Keeping Mac mini awake
Hi folks
I'm having a hard time keeping SecuritySpy running on my Mac mini awake and contactable. I've searched the forums and read the manual, and I think I've got everything right.
Yosemite system preferences:
- enabled "prevent computer from sleeping automatically"
- disabled "put hard disks to sleep when possible"
- enabled "wake for network access"
- enabled "start up automatically after a power failure"
- disabled "enable power nap"
I've also enabled "prevent App Nap" in the Info settings for SecuritySpy.app.
If I try to check the SecuritySpy web server using the Remote Access app on my iPhone after an interval of anything more than say 15 minutes, the server is unreachable. However, when I access the Mac mini using the Screens Connect VNC application from Edovia, the web server wakes up. Remote Access can then access the server for a while.
To make matters worse, when the server is unavailable it also doesn't seem to be doing motion capture properly. (Sometimes it will capture one frame, sometimes nothing.)
Any suggestions as to what might be causing this problem?
Other system info:
4x Foscam wireless IP cameras, each with fixed IP outside of the DHCP range
Zoom cable modem --> Airport Extreme AC (DHCP and NAT) --> another Airport Extreme AC extending the network
Mac mini connected to the first Airport Extreme AC using ethernet. Fixed IP.
Thanks!
Jeremy
I'm having a hard time keeping SecuritySpy running on my Mac mini awake and contactable. I've searched the forums and read the manual, and I think I've got everything right.
Yosemite system preferences:
- enabled "prevent computer from sleeping automatically"
- disabled "put hard disks to sleep when possible"
- enabled "wake for network access"
- enabled "start up automatically after a power failure"
- disabled "enable power nap"
I've also enabled "prevent App Nap" in the Info settings for SecuritySpy.app.
If I try to check the SecuritySpy web server using the Remote Access app on my iPhone after an interval of anything more than say 15 minutes, the server is unreachable. However, when I access the Mac mini using the Screens Connect VNC application from Edovia, the web server wakes up. Remote Access can then access the server for a while.
To make matters worse, when the server is unavailable it also doesn't seem to be doing motion capture properly. (Sometimes it will capture one frame, sometimes nothing.)
Any suggestions as to what might be causing this problem?
Other system info:
4x Foscam wireless IP cameras, each with fixed IP outside of the DHCP range
Zoom cable modem --> Airport Extreme AC (DHCP and NAT) --> another Airport Extreme AC extending the network
Mac mini connected to the first Airport Extreme AC using ethernet. Fixed IP.
Thanks!
Jeremy
Comments
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Hi Jeremy,
It sounds like you've checked most things, but have you checked that you are using the latest version of SecuritySpy? Older versions weren't compatible with the "App Nap" feature.
If that doesn't work then are you able to check if the Mac mini itself is actually going to sleep (i.e. do the fans stop running with the white LED on the front slowly pulsing)? -
Hi Ben
Thanks for getting back to me.
Problem solved I think. The Mac mini seemed to be OK -- no pulsing LED. One of two things fixed it... either the Yosemite reinstall, or installing OpenDNS Updater. (Previously I'd been using the OpenDNS DNS servers in the network settings on the Airport Extreme, but didn't have the Updater app running on the Mac mini. I'd previously been running SecuritySpy successfully on an iMac on the same network which *did* have OpenDNS Updater installed, so wondered whether this might be the culprit.)
Cheers
Jeremy -
Hi Jeremy, it's difficult to know exactly what was the root cause, but it certainly could have been the things you mention. Anyway, glad to hear it's all working now.
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You can also just run "caffeine" a free app from the app store. It installs an empty coffee cup on the top menu bar. When you click the cup, your computer stays on.
