After a long period of time we can now install aMule on Mac with new M1 chips. Did you think eMule had died? You’re wrong : not only does the service continue with a smaller but loyal community of users, but the unofficial client for macOS called aMule has been updated and now there is even a native version for Macs with an M1 chip.
Yes, as you hear it, the developers of that client have not abandoned their efforts and have made aMule proof of architecture changes. Let’s see how to use the eMule network on Macs with an M1 chip and take advantage of it.
eMule on Mac (via aMule) is still alive and relatively healthy
The community of users of the eMule network is not as high as it was a few years ago, naturally (and the new generations no longer even know what we are talking about), but that does not mean that there are still no groups of people sharing their files.
In the case of macOS, the only way to connect to eMule networks is through the unofficial aMule client that you can download for free from SourceForge. In the list there are versions compiled separately for Intel and Apple Silicon, but we are interested in downloading the universal binary since for now the binary for Apple Silicon causes a permission error in the system.
As soon as we run aMule on Mac with an M1 chip we will see that its execution is native, although its rather antediluvian interface has not changed (I advise you to use the light theme of macOS, since the dark theme makes the white letters confuse with its background).
By default, aMule will connect to the protocol networks with the default settings and we will be able to start searching and downloading files. Alternatively, if you have a direct link to a.met server listing file, you can enter it in the ‘Networks’ section, within the ‘Servers’ text field. Be careful: there are quite a few links of this type circulating on the networks but many of them have become obsolete or are empty lists.
Another important factor is the ports aMule uses to connect to its networks. These can cause what is called a ‘Low ID‘, which hinders connections both with the service and with other users who have the same problem and causes you not to download the files with all the sources and the bandwidth that are available.
The default ports that eMule uses are 4662 (TCP) and 4672 (UDP), which usually give that Low ID either because of a security service that we use (a firewall, perhaps) and that limits those ports in some way or by the router itself that leaves those ports closed.
You can change those ports to ones that you know are open or that no service blocks, or you can access your router and open the default ports so that the connection improves. Depending on the router and internet operator you have, the way to open these ports will vary.
Something that is also worth remembering is the directory where all the downloads are saved, which will also be the folder where all its content will be shared on eMule’s P2P networks. By default, that directory will be:
“/Users/USUARIO/Library/Containers/org.amule.aMule/Data/Documents/aMule Downloads”
Because the application has not yet been integrated with macOS Big Sur folder permissions, for the moment we must use this directory without changing it to another that is more handy. The best thing is that we place a direct access to the aforementioned in an accessible place such as the desktop to access it.
aMule (and the eMule network in general) is not that network that enjoyed its golden age more than a decade ago. But that does not mean that it is finished: it is more alive than you may believe. And the arrival of the version for Apple Silicon shows us that its developers are willing to keep it alive on Macs as long as there is someone willing to share files on their networks. Hopefully the next steps are to adapt to the security measures of macOS and Apple Silicon chips to be able to use the download directory we want and not run into permission problems as soon as the universal binaries become obsolete.
