Remote Access - haven't got a clue where to start!

[Craigy]

OK here we go.

I run a mac pro at home and travel a lot. I want to be able to access my files at home from my macbook pro via the internet. iDisk not an option because of the number of files.

I am on NTL cable at home through a cable modem and then go through a router to a switch, wich my mac pro is plugged into.

What are my options? Bare in mind I know very little about networking etc.

Had a look on the forums but all the answers seem quite complicated.

 

[daveL]

OK here we go.

I run a mac pro at home and travel a lot. I want to be able to access my files at home from my macbook pro via the internet. iDisk not an option because of the number of files.

I am on NTL cable at home through a cable modem and then go through a router to a switch, wich my mac pro is plugged into.

What are my options? Bare in mind I know very little about networking etc.

Had a look on the forums but all the answers seem quite complicated.

That's because it *is* complicated. Nobody can really answer the question, because so much of the answer depends on how your ISP operates (static IP?, DHCP?, firewall?, port forwarding?). Then there are similar questions about how your router is configured. I think you'd be better off finding a local resource that can talk directly with your ISP and inspect your router and Mac to come up with a solution that works. There's also the possibility that there is no solution, depending on your ISP.

 

[ironjaw]

OK here we go.

I run a mac pro at home and travel a lot. I want to be able to access my files at home from my macbook pro via the internet. iDisk not an option because of the number of files.

I am on NTL cable at home through a cable modem and then go through a router to a switch, wich my mac pro is plugged into.

What are my options? Bare in mind I know very little about networking etc.

Had a look on the forums but all the answers seem quite complicated.

Apple has built-in VNC client which you can turn on in System Preferences. Than you need to download a VNC wiewer (google is your friend) - you can keep that on installed a USB Key or something.

You need to find out if you have a static IP address (eg. 192.255.255.255) or a dynamic IP Address that changes everytime. If you have a static its straightforward because you just need to have you mac turned on all time (there are other ways as well as attaching a modem and and using wake-on-lan or something option so that you can call you mac and it will turn on) the you can use VNC to type in your static IP and connect.

If dynamic I would suggest something like Dyndns.org.

use www.myip.dk to check you IP

Oh come one its not difficult - all you need is imagination and it can be done. O've been doing since 1998 with a pc.

 

[daveL]

Apple has built-in VNC client which you can turn on in System Preferences. Than you need to download a VNC wiewer (google is your friend) - you can keep that on installed a USB Key or something.

You need to find out if you have a static IP address (eg. 192.255.255.255) or a dynamic IP Address that changes everytime. If you have a static its straightforward because you just need to have you mac turned on all time (there are other ways as well as attaching a modem and and using wake-on-lan or something option so that you can call you mac and it will turn on) the you can use VNC to type in your static IP and connect.

If dynamic I would suggest something like Dyndns.org.

use www.myip.dk to check you IP

Oh come one its not difficult - all you need is imagination and it can be done. O've been doing since 1998 with a pc.

What if the IP address your ISP hands out isn't a public IP address? My ISP hands out 10.x.x.x addresses, which aren't routable. The ISP presents a single public IP address to the Internet. Anyone on the ISP that goes to the URL you provided ^^ will get the same address back. They also block connections to ports that originate from the Internet, the same way your OS X firewall does, except you can't unblock a port when you want to. Things aren't necessarily as simple as you make them out to be. The devil is in the details, and it all depends on how the OP's ISP operates.

 

[Craigy]

Apple has built-in VNC client which you can turn on in System Preferences. Than you need to download a VNC wiewer (google is your friend) - you can keep that on installed a USB Key or something.

You need to find out if you have a static IP address (eg. 192.255.255.255) or a dynamic IP Address that changes everytime. If you have a static its straightforward because you just need to have you mac turned on all time (there are other ways as well as attaching a modem and and using wake-on-lan or something option so that you can call you mac and it will turn on) the you can use VNC to type in your static IP and connect.

If dynamic I would suggest something like Dyndns.org.

use www.myip.dk to check you IP

Oh come one its not difficult - all you need is imagination and it can be done. O've been doing since 1998 with a pc.

I know that NTL give out Dynamic IP Addresses.

I went to the site you suggested and it says my ip address is 86.20.79.159 cpc1-lich1-0-0-cust926.sol2.cable.ntl.com.

 

[ironjaw]

Well if you have dynamic address then go off to dyndns.org and register with them free to get an address. It will be something like user.dyndns.org that you will get. I haven't been there for a while but if you do need some help don't hessitate to ask.

What the service does is that it will update your local ip address from your mac so that when you access user.dyndns.org you can connect to your mac to use VNC

 

[Craigy]

Well if you have dynamic address then go off to dyndns.org and register with them free to get an address. It will be something like user.dyndns.org that you will get. I haven't been there for a while but if you do need some help don't hessitate to ask.

