Setting Up A Safe Family Network

Hi Folks,

I'm trying to figure out the best way to set up a safe family network. I have my kids every other weekend, and have a home office.

A. The equipment in my home/office full-time is:

1. Late 2009 Mac Mini (Intel Core 2 Duo, 2.26 GHz, 2 GB ram, 160 gb HD).
2. 2012 MBP.
3. iPad 3.
4. 2012 Vizio smart TV
5. HP Printer.
6. iphone 4s.

B. The kids bring with them:

1. 1 ipad 2.
2. 1 iphone 3 (used as an iPod)
3. 1 iphone 5

C. I'd like to set up a family network to allow them to:

1. Share my equipment, but not my content
2. Download apps
3. Have email addresses
4. Share a calendar, etc.

I've set up an itunes/icloud account under the family name.

Last, I can't buy Apple TV right now.

Thanks so much in advance for any help!

Just set them up with their own user accounts on the Mac(s) you want them to be able to use while there.

They can't be admin accounts or they'll have access to your data from inside their accounts - which means, you may have to come in and put in the admin password in order to install some apps.

They'll not be able to "sync" their devices on your Mac since they'll only sync to a single computer.


And if you want to share iTunes content with them - link.

AS for a calendar, you could create a Google group calendar

http://support.google.com/a/bin/answer.py?hl=en&hlrm=en&answer=1626902

Same with emails

The other way to share a network calendar is OSX server, but that may be overkill unless you want to configure each family device centrally as well using servers profile manager

"Just set them up with their own user accounts on the Mac(s) you want them to be able to use while there."

That seems like it would cause some issues. For example - apps. They are specific to each account, right?

No, most apps are installed for all users.

I have a total of 6 apps that are installed under my personal user account.
Most of them are Steam apps.

You can check this yourself by opening Finder - then select MacIntosh HD - Applications.
All applications there are available to all users.
Then open Users - your user - Applications - those would be applications available only to your user account.

bobtomay said:

No, most apps are installed for all users.

Click to expand...

For OSX, but what about IOS?

"OSX server, but that may be overkill unless you want to configure each family device centrally as well using servers profile manager"

Maybe not - I do normally use this equipment for work. Right now, the mini is just connected to the tv. It's not set up specially or anything.

What about iOS? iOS devices can only be synced to a single computer. Since they are at your house 2 days and somewhere else for 12 days - would suggest they continue syncing at a computer where they are at during the 12 days.

All purchased iOS apps can be downloaded to all iOS devices (think it's up to 10) that uses the same Apple ID without the use of a computer.

yeah, fair enough. that's part of the problem. when they're here, they want the apps that I buy for them.

The only way you could do that is set up a new "Family" Apple ID that you use to purchase apps with. They'll not be able to purchase on that account nor will they be able to download any updates for those apps without knowing the password.

Multiple Apple IDs on a single device is a royal pitb and suggest against it. Would suggest instead if you purchase an app for them, use the same Apple ID they already use and send the money home with them to repay whomever is actually paying for that account.

Unfortunately, that won't work. They don't have authorization to
purchase, and that's not something babymama will share with me.

I have 2 iTunes accounts on my devices. One is old and I only sign
into I now and again to update apps, but they still work. Is there a
problem with that?

No, but with kids, I'd do the same thing. No authorization to purchase.

SingleDad said:

yeah, fair enough. that's part of the problem. when they're here, they want the apps that I buy for them.

Click to expand...

I havent done this a while, but you can gift them an app and they will recieve an email with a link to that app. I think all they will have to do is click on the link to download. When you are looking at the app in the app store there is a down arrow right beside the price, click and you will be given the option to gift the app. If they still need the password they will still be able to get the app when back to the other home.