Remote Access Mac from Windows

[sampdoria]

I can successfully remote access my Time Capsule Disk (with a DynDNS alias ) via AFP from my MBP.

I can somewhat successfully remote access my Mac Mini from my MBP with 'Back To My Mac' enabled on the Mac Mini. It feels a bit slower than remote accessing the TC though.

I can also successfully access my Mac Mini from a Windows PC within my local network. I'm very happy with this too .

I'd like to remote access my Mac Mini from a Windows PC via SFTP (or comparable). I googled "remote access mac from pc" and I find some somewhat outdated guides which don't apply anymore. FYI- running OS X Mountain Lion on the Mac Mini. Please advise. Thanks!

[mwhities]

I Looked at FTP/FTPS/SFTP. I ened up with SFTP since it uses SSH (port 22). This allows me to SSH in and SecureFTP in without any extra ports being opened.

Good luck.

EDIT: And I have the same setup. Mac mini (sig) running ML with OS X Server app. I also use FlleZilla client to SFTP into my system.

[sampdoria]

Originally Posted by mwhities

I Looked at FTP/FTPS/SFTP. I ened up with SFTP since it uses SSH (port 22). This allows me to SSH in and SecureFTP in without any extra ports being opened.

Good luck.

EDIT: And I have the same setup. Mac mini (sig) running ML with OS X Server app. I also use FlleZilla client to SFTP into my system.

That works! I am also remote accessing the Mac Mini with a DynDNS alias as well. Thanks!

[mwhities]

Originally Posted by sampdoria

That works! I am also remote accessing the Mac Mini with a DynDNS alias as well. Thanks!

Great to hear. I've been spoiled with a comcast business class connection with 5 static IPs. In April, I'll lose it as I'm going to trim and cut expenses as money is getting tight(er). So I too will be looking at DynDNS or another service like that.

I'm glad that it's all working for you. Welcome for sure.

[switon]

Originally Posted by mwhities

Great to hear. I've been spoiled with a comcast business class connection with 5 static IPs. In April, I'll lose it as I'm going to trim and cut expenses as money is getting tight(er). So I too will be looking at DynDNS or another service like that.

I'm glad that it's all working for you. Welcome for sure.

Hi all,

I've been using DynDNS for nearly three years for my home server and have not had any problems. If you are using their "free" service, however, you do have to "touch base" once a month to refresh it -- but this can be done automatically.

Good luck with DynDNS,
Switon

[sampdoria]

Originally Posted by switon

Hi all,

I've been using DynDNS for nearly three years for my home server and have not had any problems. If you are using their "free" service, however, you do have to "touch base" once a month to refresh it -- but this can be done automatically.

Good luck with DynDNS,
Switon

I am not sure if they offer the free service anymore which I have and refresh once a month by signing into my account. How do you do this automatically?

[switon]

Originally Posted by sampdoria

I am not sure if they offer the free service anymore which I have and refresh once a month by signing into my account. How do you do this automatically?

Hi sampdoria,

I know that Dyn.com does not offer the free dynamic dns service any longer (although, as of about 6 months ago, if you do their free 14-day trial and terminate it before the end of the 14 days, you are given the option to keep one dns name).

I automatically refresh once a month using a cron job.

Switon

[sampdoria]

Originally Posted by switon

I automatically refresh once a month using a cron job.

dare I ask what is a cron job?

[mwhities]

Be careful....

Open up Terminal and type:

man cron

and man crontab

Good luck.

[chown33]

Originally Posted by sampdoria

dare I ask what is a cron job?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cron

Be sure to read the "See Also" section of that article for alternatives, such as at and launchd.

[switon]

Originally Posted by sampdoria

dare I ask what is a cron job?

Hi sampdoria,

Cron is a unix utility that runs a daemon that will start any other job at any specified time, including repeating times. It works well and takes just a minimum amount of effort to configure --- typically just a single line will then spawn any job you wish once a month, or once a week, or daily, or hourly, etc. If you have an /etc/cronjob file, then Apple's launchd daemon will launch the crond daemon which will spawn the specified jobs at the specified times. The manpage documentation is particular fine in this case, so view it with the Terminal command: "man cronjob".

Another way of achieving the same thing is to use AppleScript in conjunction with the Calendar. So you make an AppleScript to run the job you wish to run, and then use Calendar to execute the AppleScript at the time (repeating) that you wish to run the job.

Regards,
Switon

[sampdoria]

I learn something new everyday. Thanks!