is their only option while Echo and Google Home have a cheaper entry point. But once you listen to it you can hear that Apple has put a lot of tech into the HomePod. The other advantage is being able to use Siri with Homekit out of the box is a huge plus and is of particular interest to our topic of looking at smart home technology to help us control our smart home devices.

In this screencast we will walk through he unboxing, set up and testing of the HomePod to see if it fits in your own Smart Home set up.

As always thanks for your support. If like my screencasts please like, favorite and share them with others. As always thanks for all your support.





Comments

macOS Server WebDAV Replacement

Webdavnav
In this screencast tutorial I start a series I will be doing from time to time on how to replace components of macOS Server since Apple’s announcement of the change of focus to being more of a Mobile Device Management Solution instead of a full server. If you missed that previous screencast you can see it at the link below along with a link to Apple’s announcement.

In this screencast I cover an application that takes care of an issue users of the current version of macOS Server have been having and that is connecting to their WebDAV Shares. Apple deprecated the service in the most recent release and it has caused some issues for many people. I found a great application that takes care of all the headaches of configuring the server and that is
WebDAVNav Server by Schimera Pty Ltd.

In this screencast I cover how to set the server up, how to connect to it on your local network and remotely using Safari and Documents by Readdle Software. They also have a WebDAV Nav+ App which let’s you browse your shares as well on iOS devices.

As always thanks for your support. Please subscribe like and share so others can find these screencasts.




Comments

High Sierra Server Part 11: Network Configuration: Non Apple Routers

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover the basics of setting up some of your network settings to work with macOS Server using a Non Apple Router. I cover router considerations, how to set up a static DHCP reservation for your server, & how to check to make sure that reservations shows up in the right DNS fields to allow your server to function properly on your network.







Comments

High Sierra Server Part 10: Network Configuration-Apple Routers

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover the basics of setting up some of your network settings to work with macOS Server using an Apple Router. I cover router considerations, how to set up a static DHCP reservation for your server, & how to check to make sure that reservations shows up in the right DNS fields to allow your server to function properly on your network.






Comments

High Sierra Server Part 9: Clean Install

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover how to do a clean install of your operating system and the Server application. There are times when starting over is necessary and the safest thing to do especially when things stop working! I show you how to prepare for the clean install and walk through the steps of what the clean install looks like.







Comments

macOS Server: The Future of Apple's Server Product

OS X Server
Well Apple made a big announcement this week for it’s Server Product (https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208312). It is changing direction to move the current product towards Mobile Device Management and storage management and away from traditional server services. This means Apple is deprecating most of the server product including:






-Calendar
-Contacts
-Mail
-Messages
-VPN
-Websites
-Wiki
-DHCP
-DNS
-NetInstall

They did provide potential replacements for each service in their support article which means that more and more of our server builds seem to be moving towards SaaS or software as a service types of solutions instead of one nicely bundled software package.

In this screencast I walk through those changes with some thoughts on timing and some things you can do now to protect yourself from having your server go obsolete before you want it to in spring of this year. I also talk about the fact that I will be doing screencasts on the options you have going forward to help you make the transition.

It is a sad day for those of us who have loved the server interface and all that it had to offer but it is also an opportunity to learn new things and new ways of running server services on our Macs.

As always I will be here to help as best I can and will continue bringing your screencasts to help you learn to do more things with your Mac including server replacements, more on smart home set ups, and Apple software and hardware tutorials and reviews.

Thanks for all your support! I love exploring new software for Macs and this presents another great opportunity to grow!



Comments

High Sierra & Server 5.4 Part 8: New Home Folder Set Up

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover how to set up network home folders that are stored on the server in macOS Server 5.4. In previous versions of server these home folders were originally set up in the file sharing service. Now that the service has been moved to the general macOS it is no longer available with file sharing itself.

Apple has moved the setting up of home folders into the server app in the Users tab. I walk through how to choose where to set up a home folder, how to set that home folder up, and how to select it to create the network home folder on your server.

As always thanks for watching! I hope these screencasts are helping you in your own server set up and if you find this video helpful please like, favorite and share it with others. Thanks for all your support!



Comments

High Sierra & Server 5.4 Part 7: Access Shares Remotely on iOS with VPN

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover another way to get around the issues that many have with webDAV being removed from the Server App. Many are still having issues with webDAV so I thought I would put together another work around to get access to your shares on your iOS devices.

In this screencast I show you how to set up VPN on your iOS device and use that to appear as if you are on your local network. This then will allow access to your file shares using an application like Documents by Readdle on the go.

If you find this screencast helpful, please subscribe, like, and add it as a favorite so others can find it. Thanks for all your support.



Comments

High Sierra & Server 5.4 Part 6: FTP Replacemet with SFTP

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover how to replace FTP with SFTP. FTP has been removed from macOS Server in version 5.4 which has left many users looking for other options for uploading files to web servers.

In this screencast I cover how to set up SFTP which stands for Secure File Transfer Protocol which allows for FTP transfers over the SSH protocol which is more secure as it encrypts your data instead of sending it in the open. I cover the set up and how to add and retrieve files from your web server using the Terminal and Transmit or other FTP type applications.

