Headless Mac Pro

[gdc]

I have been fortunate to get hold of a Mac Pro no longer wanted at work which I want to use at home as an iTunes media server, but for space reasons I do not want to use it with a monitor etc.

What is the most effective way of using my iMac/MBP remote desktop style to control the MP?
Could I use the desktop sharing function of iChat?
Apple's Remote Desktop package (I imagine I could pick up an old version cheaply)?
Something like www.screenrecycler.com ?

Thanks in advance, and apologies if this is an inappropriate choice of subforum.

 

[m.chaloner]

I use Chicken of the VNC to control a render farm in my office.

works great

http://sourceforge.net/projects/cotvnc/

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

you'll need to turn on "Remote Management" in "Sharing" in "System Preferences"

Leopard comes with a standard Screen Sharing app, but Chicken of the VNC has the added functionality of showing you a list of all computers on your LAN.

 

[peskaa]

Leopard has screen sharing built in. Just open a Finder window, navigate to the Mac Pro on the network and then click the "Share Screen" button in the top right of the Finder window.

 

[seisend]

like Peskaa said, I use this too.

It's very simple and works great for me and I it's only a few clicks away.

 

[gdc]

Leopard has screen sharing built in. Just open a Finder window, navigate to the Mac Pro on the network and then click the "Share Screen" button in the top right of the Finder window.

Staggeringly perfect! Thanks.

 

[noiceT]

I second Chicken of the VNC, works great. Or of course, leopard screen sharing works good too

 

[Tesselator]

By looking at the table here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_remote_desktop_software Chicken looks like the very worst option possible.

No Built-in Encryption, No File Transfer, no Audio Support, no Multi-Session, no Seamless Window, no FreeBSD Client, no Linux Client, no Microsoft Windows Client, no Blackberry Client, no Windows Mobile Client, and no Java Client.

What's good about it?

 

[shipra]

By looking at the table here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_remote_desktop_software Chicken looks like the very worst option possible.

No Built-in Encryption, No File Transfer, no Audio Support, no Multi-Session, no Seamless Window, no FreeBSD Client, no Linux Client, no Microsoft Windows Client, no Blackberry Client, no Windows Mobile Client, and no Java Client.

What's good about it?

I looked you are right Tesselator

 

[Tesselator]

I looked you are right Tesselator

Yeah, but if they're recommending it there must be something good about it? Is it faster or something?

 

[gdc]

Will requesting to share the screen of my Mac Pro wake it from hibernation?
What if it requires authentication?
I don't think I need many of the functions the above wikipedia article outlines, but if anyone can think of any downsides I would much appreciate it.
Otherwise, I'll be trying this on Weds night! Thanks.

 

[peskaa]

Authentication via Leopard's built-in solution certainly works, and is done when you mount the Mac Pro to the MBP (ie: the username/password it asks for to allow the connection).

As for wake-from-sleep, I don't think so. To all intents and purposes, a sleeping Mac is off, with devices powered down (such as ethernet/wireless), so a network connection wouldn't be able to start. I might be wrong though.

 

[GoCubsGo]

I frequently share the screen for all my Macs and I can attest to the fact that it will not wake it from sleep. That's the mild unfortunate aspect of it but still the best free alternative to something like VNC I've used or care to use.

On a side note, all that power for iTunes? Sure it's a hog but why not look to selling it and buy a top of the line mac mini? This will certainly be a space saver.

 

[Tesselator]

Wake on LAN?

Wake a Mac from a PC:
First, get the necessary information from your Mac by first going to System Preferences, then Network. Select your built-in ethernet and click "Configure...". Under the TCP/IP tab, write down your IP Address and Subnet Mask. Click the Ethernet tab and then write down the "Ethernet ID." Your numbers should look similar to the following (hypothetical of course) example:

IP: 10.3.52.88
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Ethernet ID: 05:0b:95:87:10:3c​

In System Preferences, go to "Energy Saver," click on the "Options" tab, and make sure "Wake for Ethernet network administrator access" is selected. Put your Mac to sleep, and take your noted numbers to your PC box. Download the "Wake On Lan" utility. Put the IP Address in the "Internet Address" box, the Subnet Mask in the "Subnet Mask" box, and the Ethernet ID in the "Mac Address" box (remove the colons). Press the button "Wake Me Up," and your Mac should wake up accordingly. Note, you do not have to enter these numbers every time; the little program is smart enough to remember them.

Also here: http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20020220095929695


.

 

[gdc]

Wake on LAN?



Also here: http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20020220095929695


.

thanks for the idea. This looks good
http://www.readpixel.com/wakeonlan/