Controlling iMac G5 with old Powerbook?

[Plastic Avatar]

Hey guys =)

'Was hoping one of you might know how to do this.

I just got my iMac G5, but I use a G3 PB (400mhz, 768MB RAM) around the house often. It would be great if I could do a VNC-type thing via wireless to access the iMac through my PB. It would certainly help me be more productive- I could be downstairs watching TV and start a batch transfer of RAW files to Adobe DNGs on the machine upstairs, for example.

Setup:

iMac G5 (Tiger)
PB G3 (Panther)
12" G4 PB (Tiger)

We connect to the net via an original Airport Basestation (Rev. B), and then out to the world through a satellite modem. Dynamic IP.

'Was looking at No-IP.com, thinking I might be able to use their software/service to do an out-to-the-net then back-to-the-house VNC roundabout to connect the machines.... but I dunno =|

I really wanted to do something that didn't:

a) require either the iMac or PB to be disconnected from their internet connections, and

b) would allow a VNC-style connection between the machines locally rather than externally through said internet connection.

I just don't know enough to get a grasp on the stuff I'm digging up via google

Anyone have a direction they can point me in?

 

[Plastic Avatar]

Remote Desktop.

Well now, I forgot about good old Remote Desktop.... but I guess I'm looking for some way to do what I need without spending lots o' cash

 

[iMeowbot]

If you are all on the same WLAN, all you need to do is connect to the machine using its IP address. If you are using the Airport's DHCP, this could get annoying because addresses may swap around on occasion. Setting static addresses, at least for the machine that will be running the VNC server (or whatever you choose to run), would take care of that.

 

[pulsewidth947]

You should be able to do this with OSXVnc. I used to use my PC to control my Mac Mini this way.

Now I use Apple Remote Desktop and it works beautifully, but it is expensive. Bear in mind that VNC'ing is jerky over Wireless (heck its even jerky over 100mbit ethernet!), but for just queueing up files that shouldnt be a problem. I use ARD to wake my Mac Mini up from sleep, then find the thing I want to download, and download it. All from my front room with my Mini upstairs! Fantastic.

 

[Plastic Avatar]

I'll try it.

If you are all on the same WLAN, all you need to do is connect to the machine using its IP address. If you are using the Airport's DHCP, this could get annoying because addresses may swap around on occasion. Setting static addresses, at least for the machine that will be running the VNC server (or whatever you choose to run), would take care of that.

I'll check it out.

I used to use Timbuktu back in the OS 8 days.... but I haven't had any need for this kind of thing for a long time =)

Setting a static IP on the iMac would cut me off from my Internet connection.... so I'll see how it works with the No-IP Dynamic DNS Client =)

Thanks.

 

[Plastic Avatar]

Ah, yes.

You should be able to do this with OSXVnc. I used to use my PC to control my Mac Mini this way.

Now I use Apple Remote Desktop and it works beautifully, but it is expensive. Bear in mind that VNC'ing is jerky over Wireless (heck its even jerky over 100mbit ethernet!), but for just queueing up files that shouldnt be a problem. I use ARD to wake my Mac Mini up from sleep, then find the thing I want to download, and download it. All from my front room with my Mini upstairs! Fantastic.

I'll download that and try it. Thanks for the link =)

Yeah. ARD works great. Wish I could justify/afford a legit copy. Spent my extra cash on FCEx HD and RAM =)

I'm used to jerkiness since I've been overburdening this old Powerbook for the past year =) I don't think VNC will be too bad for what I want to do, considering