As always thanks for your support. If you found the video helpful please subscribe and hit the like button below. Hope you have a great week!



Comments

High Sierra & Server 5.4 Part 5: WebDAV Set Up

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover the changes made to iOS sharing and the WebDAV service in macOS Server 5.4. Apple made a number of changes that have caused a lot of confusion and the WebDAV service is one of them.

In this screencast I walk through how to use the command line wfsctl command to set up and manage WedDAV on your server. I also walk through each of the options available to manage it and show you how to connect to your shares via WebDAV on an iOS device.

As always thanks for your support. Please Subscribe, like and favorite this video to help others find it on the internet.



Comments

High Sierra & Serve 5.4 Part 4: File Sharing New Location

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover the changes made to the file sharing service in macOS High Sierra and Server 5.4. Apple has integrated yet another server service into the main OS giving High Sierra more power in file sharing for all users regardless if they have the server app or not.

Luckily they did include the more advanced features of file sharing like ACL’s in the Server App itself. I will cover all of the changes to the file sharing service and a work flow for setting up your file shares in System Preferences and managing your permissions in the Server App.

As always thanks for your support! If you could subscribe, like and favorite this video it would help a lot!



Comments

High Sierra & Server 5.4 Part 3: Caching Server New Location

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover the new caching service in macOS High Sierra. The service has been moved out of the server application and into the main OS in System Preferences.

I cover how to set up the caching service and all of the features included. There is also a hidden advanced options menu that I show you how to access and cover each of the items included in that hidden menu.

As always thanks for your support! Please like and subscribe to the channel for updates on future screencasts.



Comments

High Sierra & Server 5.4 Part 2: Time Machine New Location

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover the first of many changes to High Sierra and Server 5.4. This week I take a look at a change that moves the Remote Time Machine backups out of the Server App and into system preferences on every macOS High Sierra System. I walk through how to set up the service and how to connect your Macs to the service to allow for wireless back ups.

The benefits of having Server for doing network Time Machine back ups has now moved out of the server and into the Mac itself. This solves a problem created Apple getting out of the router business which means that Time Capsules will not be developed anymore which leaves network back ups from Apple in the cold as far as Time Machine goes. By moving the service to system preferences so every Mac gets access to it, allows them to keep that part of the service and move out of the router business.



Comments

High Sierra Server Part 1: Server Upgrade

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I walk thru the upgrade process of moving from Sierra Server to High Sierra Server which is a point release to Server 5.4. If you haven’t upgraded to High Sierra yet, you may want to view my upgrade walk thru video first so you are up and running with High Sierra.

A word of caution! There are some significant changes to the server app with previous features being moved out of the server app to other places which means we don’t know how they function yet and how smooth a transition it will be during the upgrade. I would hold off on upgrading until I have had a chance to walk thru those features so you have a choice as to how you want to proceed with your own server.



Comments

macOS High Sierra Part 2: Upgrad Prep & Walk Thru

Pasted Graphic 1
In this screencast tutorial I cover the upgrade to macOS High Sierra. I cover things to do to prepare for the upgrade and walk you through the steps so you know what to expect with your own upgrade.

This upgrade does add the Apple APFS File system which is automatically upgraded on all SSD only Macs but is not added to Fusion drive or regular Hard Drive set ups.

Also if you are running macOS Server you will want to hold off on the upgrade until you see the upgrade screencast I will do showing you the changes so you can decide if the upgrade is for you.





Comments

macOS High Sierra Part 1: Safari, Notes, & Mail

Pasted Graphic 1
In this screencast tutorial I take a look at some of the changes to the upcoming macOS High Sierra. With the release just around the corner, I thought I would take a look at some of the refinements made to macOS in the upcoming version.

In this screencast I look specifically at Safari, Notes, and Mail and some of the changes you can expect in each. Each of these applications have little touches done to them that remove some of the friction experienced in previous versions. Because it is a refinement, those features are not always obvious so I hope to show you what those changes look like so you can start using them right away on launch day.




Comments

File Manager Showdown Part 3: Pathfinder 7

Pasted Graphic
In this screencast tutorial I continue my look at file managers and this week take a look at Pathfinder 7 by Cocoatech (https://cocoatech.com). In my previous two screencasts I looked at Transmit 5 (https://youtu.be/gxTKReHdaAM) and Forklift 3 (https://youtu.be/t17qNc3BfcY) so you can check out those videos in the links provided. The previous two File Managers are pure ftp and file transfer applications that also happen to do a good job of viewing and managing your files on your Mac as a possible Finder replacement. This week we will look at an application that is built as a Finder replacement that happens to also do ftp and other file transfer protocols.

Pathfinder 7 includes so many features that I tried to give as much of an overview as I could but I know there are still features I didn’t have time to cover. The screencast gives you a great idea if Pathfinder is for you and covers the major features that make it unique in this space.



