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Best file sharing protocol for a remote Mac connecting to a Windows File Server

We have a Windows File Server, but clients are macs. Sharing works fine in the office, but when a user is remote and connected by VPN, it's very slow to work with the files on the file server. VPN solution we have is Sonicwall SSL-VPN. Windows clients that connect over the VPN have no speed issues.

So my question is, what would be the best/fastest protocol for the remote Mac users to use? SMB, AFP, WebDAV,Samba???

Client OS's are pretty up to date. All at least have Yosemite or later. Windows file server is a hyper-v instance of Windows Server 2012

Tim Lapin

Which version of the operating system is in use on the Macs? Some of them have more issues with SMB than others. I am not aware of a slowness issue though.

sfcanderson

ASKER

All are either 10.9 or higher

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serialband

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sfcanderson

ASKER

@serialband, we use Sonicwall SSL-VPN. I'm thinking at this point that another factor may be the client application itself. Due to compatibility issues with Netextender, the macs need to use the Sonicwall MobileConnect App to connect. I've got one of our engineers investigating that avenue now. Are you familiar at all with the difference in how the two clients perform?

From everything I've researched so far, it seams SMB is going to be as good as it gets for a protocol. I verified the latest Mac OS's are using SMB 3. We're going to try forcing SMB 2 to see if for whatever reason it's faster.