They cost more than the physical Hard Drive and offers less storage, but comes with the convenience to access those files over the network.

However, if plugging in a hard drive is too much work for you, consider getting a Wi-Fi drive like this one from ScanDisk. And if you want something more compact and much faster, SSDs will do the job pretty well but they do come at a price compared to hard disks.Īnother great thing about them is that you can also use these devices to not only share files between two Macs but even Windows and Android device (using an OTG cable or adapter). If your Mac connects to the Internet via an Ethernet cable, it can create its own Wi-Fi hotspot to share that connection with another Mac, an iOS device. Pen Drives are good for a quick transfer of small files, HDDs are great for sharing very large files (upto 4TB) and also backing up your computer. Just connect the device to the sender’s Mac, copy the files to it and then connect it to the receiver’s Mac and then copy from the device to the computer. Newer Macs include ports with high-speed USB 4 support, and the protocol rivals Thunderbolt in speed and efficiency.Physical storage devices such as pen drives, external hard disks (HDDs), Solid State Drives (SSDs) have risen in popularity over the last few years owing to the ease of file sharing they offer. Most hardware manufacturers will adopt this iteration until the next big version comes along.

Moreover, Type-C is likely to be the standard connection for the foreseeable future. Newer Mac models have switched to the USB-C port, so you’ll need the appropriate cable or adapter to connect anything that uses the traditional Type-A design. USB 3įor a good part of the last decade, USB 3 has been the primary protocol used on many devices. Although modern USB generations always replace previous editions, some of us still run older Macs or antiquated peripherals. USB 2 was a common protocol used during the early 2000s, and most new Mac models included the upgraded port by 2002. Although newer iterations boast dramatic increases in speed, power, and functionality, many of us still rely on older versions. Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a protocol that constantly evolves.

Transfer files from mac to mac ethernet