Comments

File Manager Showdown Part 2: Forklift 3

Forklift 3
In this screencast tutorial I take a look at another File Management Application for macOS and that is Forklift 3 by Binarynights (http://www.binarynights.com/forklift/). Forklift 3 is an excellent file management application that includes tools for connecting to both local and remote services and has some great features like the menubar application that lets you upload documents on the fly, a compare, sync, rename, and synced browsing and many other features. I covered some of the core features in this screencast to give as good a comparison as I can between the different file management applications. So far our first two apps have held their own against each other and include some great file management features.

I will be looking at other file management software packages in this series to help you determine which one is right for you.

Thanks in advance for the support. Please subscribe, like, favorite and share these screencasts as they help others find them on the internet and help me know that you are enjoying them and want me to continue producing them.



Comments

File Manager Showdown Part 1: Transmit 5

Transmit 5
In this screencast tutorial I start a series on comparing various file managers to help you determine which one is right for you. This week I take a look at the newly released Transmit 5.

Transmit 5 by Panic (https://panic.com/transmit/) is a very well designed and pretty file transfer application. It has everything you could want in a file transfer application including support for all of the major protocols and web services and features like file syncing, sync browsing, droplets for quick uploading, and many more. In this overview there are some features I wasn’t able to cover but we get most of basics down in this screencast.

Transmit does have an iOS application that syncs up with the desktop app making it seamless experience between the two. In fact of the applications we will review, Transmit is the only one with an iOS counterpart.

I will be looking at other file management software packages in this series to help you determine which one is right for you.

Thanks in advance for the support. Please subscribe, like, favorite and share these screencasts as they help others find them on the internet and help me know that you are enjoying them and want me to continue producing them.




Comments

Plotagraph+ Photo Animator

1200x630bb
In this screencast tutorial I cover an app I just discovered recently that has become one of my favorite photo apps on my iPhone and iPad and that’s Plotagraph+. Plotagraph+ allows you to animate your photos to give them a video look and allows you to do things like animate clouds or water to help your photos come to life. It also includes easy export to your photo library and other social media. If you have ever wanted to animate your photos give Plotagraph+ a try.

As always thanks for watching. Please subscribe and like, favorite and share this video if you found it helpful.

Thanks as always for your support!



Comments

macOS Sierra Server Part 35: Creating Custom NetRestore Images

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover how to create and install your own custom NetRestore images to be deployed by macOS Server. I use an application called AutoDMG by Mager Valp (https://github.com/MagerValp/AutoDMG/releases/tag/v1.7.3) to create the images and then show you how to add those images to the NetInstall Service.

As special thanks to Jeffrey Battersby who has a great series on NetInstall over on Macworld (http://www.macworld.com/article/3073565/macs/how-to-master-the-netinstall-service.html)

As always thanks for watching! Please subscribe if you find the content helpful as it does help with people finding these screencasts and for me making more. Also, please like, favorite, and share these videos to get them out to others who might need them.

Thanks for your support and have a great week!



Comments

macOS Sierra Server Part 34: Creating Custom Packages for NetRestore

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover how to create your own custom packages to include with image restore files to be used with macOS Server NetInstall Service. To do this I take a look at two third party applications Packages by Stéphane Sudre (http://s.sudre.free.fr/Software/Packages/about.html) and CreateUserPkg by Mager Valp (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/createuserpkg/id540673598?mt=12).

I walk through how to use these applications to set up custom packages that we will use in the next screencast to create the image we want to use for our netRestore service.



Comments

macOS Server Part 33: NetInstall

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover how to set up the NetInstall service in macOS Server. I cover how to create a disk image, how to customize the image to fit your needs, and how to set up and use the service once you have everything configured.

If you would like me to consult with you in setting up your server I can do that remotely. Just email me at todd@toddolthoff.com.

If you find this tutorial helpful please subscribe, like, favorite and share it so others can find it on the internet. If you have any questions or comments feel free to leave them below and I'll do my best to get back to you.



Comments

Ulysses: My Favorite Writing App for Mac

Pasted Graphic 4
In this screencast tutorial I cover one of my favorite writing apps not only for the Mac but across platforms and that’s Ulysses.

Ulysses is a markdown text editor that is a one stop shop for all of your writing needs. It includes simple to use writing tools that include clickable mark down prompts, an organizational library to keep all of your writing in one place, live preview of your markdown, various writing styles and an export feature making it easy to get your text into whatever format you need from plain text to html to epub. Check out this screencast and you will see why it is one of my favorite writing tools!

As always thanks for watching. If you find this video helpful please like, favorite, share and subscribe to help get the word out to others who may benefit from this walkthrough.

As always thanks for your support!



Comments

macOS Sierra Server Part 32: DHCP

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover how to set up the DHCP service in macOS Server. I cover pros and cons of using macOS Server's DHCP service as compared to a router. I also cover how to set up an Airport Extreme Base Station to work with server's DHCP service, walk you through all of the settings in the DHCP service, and cover how to set up static IP reservations for the clients on your network.

If you would like me to consult with you in setting up your server I can do that remotely. Just email me at todd@toddolthoff.com.

