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Apple Remote Desktop questions

N

Necross

macrumors regular
Original poster
Mar 31, 2011
131
33
Hi folks

I'm looking for a way that I can connect from home to my mac at work, which is on a windows network. I don't want to just share files, but i want to be able to take over my work mac's desktop and run applications and all and do my work from home, just like PCs can with windows' remote desktop.

So, I found this http://www.apple.com/remotedesktop/

But, is that what we want? I'm not looking to run a server or administer other macs, I just want to be able to use my Mac desktop from another computer. Is another way that I'm missing?

And, if Apple's remote desktop is the only option, then will I have to buy the $80 program for my home mac AND my work mac? And then the other designer here needs to do the same thing, so we gotta pay for it 4 times? Or do we buy 1 version and it works for all 4 systems?
 
I use TeamViewer, which works with Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Ubuntu, iPhone, iPad, etc. It's very secure and quite simple to set up and use.... and it's free for personal use.
 
It can be more involved to set up, but screen sharing is included in SL and Lion and work great (and it is included so no extra costs). There is also logmein (a web based access system) as well.
 
Just get a free logmein account.

Install on the mac at work and log in from any browser at home.

Free, deploys in under 5 minutes, is secure, and blasts through almost every firewall scheme in existence (so you don't need special ports forwarded by your IT department).

Use Pro if you want to transfer files between etc.

Get one account for yourself and your computer, and one account for your colleague and their computer.
 
Logmein is available for free (for non commercial use) and can be easier to set up. I have also tried teamviewer. There is also "back to my mac" if you are signed in to your mobile me account on your work mac, you can sign view that machine from any other mac where you are signed in to your mobile me account. I'm not sure if back to my mac is one of the things that will go away in June with the rest of mobile me or if Apple will keep it around. I used it extensively for genius bar appointments. I get a Apple genius to help me log in to my mobile me account on an iMac at the Apple store, I launch back to my Mac and then I'm able to get help with a problem on my Mac on my network at home. The same technique can get you remote access to your Mac at work, if your company allows it. I should mention I've used logmein and teamviewer to help my friends with problems on their windows boxes but I assume either program could be used to view a Mac.

When I'm at home, I use iTap VNC on my iPad to control my Mac. It won't work outside my house which is why I don't recommend you bother with Apple Remote Desktop or with Screen sharing or with vnc as they depend on you being on the same local network as the machine you are trying to control. It's better to focus on teamviewer and logmein as they are designed to work over the internet.
 
r0k said:
which is why I don't recommend you bother with Apple Remote Desktop or with Screen sharing or with vnc as they depend on you being on the same local network as the machine you are trying to control. It's better to focus on teamviewer and logmein as they are designed to work over the internet.
Click to expand...

Wrong!!! Remote Desktop and Screen sharing work fine over the internet if they are set up correctly. I routinely log into my server and other systems at home to update them, get files, or whatever I need from my MBP when at work. You just need to have the correct port forwards to make it happen (which is why I said it can take some doing to set up) With a free dyndns account it is a snap.

Also before doing any sort of remote access, talk to you IT department or manager (if this is the case) to make sure that you are not violating any policies in place. Yes, Logmein will shoot through firewalls, but it can pose an issue if you company frowns upon such actions.
 
It's our IT guy that wants us to do this in the first place, so I think we're fine :) Before, I had to VPN connect to our network, then use MS's remote desktop for the mac to connect to a PC, and then use that PC to transfer files to my MAC, it was a real pain.

I didn't even know Screen Sharing existed, now that I do I think this will be all we need. Me and the other mac guy here just tested it and it works fine here in the office. I'll try and connect at home tonight and hopefully it'll work.
 
Necross said:
I didn't even know Screen Sharing existed, now that I do I think this will be all we need. Me and the other mac guy here just tested it and it works fine here in the office. I'll try and connect at home tonight and hopefully it'll work.
Click to expand...
Screen Sharing is quick and easy if both computers are on the same local network. There's more work to setting it up to work over the internet.
 
Last edited:
If you IT guy is pushing for it, to make things easier, I would have him set up some static IP designations for your devices on the system and then create a virtual server for them on the firewall with a port forwarded. This way you could be forwarded directly to your machine using your companies url (for example forward port 10000 to your static IP and then you would just connect to http(s)//www.yourcompany.com:10000 and then authorize as your user and viola you are in and can connect to your work desktop from anywhere). Notm hard at all (I have never used bonjour, so that might be even easier as well).
 
Well, what I do now is on my home Mac, I set up a VPN connection under my Network settings, and I have an IP address they gave me to connect to the network. Then when I get on the network, I can connect to my shared folders on my work Mac and copy files back and forth. Then, on my home mac I have Mirosoft's remote access for the mac, and I use that to connect to a PC and then I can use the work PC like it's my own system.

So, if I connect to the VPN first like always, will I be able to just hit cmd+K and do vnc://whatever to take over my work mac? Or will I need to worry about all that firewall stuff?

We have a generic wireless connection for devices at work, so I was going to bring in my macbook and connect to that, then try and VPN into the big network that way. Then I'll have the IT guys around too to fix stuff if it's not working.
 
If you can get to your folder through the VPN you should be fine. In fact if you go into finder you should see the device there within the shared devices, you should see the share screen option at the top right of the finder window (or as an option once you select it in the finder window). This makes it easier than even trying to type anything and remember connection paths.
 
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