AFP shares over SSH

I recently changed my home setup. I'm now hosting a file share from a Synology dedicated Linux-based NAS box rather than a Mac. As a result I lost the ability to map AFP shares directly over MobileMe. Instead I needed to setup a Meerkat tunnel to my home machine then mount the NAS share. A version of this post with screenshots is available at my blog: http://www.gear-dad.com/2010/03/afp-over-ssh-using-mobileme.html

1. Verify you can login via SSH to your home machine from the local network.

2. Setup a new Meerkat account pointing to your MobileMe home machine. Example:
Nickname: Home
Username: myname
Server: server.myname.members.me.com.
Port: 22

3. Add a new Meerkat tunnel using the account created above. Example:
Nickname: NAS (whatever you use here is what will show up in Finder)
I Want To Reach: nas.local.
Port: 548
Dynamic Forwarding:
As If I Were On: Home (or whatever nickname you used in the previous step)
Port: 11548

4. On the "Advanced" tab check both boxes under "Local Network Behavior". Be sure to select "AFP" from the drop down box.

5. You can skip step 4 if you don't want the server to show up in Finder. In that case map the shared drive using Finder as follows:
Open Finder
Command-K
For server address enter: afp://localhost:11548/Sharename

If you use an application such as NetworkLocation - http://NetworkLocationApp.com you can automatically start your Meerkat connection and map the drive.

For those without MobileMe you can also use a Dynamic DNS service such as www.no-ip.com to reach home. Briefly you'll need to configure a DDNS provider, setup a DDNS updater, and add a NAT mapping on your home router.