If you find this tutorial helpful please subscribe, like, favorite and share it so others can find it on the internet. If you have any questions or comments feel free to leave them below and I'll do my best to get back to you.



Comments

macOS Sierra Server Part 31: FTP

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover how to set up the FTP service in macOS Server. The FTP service is not as secure as using SFTP but it can still work to transfer non critical files if you need a quick set up. I cover how to set the service up, open the appropriate ports for remote access (20, 21), and how to access those shares using the terminal and an FTP client.

As always thanks for watching! If you have any questions or comments feel free to leave them below and I’ll do my best to get back to you.

If you would like me to consult with you in setting up your server I can do that remotely. Just email me at todd@toddolthoff.com.

If you found this screencast helpful please like, favorite and share it so others can find it on the internet. Thanks so much for all of your supportHappy.



Comments

iStat Menus: My Favorite Mac Hardware Monitoring App

Pasted Graphic 3
In this screencast tutorial I cover another menubar application by Bjango Software called iStat Menus (https://bjango.com/mac/istatmenus/). Keeping track of what is happening with your Mac’s hardware is an important part of maintaining your Mac. This application gives you quick visual access to all of the sensors and applications you might need to troubleshoot issues with your Mac.

This application includes the ability to Monitor your CPU & GPU, Monitor your Mac’s Memory, Monitor your Mac’s Drives, Monitor the Network access of your Mac, Monitor your Mac’s sensors, Monitor your Mac’s battery, & Other Menu customizations.

This really is a great application and one I use on a regular basis.

As always thanks for watching and for your support. If you like this video please like, favorite, or share it with others. Also please subscribe to keep up on my latest video tutorials.



Comments

macOS Sierra Server Part 30: Wiki

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover the wiki service built into macOS Server. I walk through the set up of your wiki webpage. Then I walk through the various screens and options found on the wiki website and give you an idea of how you might use this in your own server set up.

As always thanks for watching! If you have any questions or comments feel free to leave them below and I’ll do my best to get back to you.

If you would like me to consult with you in setting up your server I can do that remotely. Just email me at todd@toddolthoff.com.

If you found this screencast helpful please like, favorite and share it so others can find it on the internet. Thanks so much for all of your supportHappy.



Comments

PopClip: One of My Favorite Menubar Apps

Pasted Graphic 2
In this screencast tutorial I cover another one of my favorite Mac Applications and that’s PopClip from Pilotmoon. PopClip is a menubar application that adds the pop up menus that show up in iOS applications and brings them to the Mac.

PopClip has a large library of exertions that can be added to the application to help you customize your menus with the extensions that fit you and your workflow best. PopClip has naturally shown up in a number of my screencasts and I have had people ask me about it all the time so I figured I’d do a screencast to show you what I am using.

As always thanks for all your support. If you have any questions or comments feel free to leave them below.

If you find these videos helpful please like, share and favorite them and as always please subscribe to see more of my content. You can also find me at www.toddolthoff.com or you can email me at todd@toddolthoff.com.



Comments

macOS Sierra Server Part 29: Websites

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover the websites service built into macOS Server. I cover somethings to consider when looking at hosting your own website. I also cover using the built in server website and how to configure macOS Server to host your own website including DNS and the proper settings for your website.

As always thanks for watching! If you have any questions or comments feel free to leave them below and I’ll do my best to get back to you.

If you would like me to consult with you in setting up your server I can do that remotely. Just email me at todd@toddolthoff.com.

If you found this screencast helpful please like, favorite and share it so others can find it on the internet. Thanks so much for all of your supportHappy.



Comments

macOS Sierra Server Part 28: Software Update

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I show you how to bring back Software Update as a service on your server. Apple had removed the service from the sidebar of the Server Application but kept it in the view menu so you could add it back to your server if you wanted to.

In this screencast I cover how to set up and run the Software Update Service from your Server including downloading and enabling updates for your Macs that come from your server instead of Apple’s servers.

As always thanks for your support. If you find these videos helpful please subscribe, like, favorite and share them so others can find them on the internet.

Thanks again and have a great week!



Comments

BusyContacts: My Favorite Contacts App

busycontacts-icon-1600
In this screencast tutorial I cover another one of my favorite Mac Apps and that’s BusyContacts by BusyMac Software. The contacts application that comes with a Mac is ok for what it does but it misses alot of customization for things that might be needed for a more robust contact management system. BusyContacts does a great job of adding features to your contacts that allows you to track your Contacts for things like appointments, social media and email or messages. Each of these things is visible with the contact so you can see where you have had contact with this person in the past and even what is happening now on Twitter.

As always thanks for the support. We hit over 20,000 subscribers yesterday and I am super excited to help you do more things with your Mac and iOS devices.

If you find this video helpful please subscribe, like, favorite and share it so others can find it on the internet.

Thanks again and have a great week!



Comments

Spark: My Favorite Mac Email Client

Pasted Graphic 1
In this screencast tutorial I cover another one of my favorite Mac Apps and that is Spark by Readdle Software. Spark is an application that started on iOS and made it’s way to the Mac. Spark has a nice interface and has a lot of features that make working with email simple and enjoyable (if that is even possible).

