Total noob here..

 

Just started ordering parts for my setup. Just wondering if i NEED a switch or can i go directly into the mini?

 

I plan to just transfer files via Wifi (connected through a Time Capsule) from my Mac Pro through the mini to the unRaid box.

 

Does that make sense?

 

Will i be able to access the backend from my MacPro?

Yes it can be done, but I highly suggest that you get a cheap switch and hook it up that way.  Moving data via wireless is going to be slow to begin with.

 

Unless there is some reason you can not physically run a cable for the short amount of time then i would. If you are concerned about the price of a long ethernet cable check out the prices at www.monoprice.com

No .. i actually already have a Gig router... the time capsule... but its in my bedroom... and i would just rather not have a long cable going from my bedroom to my living room and back. because i definitely dont want the unraid sitting in my bedroom as its got enough crap in it to begin with, and i really don't mind the transfer speeds .. as it will mostly big batchs of files over night.. if its that bad i can just go to an external then unload it.

 

It may sound like a pain in the ass .. but it is better then running cables for me at least.

I not a networking expert (and certainly not on a Mac ) but if I read your post right you want to connect your unRAID server into the ethernet port of the Mini and then use the Mini's wireless to connect to the Time Capsule. That might work but I don't think that's how most people connect their server to the network. Even if it worked, I guess the server drives would be local drives on the Mini and would have to be configured on the Mini to be shared over the network. Plus the Mini would always need to be running to access the server files and I'm guessing accessing the server console or browser interface could only be done from the Mini.

 

If you can't move the Time Capsule to the server (or server to the Time Capsule) then I'd consider buying a wireless bridge. There are some 802.11n bridges available for not too much money. I think the Time Capsule has dual band n. For a little more money you can get a dual band bridge and use the 5Ghz band for the bridge connection. The advantage of the 5Ghz band is less interference so you can potentially get close to a solid 100Mbps. The disadvantage is the 5Ghz signal dies much faster through walls and over distance than the 2.4Ghz band so depending on the position of the router and the bridge, the 2.4GHz band might give a more solid connection.

I was fine with everything ... until you mentioned i would only be able to view the unraid backend from the mini.

 

The mini is always on to begin with... as well as it automatically is mounted on my MacPro so its easy to access through the mini.

 

However i dont like the fact that i can only access the backend form the mini .. considering i never actually do any computer work on the mini. Just media center stuff.

 

Im looking now at the wireless brides... this would take up my only ethernet port on my server if i'm correct? Thats not gonna work for me as i need to have full transfer between my mini and my server... arggg

 

I can't move my Time Capsule as i live in an old building and i only have the one working phone outlet for my DSL.

 

So i can run a cable from my Time Capsule (although i really dont want to) to where the server and the mini will be.

 

If i put a switch near the mini and the server (connected to the Time Capsule) and the mini and the server into the switch. That should suffice?

 

Will the switch mess with my screen sharing and stuff? Will the switch mess with my speeds as all from the mini to the server?

 

 

A few wireless bridges include a built in 4 port switch so the Mini would be connected to one port and the server to another one. Here's an example but there are others: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833162029. Unfortunately, since it's a bridge, the ports are only 100 Mbps. You'd get the full 100 Mbps speed of the switch between the server and the Mini. That's plenty fast to stream media files (even BlueRay) between the server and the Mini. Another option is to hook the bridge up to a 1000 Mbps switch so the server and the Mini would communicate at full 1000 Mbps (assuming both support that speed). In that case you could get a bridge without a built in switch.

 

The speed of the network is determined by the slowest connection in the "circuit". So, even with a switch you'd get full throughput between your Mini and the server since no wireless communication is involved. Any transfer over the wireless bridge (back to the MacPro) would only operate at the speed of the wireless connection. You should still be able to screen share between any connection on the network but I don't know enough about Macs to say if it will work automatically or require some configuration.

thanks ... i thik im gonna re-work things .. to just use my time capsule and a cbl ethernet cables..