What the service does is that it will update your local ip address from your mac so that when you access user.dyndns.org you can connect to your mac to use VNC

Thanks - I have just registered with them - not sure what I have to do next with the details they will be sending through though. Thanks for your offer of help on this one. I may need it!

I'll post again when the details come through.

 

[Craigy]

OK - logged into my DynDNS account page and have lots of options. Where do I start?

 

[Arne]

Register yourself a dynamic DNS Host at dyndns. Then you will need a client, that updates your dyndns account regularily. There are some clients listed somewhere on that page. You should set it up to check the IP-Adress from the web.

If you have a router, you will also have to forward the Port VNC uses, wich normally is 5900. For that you will also have to have a static IP internally (for your mac), that you can forward the Port to.

Hope IPv6 will be used somewhen soon, it will make some things easier (no more port forwarding).

If you have more problems don't hesitate to ask!

 

[ironjaw]

Yeah I do remember somewhere on the page there is a client or small file that actually automatically updates the dynamic ip on your mac to dyndns. You need to get that.

Once that is done install VNC client and server (I think its called chicken of the vnc). Go to your router open public and internal ports 5800/5900 make sure you do the same in firewall under system preferences. And that should be it

you should be able to connect via the vnc program or the safari eg. http://localhost:5800/5900 (can't remember which). You can also try http://127.0.0.1

And then check also with your user.dyndns.org address

Edit: PM if you have any problems,

Actually see my post on Apple Dicussions http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=3197248&#3197248

 

[Craigy]

Thanks all - I'm away for a couple of days but i'll give it a go on wednesday and let you know how i got on.

 

[Craigy]

OK - Got VNC kind of working - but very slow.

What I am now trying to do is to access my documents remotely. When on our home network, I can fo to the network tab, click on a machine name, enter some user information and then select which drives and volumes I want to mount. Is there a was of doing this remotely also?

I have gone to the network icon on my macbook when away from home, and tried to connect using the hostname from dyndns.org but it just seems to hang when trying to connect. Are there any ports / firewall settings that I need to look at?

Thanks

 

[baummer]

OK - Got VNC kind of working - but very slow.

What I am now trying to do is to access my documents remotely. When on our home network, I can fo to the network tab, click on a machine name, enter some user information and then select which drives and volumes I want to mount. Is there a was of doing this remotely also?

I have gone to the network icon on my macbook when away from home, and tried to connect using the hostname from dyndns.org but it just seems to hang when trying to connect. Are there any ports / firewall settings that I need to look at?

Thanks

You have a couple of options here. You can setup FTP and/or Terminal access. Although I have not tried this, and don't have the ability to at the moment, you should be able to connect similar to the way you connect via VNC.

Your dyndns service automatically updates the IP. So, say you chose a hostname of bobsmac.computer.com, all you would need to do is login to your router settings, tell it to forward port 139 (or 137 or 138), which is the Samba port, to your home machine. Then make sure these ports are open from OS X's firwall as well.

Then just go to Finder, connect to server, input bobsmac.computer.com, and it should act as normal. But like I said, I have yet to try this, and I don't know how fast or slow it will be remotely, or if it will even work.

 

[slu]

What if the IP address your ISP hands out isn't a public IP address? My ISP hands out 10.x.x.x addresses, which aren't routable. The ISP presents a single public IP address to the Internet. Anyone on the ISP that goes to the URL you provided ^^ will get the same address back. They also block connections to ports that originate from the Internet, the same way your OS X firewall does, except you can't unblock a port when you want to. Things aren't necessarily as simple as you make them out to be. The devil is in the details, and it all depends on how the OP's ISP operates.

Then you need to change your ISP as all they have done is add you to their LAN and they have one "pipe" to the internet. And I wouldn't want to be on a LAN with anyone else's computers at my home other than mine. And if I was running a business it would be even more unacceptable. I want to secure my own LAN. You are basically on a network like at a hotel.

Not to mention the fact that, unless they are charging you a rediculously low rate, you are getting ripped off as every reputable ISP in the world gives you at least one public IP, even if it is dynamic.

That being said, thanks to this thread, I was able to configure my Mac for remote access rather easily and I have a router, cable modem, and a dynamic IP. So kudos!

 

[Craigy]

You have a couple of options here. You can setup FTP and/or Terminal access. Although I have not tried this, and don't have the ability to at the moment, you should be able to connect similar to the way you connect via VNC.

Your dyndns service automatically updates the IP. So, say you chose a hostname of bobsmac.computer.com, all you would need to do is login to your router settings, tell it to forward port 139 (or 137 or 138), which is the Samba port, to your home machine. Then make sure these ports are open from OS X's firwall as well.

Then just go to Finder, connect to server, input bobsmac.computer.com, and it should act as normal. But like I said, I have yet to try this, and I don't know how fast or slow it will be remotely, or if it will even work.

Thanks I'll give that a try and let you know how I got on.