In this screencast I cover all of the features of Spark including setting up accounts, working with favorites and folders, adding signatures and swipe gestures to speed up your email processing, and a lot more.

If you have any questions or comments feel free to leave them below and if you find this video helpful please like, favorite, share and subscribe to the channel so others can find it.

As always, thanks for all your support!



Comments

Trickster: One of My Favorite Menubar Apps

Pasted Graphic
In this screencast tutorial I cover another one of my favorite menubar applications, Trickster by Apparent Software.

Trickster allows you to have quick access to your recently used documents, folders and applications and can also track certain folders and display items you define such as all pdf’s or jpeg’s. This increases productivity and saves time from searching to find specific files or folders you have been working on.

I hope you like this application as much as I do! As always thanks for watching and be sure to subscribe. I am looking to do a tutorial every Monday and Friday now to bring you best of technical Mac tutorials on things like macOS Server and then regular Mac and iOS applications. If you have any suggestions or your own favorite apps, be sure to leave a comment below.

If you find these videos helpful please subscribe and be sure to share these with your friends by liking, favoriting, or sharing.



Comments

macOS Sierra Server Part 27: Profile Manager Devices & Groups

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I go over the Profile Manager Interface for managing devices and device groups. I cover each of the settings you can use to manage your devices and groups and walk through what each setting does. I also cover some basic strategies on when it is best to use groups to manage your settings instead of managing them on a per device basis.

As always thanks for watching! If you have any questions or comments feel free to leave them below and I’ll do my best to get back to you.

If you would like me to consult with you in setting up your server I can do that remotely. Just email me at todd@toddolthoff.com.

If you found this screencast helpful please like, favorite and share it so others can find it on the internet. Thanks so much for all of your supportHappy.



Comments

macOS Sierra Server Part 26: Profile Manager Users & Groups

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I go over the Profile Manager Interface for managing users and groups. I cover each of the settings you can use to manage your users and groups and walk through what each setting does. I also cover some basic strategies on when it is best to use groups to manage your settings instead of managing them on a per user basis.

As always thanks for watching! If you have any questions or comments feel free to leave them below and I’ll do my best to get back to you.

If you would like me to consult with you in setting up your server I can do that remotely. Just email me at todd@toddolthoff.com.

If you found this screencast helpful please like, favorite and share it so others can find it on the internet. Thanks so much for all of your supportHappy.



Comments

Bartender 2: One of My Favorite Menubar Apps

Pasted Graphic 5
In this screencast tutorial I cover one of my favorite Mac Menubar Applications by Surtees Studios called Bartender 2 (https://www.macbartender.com).

Bartender 2 is a unique menubar application that cleans up your menubar. It allows you to hide certain menubar applications until you need them. With a click or keyboard shortcut the Bartender menubar shows up and displays all your hidden menubar items giving your more room on your menubar which is especially needed for laptops or smaller screens the don’t allow as many menubar apps to be displayed. It also has a built in search for your menubar items and various ways to customize and organize your menubar applications.

I hope you like this application as much as I do! As always thanks for watching and be sure to subscribe. I am looking to do a tutorial every Monday and Friday now to bring you best of technical Mac tutorials on things like macOS Server and then regular Mac and iOS applications. If you have any suggestions or your own favorite apps, be sure to leave a comment below.

If you find these videos helpful please subscribe and be sure to share these with your friends by liking, favoriting, or sharing.

Thanks as always for all your support and for being an incredible Mac Community!



Comments

macOS Sierra Server Part 25: Profile Manager Overview

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I go over the Profile Manager Interface. I cover each of the tabs in the interface and explain what each section does. I then go through the restrictions and other settings you can use to fine tune your profiles and how they interact with your users and devices.

As always thanks for watching! If you have any questions or comments feel free to leave them below and I’ll do my best to get back to you.

If you would like me to consult with you in setting up your server I can do that remotely. Just email me at todd@toddolthoff.com.

If you found this screencast helpful please like, favorite and share it so others can find it on the internet. Thanks so much for all of your supportHappy.



Comments

macOS Sierra Server Part 24: Profile Manager iOS Enrollment

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover how to set up your iOS devices to be managed by Profile Manager. By enrolling your devices you include them in your Open Directory and allow for remote management and installation of settings through profiles pushed to your iOS Devices by the Profile Manager Service.

I cover how to install the certificates including the order of installation and what you can do with your iOS Device from the my devices portal.

As always thanks for watching! If you have any questions or comments feel free to leave them below and I’ll do my best to get back to you.

If you would like personal help in setting up your server, feel free to contact me at todd@toddolthoff.com.

If you find these tutorials helpful please like, favorite and/or share them so others can find them.



Comments

Fantastical 2 Part 2: Preferences & Menubar App

Fantastical 2
In this screencast tutorial I cover the second part in my look at Fantastical 2. In Part 1 I covered the interface, setting up calendars, managing your calendars, and adding events. In Part 2 I cover the preferences available to customize the application to the way you want it. I also cover how to print your calendars and how to use the Menubar App.

