Screen Sharing in Messages

This Tip is to explain how to turn On Screen Sharing in Messages and what is needed to Screen Share with iChat and Messages Buddies using AIM Screen Names or Jabber IDs (The iChat Method)

(At Yosemite Apple Add an ability for iMessages conversations to launch the Screen Sharing App like it does for FaceTime for Video and Audio chats)

• Open Message app on your Mac
• iChat Style Buddy Lists are not displayed in Messages by default.

• To activate it, go to the ‘Messages’ Menu at the top menu bar and select Accounts and turn on the "Bonjour" Account.

Note 1 In fact Enable any Jabber or AIM valid Account It does not have to be just Bonjour

• Any Enabled Account name will then show up at the bottom left hand corner of the Main Messages (Chat and Interface) window.

• Now under the Window Menu, click on "Buddies" or use COMMAND + 1 ( number 1 )
• You will now see the an iChat Style Buddy List Window pop up. However the list may be empty if you have only enabled Bonjour in addition to the iMessages account.

Note 2 This List is a combined list at present.

Go to Messages Menu > Preferences > General Section and untick the line about "gathering all accounts"

• If you have not added an AIM or Jabber based Account do this:-

Messages menu again and under Preferences, go into Accounts (Commonly written as Messages Menu > Preferences > Accounts) and click on the + at the bottom left hand corner and add an AIM or Jabber account in the next pane .

Note 3 You will need an AIM/Jabber/Google account ( just like you did on iChat before )

• Once you log in successfully, You’ll notice your list appears and you’ll see the familiar Screen Share button located at the bottom centre of the Buddy List window.

Now go to the Video Menu and Enable Screen Sharing at your end.

Text your Buddy that is using an AIM Screen Name or a Jabber/Google/Facebook ID on iChat or Messages and get them to enable Screen Sharing as well.

To activate, simply click on it and it will send them a request.

Note 4 Alternatively Highlight the Buddy and use the Buddies Menu

Alternatively to that Right click the Buddy and use the Contextual Menu.

General NOTES:-

Screen Sharing like Audio Only chats and Video Chats is AIM to AIM (including Valid Apple ID options) or Jabber to Jabber (which includes GoogleTalk and Facebook IDs) using iChat or Messages on both computers.

Both Messages and iChat can only Screen Share with Buddies that can do Audio only and Video Chats (therefore Not the iMessages and Yahoo Accounts you may have.

The Minimum Speed needed is 128kbps which is the same as a 1-1 Video chat.

It is an Audio Only chat with a VNC connection along side.

This VNC Connection is on a random Port so you have to Use UPnP in most routers or Port Mapping Protocol in Apple Base Stations

Summary

To Activate Screen Sharing you have to have the Messages app open.

In the Video Menu of the app is an option to Enable Screen Sharing.

However Screen Sharing can only be done between AIM Buddies or Jabber Buddies (And Bonjour/LAN Based Macs).

That is AIM to AIM or Jabber to Jabber to Buddies that are also using iChat Version 4 and above or Messages.

AIM includes Names Registered with AIM and Apple Issued IDs such as the ones ending in @mac.com, @me.com and @icloud.com

Jabber IDs can be gained from many servers all over the world. However GoogleMail IDs can activate "Talk" on their Google Settings and use the ID for GoogleTalk which is a Jabber server run by Google. Facebook allows you to Enable "Chat" on their Settings and then use the ID in Jabber connections.

So, if you do not have a Buddy list other than activating the Bonjour option you will need to either register a Screen Name (AIM) or ID (Jabber).

Bonjour is the connections that all Macs can make to other Macs on the Same LAN.

iChat and Messages can make use of this. You cannot Add Buddies to this list. It picks up the Names from the Mac User's account Contacts/Address Book App at the My card (your app grabs your Name from your Address Book/Contacts App and broadcasts it to the other Bonjour enabled Macs on your LAN and you appear in their Buddy list).

The Yahoo Account and the iMessage accounts do not do Video and Audio Only chats

As Screen Sharing is an Audio Only chat with a VNC connection alongside it needs a Buddy that you can Video to (as this confirms the Internet Speed is high enough). You may have to enable UPnP or Port Mapping Protocol on your router to allow the random port the VNC connection uses. (As opposed to Port Forwarding or Port triggering which will need disabling).

8:28 pm Monday; April 4, 2016