Remote Desktop Mac to Mac over the Internet 101

[Julien]

I just bought a Mac Pro for myself and an iMac for my parents both running 10.5.3. In order to help my mom learn how to operate (switching from Windows) I would love to be able to log into, see and control her computer on my screen (I have a 30" so would have room). The video of Leopard shows this. Could someone give me the 101 steps needed to do this.

 

[dangerfish]

iChat is all you need. Just select "request to share screen". They accept and that is it. You can audio chat with them at the same time.

 

[Julien]

iChat is all you need. Just select "request to share screen". They accept and that is it. You can audio chat with them at the same time.

I don't have a mic or camera. Will it still work?

Just started iChat and the first this it asks me is to setup an account. I don't (and they don't) have a .Mac (or any other of that type) Account.

Isn't there a way to do this with remote desktop?

 

[dangerfish]

You dont need a camera and if you dont have a mic, you just wont be able to talk with them but still works. You do need to sign up for an iChat account but you dont need a .mac account. You can sign up for a free iChat account. Works with AOL screen names and some others but I dont remember which. I dont know what remote desktop is.

 

[vanmacguy]

You both need to sign up for AIM accounts. Just go to AOL.com and sign up. It's free.

Then you need to configure iChat on both computers with your new AIM accounts.

Then you need to add each other as buddies.

Then you need to establish a chat session.

Once in the session you can click Buddies, and Ask to Share Screen. Your Mum will get a little dialog that says something like "Junior is asking to share your screen" and she will click OK or something like that and voila!

You're driving her computer and she can see everything you're doing. I actually find it handier to be talking on the phone than having voice over iChat.

Good luck. If you want to test it, PM me and we'll set it up.

Cheers.

 

[andypullen]

Also...

If you sign up for a 60-day .Mac trial, which is completely free and doesn't require a credit card. When the 60 days expires, your iDisk, email, syncing, and Back To My Mac all expire with it, however it leaves your xxxxxxx@mac.com address usable for iChat forever. You can follow vanmacguy's instructions otherwise. That way you can choose your iChat account to be xxxxxxxxxx or xxxxxxxxxxx@mac.com. The nice thing about going with the .Mac username is that it is really hard to get what you want for your AIM username, because everything is taken. Good luck though!

Edit: Go to https://www.mac.com/WebObjects/Signup.woa/wa/trial?aff=consumer&cty=US&lang=en to sign up for a free .Mac trial. If it asks you to enter your credit card number, you've gone too far.

 

[Julien]

I have AOL AIM installed now and iChat running. I found a Logitech web camera in the closet and downloaded a program called macam. It work one time about a week ago but since then it won't. When I plug it in the program recognizes it but when I hit the play button it says USB communication problem. Is there any way to make it work? If not what is the best/least expensive camera with mic I can get?

 

[Julien]

It almost looks like AOL AIM software is redundant. Do I need to run it with (before) iChat or can I delete it?

 

[snberk103]

There is another way to do this as well. Its called Back to My Mac, and its part of the .Mac services. Basically, you would see the remote iMac in your Mac Pro's Finder sidebar. Click on it, and then click on "share screen". The desktop of the iMac appears on your desktop as a window, and you can do virtually anything on it - remotely - that you could do sitting in front of it. Including updating the software, and IIRC starting a 2nd shared screen session to a 3rd Mac. The .Mac service costs some money, but there is a free trial, and you might find some of the other features useful as well - such as the photo galleries. Good Luck.

 

[ravikc]

hmm...i use screen share on my network its great...very handy...however

i would like to know the procedures for setting the same thing up via remote desktop..which i think was the original question...so that i can get in from off network locations when im traveling etc...thru my router

anyone know the steps for this? i believe I have to buy the software from apple?

i appreciate the help

 

[Julien]

I've got both computers setting right here and AIM iChat installed on both. Hers (the iMac) seems to working correctly. However my (Pro Mac) is not. When I try and add the iMac to my buddies list it will show up (green LED) fad in and out (like grayed out) 3 times, then fad in for 1 second and disappear. When I call for screen sharing from the iMac it rings on the Pro Mac and immediately says the iMac canceled the invitation. On the iMac it says Waiting for response. There is no way for me to try it from the Pro Mac since it want accept the iMac as a buddy.

Oddly I can do text messages from the iMac to the Pro Mac and then back to the iMac but I can't do it the other way around since it won't seen the iMac as a buddy


Could anyone try and call me?

 

[DoFoT9]

If you sign up for a 60-day .Mac trial, which is completely free and doesn't require a credit card. When the 60 days expires, your iDisk, email, syncing, and Back To My Mac all expire with it, however it leaves your xxxxxxx@mac.com address usable for iChat forever. You can follow vanmacguy's instructions otherwise. That way you can choose your iChat account to be xxxxxxxxxx or xxxxxxxxxxx@mac.com. The nice thing about going with the .Mac username is that it is really hard to get what you want for your AIM username, because everything is taken. Good luck though!

Edit: Go to https://www.mac.com/WebObjects/Signup.woa/wa/trial?aff=consumer&cty=US&lang=en to sign up for a free .Mac trial. If it asks you to enter your credit card number, you've gone too far.

thanks for the response,

i cant sign up for the free trial because it WANTS me to give my credit card details, otherwise it wont let me do anything. i think it has something to do with me being in australia gr.