As always thanks for you support! I will be continuing the server seres as well but wanted to put together some new content for those of you who have mastered Server from previous screencasts.

If you find the screencast helpful please like, favorite, share and subscribe to my channel so others can find it on the internet.





Comments

Fantastical 2 Part 1: Overview

Fantastical 2
In this screencast tutorial, I share another one of my favorite Mac Apps. This week I am looking at Calendar applications and my favorite by far is Fantastical 2 by Flexibits.

Fantastical 2 started out as an iOS app and then made it’s way over to the Mac. It uses natural language and then automatically parses it into a calendar event. It also has some great views of your calendar and some features that let you set up particular calendar sets for various environments. In part 1 I cover the overall interface, how to set up calendars and calendar sets, and how to add events to your calendars by using the keyboard and dictation. In part 2 I will cover some of the other preferences you can set and the menu bar application that comes built into Fantastical 2.

As always thanks for you support! I will be continuing the server seres as well but wanted to put together some new content for those of you who have mastered Server from previous screencasts.

If you find the screencast helpful please like, favorite, share and subscribe to my channel so others can find it on the internet.



Comments

macOS Sierra Server Part 23: Profile Manager Mac Enrollment

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover how to set up your Mac devices to be managed by Profile Manager. By enrolling your devices you include them in your Open Directory and allow for remote management and installation of settings through profiles pushed to your Macs by the Profile Manager Service. In this screencast I cover how to install the certificates including the order of installation and what you can do with your Mac from the my devices portal. I'll also cover how the device shows up in the Profile Manager Web Portal so you can see how the server MDM service allows you to manage your Macs.

As always thanks for watching! If you have any questions or comments feel free to leave them below and I’ll do my best to get back to you.

If you would like personal help in setting up your server, feel free to contact me at todd@toddolthoff.com.

If you find these tutorials helpful please like, favorite and/or share them so others can find them.



Comments

macOS Sierra Server Part 22: Profile Manager Set Up

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover how to set up the Profile Manager service. I walk through each of the steps and requirements for getting started with Profile Manager. In future screencasts I will walk you through the complete set up of all of the Profile Manager components.

As always thanks for watching. If you found this video helpful please like, favorite and share it with others.

If you have any questions feel free to leave them below.



Comments

macOS Sierra Server Part 21: Mail

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover how to set up the Mail Service in macOS Server. I cover the various options for setting up email, how to set up email for a home user including things to consider before running a mail server, how to set up the appropriate records at your domain registrar, and each of the settings available in macOS Server’s mail service.

If you find this tutorial helpful please subscribe, like, favorite and share it so others can find it on the internet. If you have any questions or comments feel free to leave them below and I'll do my best to get back to you.

Thanks for watching!



Comments

macOS Sierra Server Part 20: Messages

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover how to set up your own Messages service in macOS Server. I cover how to configure the service to host your own private chat server. I also cover some fixes that you may need to do through the terminal to get the Messages Service working for you and then show you how to configure your client to make it work.

As always, thanks for watching! If you enjoyed the tutorial please like, favorite and share its others can find it.



Comments

macOS Sierra Server Part 19: Calendars

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover how to set up the Calendar Service in macOS Server. I cover all of the settings, how to set up locations and resources, how to add events and invite users, and the difference between individual and shared calendars.

As always thanks for watching. If you have any questions feel free to leave them below.

If you found this screencast helpful, please like, favorite and share it so others can find it on the internet. Thanks for all your supportHappy.



Comments

macOS Sierra Server Part 18: Contacts

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover how to set up the Contacts Service in macOS Server. I cover how to set up and start the service, how to add the service to your clients, how to search your directory on the server, and how to have a shared contacts account for all your users.

As always thanks for your support. If you have any questions feel free to leave them below and I'll do my best to answer your questions.

If you find this tutorial helpful, please like, favorite or share this tutorials so others on the internet can find it. Thanks for all your supportHappy.



Comments

MacOS Sierra Server Part 17: Caching Server

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover how to set up the Caching Service in macOS Sierra Server. The caching service allows you to cache any updates or downloads from the Mac, iOS, or iBook stores on your server and have users on your local network get their updates from your server instead of downloading another copy which saves time and bandwidth on your network. In this tutorial I cover each of the settings and demonstrate how it works.

If you find this tutorial helpful please like, favorite and share it so others can find it on the internet. If you have any questions or comments feel free to leave them below and I'll do my best to get back to you.

Thanks for watching!



Comments

Things Part 2: Workflows (My Favorite Task Management App

things-for-mac-app-icon
In this screencast tutorial I continue my series on My Favorite Apps by looking at workflows associated with my favorite Task Management App: Things by Cultured Code (www.culturedcode.com).

I cover how to integrate things into the charing services and widgets on your Mac. I also show how to set up sync and use Things between your Mac and iOS devices including integrating Siri into your workflow.

As always thanks for you support! I will be continuing the server seres as well but wanted to put together some new content for those of you who have mastered Server from previous screencasts.

If you find the screencast helpful please like, favorite, share and subscribe to my channel so others can find it on the internet.



