Table of contents
The network from a physical perspective
In the IT sector, a network is the combination of several computers in order to share access to data on the network with several people. The individual components are connected either physically via cable (e.g. CAT-6 Ethernet) or wirelessly via Wi-Fi, in rare cases also via Bluetooth. If the device is located outside the physical network, in some cases the network can also be accessed via the mobile network (3G UMTS, LTE).
Connection method determines speed
Which connection method is used determines the speed at which the network can be accessed.
Wired network
The fastest and most stable connection method currently available is the Ethernet cable connection, which nowadays generally operates at a speed of 1,000 Mbit/s. Apple Macintosh computers have had an integrated Ethernet interface with 1,000 MBit/s since 2005. In order to guarantee the speed in the entire network, other network components such as routers or switches must also support a speed of 1 Gbps. Some devices, such as printers or fax machines, only support lower speeds by default, but can usually still be used in the network without any problems due to existing compatibility. Due to different standards, it is possible that routers, switches and computers may not be compatible with older 1 GBit/s. capable devices. For this reason, every new configuration should be tested carefully.
Wireless networks are catching up
Nowadays, wireless networks can also have very high speeds and, at least on paper, even offer a higher bandwidth than wired networks with 1 Gbps. In practice, however, the available bandwidth for wireless networks is usually significantly lower than the specified maximum value because wireless networks are exposed to many interference factors. This also applies to PowerLAN networks, which use the power grid for data transmission via an adapter. Nevertheless, today's wireless networks can provide several hundred MBit/s. of bandwidth in practice. bandwidth, so that the speed is perfectly adequate for most applications.
Mobile networks sometimes very slow
The situation is different with wireless mobile networks. Due to the sometimes poor coverage with modern transmission methods, the bandwidth in mobile networks can be very low. In addition, mobile networks are very susceptible to interference and only work to a limited extent or not at all in basements, for example.
Using FileMaker on the network
FileMaker databases can be shared with FileMaker Pro (Advanced) and FileMaker Server on the local network, intranet or Internet.
Network sharing with FileMaker Pro
A database created with FileMaker Pro can be made available with this software for four additional, i.e. a total of five simultaneous accesses in the network. Each client must have a licensed copy of FileMaker. Access via FileMaker Go for iOS is also possible.
FileMaker Server for professional use
If there are more than five users in the network and possibly even fewer, a FileMaker Server is required for simultaneous access, which is available for Mac OS X or Windows. In addition to better performance, a FileMaker Server offers many other interesting functions such as time-controlled script execution, SSL encryption or time-controlled backups during runtime. More information about FileMaker.
Turn on network sharing in FileMaker Pro
To turn on database sharing in FileMaker Pro, choose the menu command [File menu > Sharing > Share with FileMaker clients]whereupon the following dialog appears:
If several databases are open, you can select [Currently open files] to select the file to which your change should apply. In the field [Network sharing] you can activate or deactivate the sharing of the database. Enter the following in the [Network access to the file] to specify who can access the database. If you select the [Do not display in the start center] the databases will not be displayed later when the host is selected.
Access to local FileMaker share from the Internet
To use FileMaker or FileMaker Go to access a local share of FileMaker Pro or Server, the FileMaker database-specific Port 5003 be enabled in your router. It is also advisable to use a static IP or Internet address as IP addresses change frequently from an Internet perspective. You can find out how you can access your databases from outside with the help of a Fritz!
Do-it-yourself FileMaker hosting with Fritz!Box and Co.
Using gFM-Business in the network
The same applies to the gFM-Business business software for use in the network in relation to FileMaker as described for FileMaker, as gFM-Business is based on the FileMaker platform.
Application scenarios for gFM-Business
The CRM and Merchandise management system gFM-Business is based on the Database-management system FileMaker 13, which is available for Windows, Mac OS X and with FileMaker Go for the Apple iPad. In most cases, the database should be shared with several users in the network. Due to different local requirements, the databases can be shared in the network in different ways.
In this document we present two possible scenarios of how gFM-Business ERP can be used in companies with several users in the network or externally via the Internet:
Database sharing in the local network. This scenario describes the sharing of databases in the local network with FileMaker Pro or FileMaker Server and access from outside via VPN tunnel.
Database release on the Internet. This scenario describes the sharing of databases on the Internet using a web server and FileMaker Server 13 or gFM Business Cloud.
Application scenarios for gFM-Business (PDF, DIN A4, 1 page, 1.1 MB)
