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Access home iMac from College

MacFan782040

MacFan782040

macrumors 65816
Original poster
I need to get a few video clips off my iMac at home...and I'm here at school. Is there a way that I can access my account on my iMac at home... and login and transfer files to my iBook here?

Thanks in advance.
 
Indeed you can!

On your iMac, in the Sharing control panel, enable either FTP access or SSH. Or both, what do I care.

Then, from the comfort(?) of your own dorm room, you can use either your favorite FTP client (or Terminal) to connect to your iMac's IP address and log in and transfer files. Or if you're looking for a more "true" form of access, use SSH in Terminal.
 
ppc_michael said:
Indeed you can!

On your iMac, in the Sharing control panel, enable either FTP access or SSH. Or both, what do I care.

Then, from the comfort(?) of your own dorm room, you can use either your favorite FTP client (or Terminal) to connect to your iMac's IP address and log in and transfer files. Or if you're looking for a more "true" form of access, use SSH in Terminal.
Click to expand...

Note that this requires a constant connection to the internet for you iMac (like DSL etc)

Maybe Apple Remote Desktop will be a better solution? I dont know cuz I never used/seen one in action.
 
eXan said:
Maybe Apple Remote Desktop will be a better solution? I dont know cuz I never used/seen one in action.
Click to expand...

I believe Apple Remote Desktop is used to update software, and repair permissions and other functions on multiple Macs, not to access computers from remote locations. I wish if it worked that way though.
 
The actual implementation is not really that hard.

1) On your broadband router at home, forward the appropriate ssh or ftp port to your internal iBook.

2) On the iBook, start the ssh and/or ftp services. This should also open the appropriate ports on the Mac firewall.

3) Again, double check the ports and make sure they are forwarded on the router.

4) From your Mac Terminal at college or a PC somewhere else (get Putty for the PC), start an ssh connection. Or FTP if that is what you choose.

5) Start transfering.

There are of course other aspects to this, but these are the basic steps. You can do other things like change the port the services are running on, etc, but I would start with this and see where it gets you.
 
You could also use VNC. Install a VNC server on the iMac at home and a VNC client on the 'Book at school. You'll have to forward the ports that VNC uses to the iMac in the set up on your router. It probably won't be too fast unless both computers are on a really fast internet connection. VNC gives you full control of the remote computer as if you were sitting at it. You can see the whole screen and use the mouse and keyboard just like you'd expect. SSH is only for command line apps (and X11 apps).

If you just want to do file transfers, FTP or SSH will work fine.
 
Thank's to everyone who replied. While I tried to tell my mom how to perform the steps of turning on FTP on the iMac over the phone, she still needed an administrator password (me, lol) to unlock it to change the settings. So, I told her the pass...she turned on FTP..but instead of showing "Other people can access this computer at ftp : // 192.156..ect ect... it said... ftp : //localhost/ . No IP address. She was connected to the internet... I don't know what happened. 🙄

Anyway, I just had her log into my account and send me the video clips via. AIM.

But, my iBook can't burn the DVD anyway and I was going to use the iMacs they have downstairs in the computer lab, but apparently I can't transfer any of my files to the hard drive. I can't even put pictures into iPhoto, which is what I need to do. So I may be taking a trip home today after my 3 oclock class to finish this video montage due tomorrow (tuesday)!


And as a side note, my iBook had a near-death experience last night!!!! I went to use it, and I noticed it was frozen...and the hard drive was making some WEIRD loud noise... i was liek crap. So I turned it off, unplugged everything and put it in front of the fan for about 15 minutes...the HD was HOT... it's hot in my dorm room up here (4th floor....)

Anyway, I was so scared that the HD would be dead and I would lose all my files. I took it downstairs to the air-conditioned computer lab, tried to do a Target Firewire mode to the Powermac they have....yeah, didn't work. I tried to hook up my external drive to it too.. and that's when I found out that I probably can't do my iMovie and DVD burning on these computers...Anyway, the iBook started up OK, and so I transfered all of the stuff from my Home folder to my external drive.