Comments

MacOS Sierra Server Part 16: VPN

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover how to set up the VPN Service in Sierra Server. I cover all of the settings needed to set up your own VPN including the difference between setting up a .private and registered domain VPN. I also cover how to set up a client to use the VPN service.

If you find this tutorial helpful, please like, favorite and share it so others can find it on the internet.

If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment and I'll do my best to help you. Thanks for all your comments and support!



Comments

MacOS Sierra Server Part 15: Time Machine

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover how to set up the Time Machine Service built into macOS Server. The service built into Server is to back up the client machines you have on your network to a central location. I cover how to set the service up and how to connect your clients to the server’s back up drive. I also cover how to monitor your client back ups using the server app.

As always thanks for watching! If find these tutorials helpful please like, favorite, and share them so others on the internet can find them.



Comments

MacOS Sierra Server Part 14: Connect to File Shares-iOS

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover how to connect to your file shares on iOS devices. I cover the new iOS share feature in macOS Server and how to set it up. I also cover how to connect to the new iOS sharing feature and how to connect using the old WebDAV standard.

As always thanks for watching! If find these tutorials helpful please like, favorite, and share them so others on the internet can find them.




Comments

MacOS Sierra Server Part 13: Connect to File Shares-Mac

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover how to connect to the file shares we set up in the previous screencast. I cover how to connect on a remote machine, how to add that share to your login items so it auto mounts each time you reboot, and how to monitor and disconnect those who are mounted to the shares on your server.

Sorry for the delay in getting a show out last week. I had my licensing exams this past week which I had to study for and got behind (I did pass though so yay for that!).

As always thanks for watching! If find these tutorials helpful please like, favorite, and share them so others on the internet can find them.



Comments

MacOS Sierra Server Part 12: File Sharing Permissions

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover how to work with file permissions in macOS Server. I walk through defining POSIX and ACL permissions and how they work. I then go through each of the permissions available to set in the macOS Server interface and some basic best practices for setting up your permissions.

As always thanks for watching. If you have any questions feel free to leave them below and I'll do my best to answer them.

If you found this screencast helpful, please like, favorite, and share it so others on the internet can find it. Thanks for all your supportHappy.



Comments

Things Part 1: My Favorite Task Management App

things-for-mac-app-icon
In this screencast tutorial I start a series on the Apple Apps I like the best and use on a regular basis. You guys asked for it so I’m going to make it happen!

Today I start with my favorite Task Management Application called Things by Cultured Code. Things is a simple and elegant task management solution that fits my workflow. It has just enough organization and features but not too many to get me caught up spending too much time setting up my task management system instead of actually getting things done. I will cover things in a multiple part series to show you how to use the app and see how it plays out in a real workflow.

As always thanks for you support! I will be continuing the server seres as well but wanted to put together some new content for those of you who have mastered Server from previous screencasts.

If you find the screencast helpful please like, favorite, share and subscribe to my channel so others can find it on the internet.



Comments

MacOS Sierra Server Part 11: File Sharing

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover how to set up the File Sharing Service on macOS Server. I cover how file sharing works, how to specify how you want to share your files, and who has permission to do what with those files and folders. I also cover how to set up home folders on the server so users can sign into any computer on your network and have their own home folders and desktop show.

As always thanks for watching. If you have any questions feel free to leave them below and I'll do my best to answer them.

If you found this screencast helpful, please like, favorite, and share it so others on the internet can find it. Thanks for all your supportHappy.



Comments

MacOS Sierra Server Part 10: Bind Clients to the Server

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover how to bind a Mac to your server. I walk through the settings you need to make sure are in place on your server to allow for an authenticated bind. Then I walk through the actual binding process and show what to put in each field to make the bind work.

As always thanks for watching! If find these tutorials helpful please like, favorite, and share them so others on the internet can find them.



Comments

MacOS Sierra Server Part 9: Users & Groups

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover how to set up the users and groups accounts on your server. I cover the difference between local and local network users, how to set up a new user, and the various settings for users and groups such as global password policies and access to services.

As always thanks for watching! If find these tutorials helpful please like, favorite, and share them so others on the internet can find them.



Comments

MacOS Sierra Server Part 8: SSL Certificates

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover the Certificates Service built into macOS Server. I cover what SSL certificates do, the differences between self-signed & verified certificates, how to secure your services with SSL, the different types of certificates you can create in macOS Server, and how to purchase and set up a third party verified SSL certificate.

As always thanks for watching. If you find this tutorial helpful please like, favorite, and share it so others can find it on the internet. Feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions and I'll do my best to answer it.



Comments

MacOS Sierra Server Part 7: Open Directory

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover how to set up an Open Directory for your macOS Server. I cover why you might want to set up an Open Directory, how to set up an OD for the first time, how to back up your OD, and the difference between network and local accounts.

As always thanks for watching. If you find this tutorial helpful please like, favorite, and share it so others can find it on the internet. Feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions and I'll do my best to answer it.



