Anybody else use VNC for remote login?

[gsahli]

Upgraded my late 2012 mini to Yosemite. I keep this Mac in the basement and only use it via VNC (something like Back to my Mac screen sharing) - that is, it is headless (no monitor, no keyboard attached).
I can connect OK - about the same as Mavericks - but it is unusable because the Finder windows for all folders _Except_ Applications are "empty" - no files visible.
There are also some screen artifacts, like mouse cursor leaving a shadow trail.

Anyone else use their Mac like this - and have same issues?

 

[maflynn]

I've long stopped using VNC and have opted for gotomypc, there's also TeamViewer that are better, faster and in TeamViewer's case free. I'd recommend you look into that option.

 

[gsahli]

Thanks - it's not the client (I'm using a couple of them on linux) that I'm having trouble with - it's Yosemite remote login server/window server/Finder.

But I'll try Teamviewer

 

[scaredpoet]

Interesting. I've been using vnc on mavericks between home and work Macs, and haven't seen any issues.

 

[gsahli]

I've been using vnc on mavericks

So you haven't tried VNC on Yosemite? I've had to restore Mavericks because I couldn't use Yosemite _in my situation_.

 

[scaredpoet]

So you haven't tried VNC on Yosemite? I've had to restore Mavericks because I couldn't use Yosemite _in my situation_.

SOrry, I meant Yosemite. It's working fine for me.

 

[gsahli]

SOrry, I meant Yosemite. It's working fine for me.

Oh, good - that is what I'm after - some kind of confirmation that I just had a bad install of Yosemite - maybe.

What VNC client(s) have you tried (I prefer remmina - gnome on ubuntu)?

 

[scaredpoet]

Oh, good - that is what I'm after - some kind of confirmation that I just had a bad install of Yosemite - maybe.

What VNC client(s) have you tried (I prefer remmina - gnome on ubuntu)?

Actually, Remmina is what I use as well. There doesn't seem to be many VNC clients on Ubuntu that properly handle the encrypion that OS X requires.

 

[gsahli]

Actually, Remmina is what I use as well.

Thank you very much!
I'll be trying to install Yosemite again!

 

[Mr. Buzzcut]

Why should I use a service like gotomypc to access a computer on my LAN? Remote Desktop / screen share on Mac is junk. Is it some fundamental issue with FreeBSD or is Apple just not interested in a better user experience? Certainly they'd like people to own multiple Macs 🙂

Microsoft has a couple options for accessing Windows from Mac and they work great.

Am I missing something? Any other suggestions?

 

[gsahli]

Why should I use a service like gotomypc to access a computer on my LAN?

I agree with you. I haven't looked at gotomypc, and Teamviewer is serious overkill for "I'm upstairs and I want to control my headless Mac in the basement."
From my other mac (not headless), I use Chicken of the VNC.

 

[NoBoMac]

I know I'm missing something here, so forgive the stupid question:

Why not just use built-in sharing functions/settings since machine is on LAN?

 

[gsahli]

I know I'm missing something here, so forgive the stupid question:

Why not just use built-in sharing functions/settings since machine is on LAN?

My primary OS is linux. I keep a Mac (OK, 2: 1 2012 mini and 1 PPC MDD) for specific old or expensive apps. The Macs are in the basement. Screen sharing/remote login services on the Macs support connections from VNC clients. I didn't install anything on the 2 Macs to use these sharing services.