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macOS Host Notes

Use this guide when your host machine is macOS and you want to run Neat SDK with DevKit-Sync.

Prerequisites​

  • macOS host.
  • sima-cli installed on host.
  • Modalix DevKit reachable on the same network.
Network topology

On macOS, you can either connect the DevKit directly to the host through USB/Ethernet or place the host and DevKit separately on an existing network. If they are on an existing network, no special sharing setup is required as long as the host and DevKit can reach each other for SSH and NFS traffic.

Install and run Colima​

Install and start Colima so Docker workloads can run on macOS.

brew install colima docker
colima start
docker ps

If Colima is already installed, make sure it is running before you use sima-cli sdk setup.

NFS permissions on macOS​

DevKit-Sync uses a host NFS export during SDK setup. On macOS, ensure nfsd has Full Disk Access, or host workspace export/mount can fail.

Steps:

  1. Open System Settings.
  2. Go to Privacy & Security > Full Disk Access.
  3. Click +, then press Cmd + Shift + G and enter /sbin/.
  4. Select nfsd and ensure it is allowed.
  5. Re-run SDK setup after permission is granted.

Internet Sharing for a direct Mac-to-DevKit connection​

Use this flow when the DevKit cannot connect directly to your normal network and must access the internet through a direct USB/Ethernet link to your Mac.

  1. On the DevKit, set the connected network interface to DHCP (this is usually the default).
  2. On macOS, open System Settings > General > Sharing > Internet Sharing.
  3. Set Share your connection from to Wi-Fi.
  4. Enable sharing to the USB/Ethernet dongle interface connected to the DevKit.
  5. On the Mac side, make sure the USB/Ethernet dongle interface is also configured for DHCP.

After Internet Sharing is enabled, the active USB/Ethernet interface on the Mac should receive an address (for example en0 or en1, depending on your adapter and host setup).

DNS workaround on DevKit​

In this direct-link scenario, DNS on the DevKit may remain misconfigured even after DHCP succeeds. If name resolution fails, update /etc/resolv.conf on the DevKit:

sudo nano /etc/resolv.conf

Set:

nameserver 8.8.8.8
nameserver 127.0.0.1

Next step​

Return to Neat SDK and continue with install/setup.