Comments

MacOS Sierra Server Part 6: DNS

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover how to set up custom DNS on macOS Server. This is different than past DNS screencasts in that I show how to change the DNS automatically set up by the server app so that you can have a primary host domain that will allow things like www without the server prefix after it. I also show how to use a Dynamic DNS provider to keep your public ip in sync with your server.

As always thanks for watching! Please be sure to subscribe, like, share, and favorite this screencast if you found it helpful so others can find it as well!



Comments

MacOS Sierra Server Part 5: Port Forwarding

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover how to set up port forwarding on macOS Server. I cover the basics of port forwarding and how it works on your network. I also cover how to set up and use port forwarding with the built in service with macOS Server and how to do it manually if you don’t have an Apple Router.

As always thanks for all of your support! If you find this tutorial helpful please subscribe, like, favorite and share it so others can find it on the internet. If you have any questions or comments feel free to leave them below and I'll do my best to get back to you.



Comments

MacOS Sierra Server Part 4: Network Configuration

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover the basics of setting up some of your network settings to work with OS X Server. I cover router considerations, how to set up a static DHCP reservation for your server, & how to check to make sure that reservations shows up in the right DNS fields to allow your server to function properly on your network.

As always thanks for all of your support! If you find this tutorial helpful please subscribe, like, favorite and share it so others can find it on the internet. If you have any questions or comments feel free to leave them below and I'll do my best to get back to you.



Comments

MacOS Sierra Server Part 3: Server Install & Initial Set Up

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover how to install Server 5.2 and walk through the initial set up. I cover the entire server tab including how to determine what kind of server you want to set up, either local, VPN remote access, or registered domain name access. I then cover the rest of the server tabs and get you ready to set up the other services on your server.

As always thanks for your support. If you find this video helpful please subscribe, like, favorite, and share it so others on the internet can find it.



Comments

MacOS Sierra Server Part 2: Complete Server Uninstall

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover how to completely uninstall macOS Sierra Server. Simply dragging the server app to the trash does not uninstall all of the settings and components and will cause you to see a reinstall of server pick up previous settings. In this screencast I show you how to clean up all of the items server leaves behind so you truly start with a clean install of server without having to do a clean install of the whole OS.

As always thanks for watching and for all of your support. If you find this video helpful please like, favorite and share it with others.

Also, subscribe to my channel as I will put weekly content out including some upcoming series on my favorite apps!



Comments

MacOS Sierra Part 3: Clean Install macOS

Pasted Graphic 1
In this screencast I walk you through how to do a clean install of macOS Sierra. For those of you who may want to start over due to either many years of upgrades or due to issues you may be experiencing, I show you how to do a clean install step by step. I show each of the screens as they come up as well as letting you know how long it takes for each step of the process to finish.

If you have any questions feel free to leave a comment below.

If you find these videos helpful please subscribe, like, favorite and share them so others can find them on the internet.

Thanks for all your support!



Comments

MacOS Sierra Part 2: Cloud & Document Sync

Pasted Graphic 1
In this screencast tutorial I cover setting up and using the new iCloud Document Sync feature built into macOS Sierra. I cover how to prepare your Mac for the document sync, the other space saving features that are available on the About My Mac-Storage section and walk you through the process of a first time sync.

I did encounter some delays in uploading and had to restart my Mac several times to get the process to finish the original sync. So if you find it is not finishing with cloud icons next to your files and it saying it has to upload more files, then try a restart and see if that helps.

As always thanks for watching. If you have any comments or questions feel free to leave a comment below. Also please Like, favorite, share and subscribe so others can find this video on the internet.

Have a great week!



Comments

MacOS Server 5 Part 1: Server Upgrade

OS X Server
In this screencast tutorial I cover the upgrade to MacOS Server 5 on MacOS Sierra. In this screencast I previously upgraded to Sierra and I do a walkthrough of the upgrade process and cover some of the changes made in this release. I will do an in depth walkthrough of each of the services that received updates in future screencasts but wanted to make you aware of where the changes are.

As always thanks for watching! If you find this video helpful please subscribe, like, favorite and share it so others can find it on the internet.



Comments

MacOS Sierra Part 1: Upgrade Walk Through

Pasted Graphic 1
In this screencast tutorial I walk through the upgrade to MacOS Sierra. With this being upgrade day I wanted to make sure I got a video out on day one of the upgrade process so you knew what to expect. I show you step by step my own experience and what you can expect from your own upgrade process.

As always thanks for watching. Be sure to subscribe, like, favorite and share this view so others can find it on the internet.



Comments

Mac Productivity Part 2: Yoink 3

In this screencast tutorial I pick up a series I started over a year ago on Mac Productivity. This week I cover an application that improves on moving files around your Mac called Yoink. Yoink is a menubar application that allows you to have a holding place for the files you want to move so you can get to the place you want them to be and then easily move them into place. It also has other automated actions that make it a joy to work with.

As always thanks for watching! If you found this video helpful please like, favorite, share, and subscribe so others can find it on the internet.

Also if you need help setting up your own Mac or Mac Server feel free to email me at todd@toddolthoff.com.

Thanks as always for all your support!



Comments