I talked to my parents, they said I can get a new computer.... So I'll probably be getting one this week... I'll wait til after tomorrow's expo in Paris. (I think it's tomorrow). Anyway, I'll be getting either a 17" or 20" iMac... What do you guys think? Plus, this way I won't have to go home every time I need to do video editing and stuff. Suggestions?

Take it easy guys.
 
MacFan782040 said:
Thank's to everyone who replied. While I tried to tell my mom how to perform the steps of turning on FTP on the iMac over the phone, she still needed an administrator password (me, lol) to unlock it to change the settings. So, I told her the pass...she turned on FTP..but instead of showing "Other people can access this computer at ftp : // 192.156..ect ect... it said... ftp : //localhost/ . No IP address. She was connected to the internet... I don't know what happened. 🙄

Anyway, I just had her log into my account and send me the video clips via. AIM.

But, my iBook can't burn the DVD anyway and I was going to use the iMacs they have downstairs in the computer lab, but apparently I can't transfer any of my files to the hard drive. I can't even put pictures into iPhoto, which is what I need to do. So I may be taking a trip home today after my 3 oclock class to finish this video montage due tomorrow (tuesday)!


And as a side note, my iBook had a near-death experience last night!!!! I went to use it, and I noticed it was frozen...and the hard drive was making some WEIRD loud noise... i was liek crap. So I turned it off, unplugged everything and put it in front of the fan for about 15 minutes...the HD was HOT... it's hot in my dorm room up here (4th floor....)

Anyway, I was so scared that the HD would be dead and I would lose all my files. I took it downstairs to the air-conditioned computer lab, tried to do a Target Firewire mode to the Powermac they have....yeah, didn't work. I tried to hook up my external drive to it too.. and that's when I found out that I probably can't do my iMovie and DVD burning on these computers...Anyway, the iBook started up OK, and so I transfered all of the stuff from my Home folder to my external drive.

I talked to my parents, they said I can get a new computer.... So I'll probably be getting one this week... I'll wait til after tomorrow's expo in Paris. (I think it's tomorrow). Anyway, I'll be getting either a 17" or 20" iMac... What do you guys think? Plus, this way I won't have to go home every time I need to do video editing and stuff. Suggestions?

Take it easy guys.
Click to expand...

sorry to hear about your ibook- yeah- it's most likely the HD (those darn things quit after a couple years of heavy use - especially if you let it get too hot for an extended period of time) - you can actually replace it for not a whole lot (somewhere around $200 i think) - but if your parents are willing to let you get a new computer- get the imac... my ibook tanked a couple months ago... i finally broke down and got an imac... 20" really really nice - takes up less space than i thought it would.

they aren't going to introduce any major stuff at the expo (since jobs isn't giving a keynote), although there is rumor that the pbs and powermacs will be speedbumped. so- might as well get one now... oh, i think you just missed the get an imac, free ipod deal... or it might end today... i'm not sure... you should check.

good luck with school!

-to
 
toaster_oven said:
sorry to hear about your ibook- yeah- it's most likely the HD (those darn things quit after a couple years of heavy use - especially if you let it get too hot for an extended period of time) - you can actually replace it for not a whole lot (somewhere around $200 i think) - but if your parents are willing to let you get a new computer- get the imac... my ibook tanked a couple months ago... i finally broke down and got an imac... 20" really really nice - takes up less space than i thought it would.

they aren't going to introduce any major stuff at the expo (since jobs isn't giving a keynote), although there is rumor that the pbs and powermacs will be speedbumped. so- might as well get one now... oh, i think you just missed the get an imac, free ipod deal... or it might end today... i'm not sure... you should check.

good luck with school!

-to
Click to expand...

Sweet... I'll look into the iPod deal... I would replace the HD... but my screen is weird too. I think the wires in the hinge are kinda broken cause when you move the screen, green lines and stuff like that appear on the screen. I also dropped my notebook onto my keyboard and off popped the down arrow key...and my zero and plus keys are slanted upward. Oh and my battery doesn't work either.. haha.. it doesn't charge, and there's always an X uptop in the menu bar where the battery level should be. Other than that it works good!
 
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