Is there a solid _macOS_ screen sharing solution for older Ones (Monterey and High Sierra)?

[pullman]

Hello everyone

I am trying to set up a solid screen sharing solution between myself in the Netherlands and my elderly mother in Sweden to be able to help her with everyday matters. My Macs are on Monterey and her Mac Mini mid-2011 is on High Sierra, which is the highest that Mac can go.

We used TeamViewer for a long time, but it was recently announced that the free version will no longer support connections through 10.11–10.13.

I know I could use Chrome Remote Desktop, and that may well be the way I need to go. But I'm wondering why the macOS ways don't work.

It is supposed to be possible to share screens through iMessage. While I am able to connect from both ends, the connection will be aborted after a short while. Sometimes, but not always, this message comes up before the connection is cut.

I have verified that Screen Sharing is not blocked under Sys Prefs-Security. I have also added the Messages app on both Macs to the list of apps which may accept incoming connections. Under Sharing on both sides only Screen Sharing and File Sharing are active.

Has anyone got Screen Sharing over iMessage to work and if so how? This is supposed to be supported since Yosemite.

Screen sharing via SharePlay during an active FaceTime call is only possible from Monterey onwards.

Thanks in advance
Philip

 

[pullman]

I'll answer my own question. Chrome Remote Desktop doesn't work unfortunately. And I couldn't get sharing over iMessage to work either. I also tried NoMachine and Screens 4 but no joy on them either.

The ultimate solution lay further back in time — Skype. We'll just start a Skype voice (she doesn't have a camera on the Mini) call and share the screen.

 

[Monque]

I'll answer my own question. Chrome Remote Desktop doesn't work unfortunately. And I couldn't get sharing over iMessage to work either. I also tried NoMachine and Screens 4 but no joy on them either.

The ultimate solution lay further back in time — Skype. We'll just start a Skype voice (she doesn't have a camera on the Mini) call and share the screen.

Did you look at AnyDesk? They have versions compatible back to Yosemite (10.10). One of the things I liked about it was that I could configure remote systems to accept my request automatically - a couple of my older clients had to be guided through the “accept connection” process every time until I did that. https://anydesk.com/

I had some issues with keyboard commands and mouse clicks being interpreted correctly, but that might have been a “me” problem. Anyway, it forced me to use sharing over iMessage, which works great but the design of the connection request is moronic, especially with unsure and easily distracted folks at the other end. See pic - Suppose you are getting remote tech help for the first time and this pops up. Can you figure out what to do to accept the request without being told? (Can you even tell it is a request?)

 

[pullman]

Thank you for the suggestion and the detailed info. I hadn't seen AnyDesk actually but it seems that the free version could work. I have used the Skype solution a few times with my mum and it works really well. In case that would ever break I will be sure to look into AnyDesk. Btw that screenshot is pretty hilarious.

cheers
Philip

Did you look at AnyDesk? They have versions compatible back to Yosemite (10.10). One of the things I liked about it was that I could configure remote systems to accept my request automatically - a couple of my older clients had to be guided through the “accept connection” process every time until I did that. https://anydesk.com/

I had some issues with keyboard commands and mouse clicks being interpreted correctly, but that might have been a “me” problem. Anyway, it forced me to use sharing over iMessage, which works great but the design of the connection request is moronic, especially with unsure and easily distracted folks at the other end. See pic - Suppose you are getting remote tech help for the first time and this pops up. Can you figure out what to do to accept the request without being told? (Can you even tell it is a request?)View attachment 2446538

 

[Monque]

Thank you for the suggestion and the detailed info. I hadn't seen AnyDesk actually but it seems that the free version could work. I have used the Skype solution a few times with my mum and it works really well. In case that would ever break I will be sure to look into AnyDesk. Btw that screenshot is pretty hilarious.

cheers
Philip

If you have something that works, don’t “fix” it 😊

But yeah, AnyDesk is great for parental IT support. I had one computer set up such that my relative only had to make sure it was on, and I could connect without her doing anything. Some setup required at her end, of course, but I could do that on a visit.

 

[pullman]

True that's a good guiding star to live by. Still I'm happy to have got such detailed information about AnyDesk and may try it out of curiosity.

Thanks again
Philip

If you have something that works, don’t “fix” it 😊

But yeah, AnyDesk is great for parental IT support. I had one computer set up such that my relative only had to make sure it was on, and I could connect without her doing anything. Some setup required at her end, of course, but I could do that on a visit.