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TICKET ARCHIVE -> screen sharing

mrizzolo - May 28, 2006 - 10:13 pm

I wanted to share information, screen images, and files with my computer at work, and my mother's computer. how can i do this? connetc via the internet... i've tried Chicken of the VNC, but i couldn't understand how to use it..

Regards,

grggary - May 29, 2006 - 12:01 am

This may be an over-simplified method and might not be up to every task you are trying to accomplish, but you can exchange files, pictures and other miscellany simply by using iChat. Once connected to the person you wish to exchange files with, simply drag the icon of what you want to send into the iChat window and send it. The person on the other end can drag the file to their desktop and there you go. It's pretty fast too. Of course you can't access another person's desktop and manipulate files or share programs or features remotely this way, but if all you're doing is transferring info and you don't want to send via attachments in e-mail, this is a pretty non-convoluted way to share the drag & drop way. If you're looking to accomplish something more complex than exchanging files, respond to this and give more specific details as to what you are trying to accomplish and we can get you up to speed. Thanks!

grggary - May 29, 2006 - 12:34 am

Here is some more information courtesy of Apple Help if you are trying to allow remote login to your computer. Not sure if this is what you want to accomplish. Let me know.

Allowing remote terminal access to your computer
If you allow remote login, you can use SSH (Secure Shell) to log in to your computer from another location.
You can't use Telnet to log in to the computer.
1. Open System Preferences and click Sharing.
2. Click Services and select the Remote Login checkbox. Selecting Remote Login also also enables the secure FTP (sftp) service.
Now you can use an SSH client to log in from another computer.
For example, if your user name is steve and your computer's IP address is 10.1.2.33, you can open Terminal on another Mac OS X computer and type:
ssh -l steve 10.1.2.33
Type "man ssh" at a Terminal shell prompt for more information.

Mac OS X services
Mac OS X includes a number of network, Internet, and sharing services based on standards-compliant and open source technologies. These services are easy to set up and use and include the following:

Personal File Sharing using AFP
Windows Sharing using SMB/CIFS (Samba)
File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
Personal Web Sharing services using the open-source Apache Web Server
Printer sharing
Bonjour (zero configuration)
Internet sharing
Firewall protection
Remote login based on Secure Shell (SSH)
Remote Apple events
You can use these services to share files and resources, protect your computer and allow remote events.

To turn these services on or off:
Open System Preferences and click Sharing.
Make sure you are on the Services pane.
Select or deselect the services you want to use.
For more information about the services provided by Mac OS X, visit the Mac OS X website.

mrizzolo - May 29, 2006 - 8:52 am

thank you very much for your reply.

ok to be more exact, (1) i'd like to find a way to share my mom's desktop to assist her with problems as they arrise. so what specifically could i do?

(2) i need access to my office computer from home and vice versa. the ichat option won't work because it's from one of the computers that i won't be there of course. . .

i thought i had to get timbukto, or ARD, but i wanted to check into other options first. do i have to venture into terminal? it's a bit nerving because i don't understand the language.

i look forward to your reply. . .

grggary - May 29, 2006 - 12:52 pm

Of course, Timbuk Pro will accomplish what you are trying to do, but you would need to purchase a minimum of a Twin-pack which will set you back $179.95 from Netopia. You can evaluate the program for 14 days before purchasing to see if it meets your needs. There is also Apple Remote Desktop ($264.55) http://www.macworld.com/2005/02/reviews/ard/index.php

But before you run out and spend the money, there are other ways of controlling another Mac remotely and more economically.

I would check into a VNC (Virtual Network Computing) server such as OSXvnc at http://www.redstonesoftware.com/osxvnc/OSXvnc.html
This has many answers to questions and links for downloading and configuring the necessary software. In addition to the server you will need VNC Client software as well. There are links to those at this page as well. This is open source software and is freely available to the Macintosh community. Let me know if this might be the solution you are looking for.

For some other references that may be of interest check out
http://www.macdevcenter.com/pub/a/ma...e_control.html
http://www.wap.org/journal/tb2vsard/default.html

Hope some of this information will be of help. If not, I will open this thread back up to the other techs such as Brad C.and see if they might have something I haven't thought of.
Gary

grggary - May 29, 2006 - 12:58 pm

Almost forgot. Go to http://www.redstonesoftware.com/download.html and download the trial version of Eggplant as well.

bcharna - May 29, 2006 - 4:12 pm

Hey, can you tell me if the computer you want to view is behind a wireless router such as an AirPort? Also, Can you tell me if you want to access the computer from out of the network like at the coffee shop? I am willing to help you if this is the case because VNC won't work "out of the box" in these cases.

mrizzolo - May 30, 2006 - 9:58 pm

Home computers laptop- wireless apple router/cable modem and second - ethernet/modem. Office computer- ethernet/router/modem . what next?

otherwise i'd like access while on the road via an internet connection. my last employer support a PC VPN network which was great. . .

is there a difference between VNC and VPN?

i will look into the research suggestions. i have tried the osxvnc, but don't understand how to use it. how do each computer need to be set up??

many thanks

bcharna - May 31, 2006 - 2:49 pm

O.K.! Now that we have that useful information, lets move on!

You said the computer that will be viewed is in a different network then the computer you will view it from. I will give you directions step-by-step.

Step 1: THESE DIRECTIONS TO BE DONE ON THE COMPUTER THAT WILL BE OBSERVED ON.

You MUST have the model number and make of your router. Once you have this, go to and find your router on the list. Once you click on it, find VNC from the list. This will now give you complete instructions on how to port forward the proper ports for VNC. Noteyou must have access to the routers configuration settings from your computer {i.e knowing the way to access it and the password})

Step 2: THESE DIRECTIONS TO BE DONE ON THE COMPUTER THAT WILL BE OBSERVED ON.


Download the app. OSXvnc; to do this go to

Once, you did this enter a password if desired, then hit the button "Start the VNC server" or something like that! When you are done with this, go to write down the IP address provided!


Step 3: THESE DIRECTIONS TO BE DONE ON THE COMPUTER THAT WILL BE VIEWING THE OTHER COMPUTER.

Assuming this computer is a Mac then follow these instructions, if it isn't, then reply back for instructions on a PC to view a different computer using VNC!! On the viewing computer, download Chicken of the VNC; to do this go to . Once this is done, then under the host field, enter in the IP address you received from the website before, and enter in the password if you set one to use. Leave everything else alone, then click "Connect."

Conclusion:

Providing you did EVERYTHING as told, you should be able to connect and control the other computer. If the viewing computer is not a Mac , then post back as instructed above, and I will update the instructions. If you have questions about any of the steps, DON'T move forward, ask first!

Thanks so much and I look forward to hearing from you shortly!!!

bcharna - Jun 3, 2006 - 11:25 pm

Hey, its been a while and I just wanted to make sure that you haven't been running into trouble configuring the VNC server. If you have, feel free to post back since after a certain amount of inactivity, I will close this case. So if you need help, ASK!! We're always here to help you at macosx.com, don't be bashful!

mrizzolo - Jun 4, 2006 - 12:59 pm

thank you so much for your help. i have not yet been able to work thru your instructions. i've been too busy at work. i hope to get to it this week. i will let you know either way. and again thanks!!

bcharna - Jun 4, 2006 - 4:14 pm

No problem! Take your time, there's no hurry!