Remote access via internet to another macbook

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Level 1

37 points

Remote access via internet to another macbook

I would like to access my moms computer when she needs help sometimes via the internet. We both have Macbooks and high speed internet. Before I move away I can install whatever is necessary on her computer. Then if she has computer problems (as she often does) I can go onto her computer to sort it out. (Obviously, I will have to phone her to tell her to open up the computer). Is this a really involved thing that I am asking? I don't really know where to start. I have heard of remote desktop but after reviewing it, it sounds like it is much more than what I am looking for. Any info to point me in the right direction would be much appreciated.

Black 2.4ghz Macbook Superdrive, Mac OS X (10.5.4)

Posted on Nov 6, 2008 5:01 PM

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Answer 1

Emmerac

Level 1

135 points

Nov 6, 2008 5:55 PM in response to blakegeee

Actually this is very simple to setup and use. Mac OS X already has a Virtual Network Computing (VNC) server built in. To turn it on, go into System Preferences, click on Sharing, and check the box next to screen sharing.

Now, on the machine you want to connect with, download [Chicken of the VNC|http://sourceforge.net/projects/cotvnc>, a free VNC client for Mac OS X. To connect, enter the IP address of the other machine, the username, and the password.

If your Mom is connecting directly to the internet, that is all you need to do. But if she is connecting using a router, such as a WiFi connection, then you will need to configure the router's port forwarding options.

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Answer 2

blakegeee Author

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37 points

Nov 6, 2008 6:29 PM in response to Emmerac

Ok I just installed Chicken of the VNC. My moms computer accesses the internet through a Siemens Speedstream 6520 wireless ADSL gateway. I have read that I need to open port 22 for SSH and any port above 1023 for public. I have no idea how I would go about doing that.

Message was edited by: blakegeee

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Answer 3

Emmerac

Level 1

135 points

Nov 6, 2008 6:59 PM in response to blakegeee

As long as your router is using the default settings these instructions should work fine:

- Open Safari and go to 192.168.254.254
- enter "admin" for the username and password (without the quotes)
- On the page that comes up, click on Advanced
- Click Applications on the left
- Click the Quick Setup on Current Computer link near the center of the page
- Click the Configure a specific application link near the bottom of the page
- Ignore the Select Application drop down, instead use the Select Protocol drop down
- Under TCP/UDP ports enter 5500-5500
- Redirect selected protocol/service to IP Address radio button and enter your Mom's IP address, this can be found in System Preferences > Sharing > Screen Sharing
- Click Apply and then repeat the steps for ports 5800 and 5900

This article will appear on MacReply.com on Nov. 12

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Answer 4

blakegeee Author

Level 1

37 points

Nov 6, 2008 7:27 PM in response to Emmerac

Thanks a lot for your help. I can't try it right now as I am away from that computer. I will let you know how it goes though. So do I not need port 22 as the other post suggested?

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Answer 5

Emmerac

Level 1

135 points

Nov 6, 2008 8:43 PM in response to blakegeee

You would use port 22 if you were going to use SSH tunneling for encryption. It is highly recommended that you do so, but since this is your first time, focus on getting it working first. Make sure you use a good password and when you are connected don't do anything that could reveal personal information.

You can google around and find a lot of information on how to setup SSH tunneling.

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Answer 6

blakegeee Author

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37 points

Nov 8, 2008 6:37 AM in response to Emmerac

When you say "use a good password", are you talking about the admin password on the computer I am connecting too? Or is it the password for the router?

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Answer 7

Emmerac

Level 1

135 points

Nov 8, 2008 11:54 AM in response to blakegeee

The password for the account you are going to login to on the computer.

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Answer 8

blakegeee Author

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37 points

Nov 8, 2008 7:24 PM in response to Emmerac

I haven't been to my moms to set up her router yet. But I just did screen sharing on another mac on the same internet connection. I get it now. On the computer that I want to connect to I have to set up a user account. So screen sharing isn't a very secure option though? And what port do I need to open on the router to do screen sharing?

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Answer 9

Emmerac

Level 1

135 points

Nov 9, 2008 1:37 AM in response to blakegeee

Same ones as in the directions above: 5500, 5800, 5900

By saying its not secure, what I mean is all the data is sent in the clear, not encrypted. Think of it like a phone call. If you are on the phone and someone picks up another phone on the same line they can listen to your conversation. In the same sense, someone can listen in on your connection. If you are worried that someone could see what you are doing, then you need to learn how to use SSH to create a secure tunnel. But if you don't care if someone could see what you are doing then don't worry about it.

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Answer 10

blakegeee Author

Level 1

37 points

Nov 13, 2008 6:39 PM in response to Emmerac

Ok I set up her router tonight. I opened the 3 ports 5500, 5800, 5900 plus 22 so I could try out both methods. I made a list of the ports opened so I confirmed that it worked properly. I also went through and allowed most of her sharing services through system prefs.

Now I just got home to try it from my computer but no luck. I tried SSH through Terminal and it timed out eventually. I also tried screen sharing through finder and it also timed out. Now I just tried "Chicken of the VNC" and it also timed out.

When I previously did it with my sisters computer within the same house, it immediately asked me for my login info but this is not doing that so obviously it is finding her computer at all.

One thing I might not have mentioned is that she has Tiger and I have Leopard. Could that be a problem?

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Answer 11

Emmerac

Level 1

135 points

Nov 13, 2008 7:16 PM in response to blakegeee

No, your OS does not have an effect. There are a few things you should check. When you setup your router, did you set it up so that ports were forwarded to the computer you were trying to connect to? When you try to login inside the network you will use the IP of the computer you want to connect to; when you try to connect from outside the network, you will use the IP of the router, which will then forward to the computer you want to connect to.

To find out the IP you should try to connect to, use any computer that is inside the network and go to [www.whatismyip.com].

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Answer 12

blakegeee Author

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37 points

Nov 14, 2008 4:09 AM in response to Emmerac

When I checked WhatsmyIP, it gave me 65.95.40.34 but in system prefs it tells me; "To log in to this computer remotely, type "ssh ###name@192.168.2.10" at a shell command prompt."

When forwarding the ports, i forwarded them to 192.168.2.10

Is this correct?

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Answer 13

Emmerac

Level 1

135 points

Nov 14, 2008 10:00 AM in response to blakegeee

Correct. 65.95.40.34 is your public internet IP address to that goes to your router. Then you setup your router to forward to your private internal IP address 192.168.2.10; so you will actually be directing your VNC client to connect to 65.95.40.34 of telling SSH to connect with "ssh USER@65.95.40.34".

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Answer 14

blakegeee Author

Level 1

37 points

Nov 14, 2008 1:06 PM in response to Emmerac

So why is system prefs saying, "To log in to this computer remotely, type "ssh user@192.168.2.10" at a shell command prompt."

Is it just because it doesn't know its behind the router?

I have tried telling finder to connect to server; vnc://65.95.40.34 and it just times out.

I have also tried setting Chicken of the VNC to;
HOST: 65.95.40.34
Display: 0
Password: (password that I set for login on her computer)
This just times out eventually.

I have also tried terminal both ways:
"ssh USER@65.95.40.34" and
"ssh USER@192.168.2.10"
and it tells me "ssh: connect to host 65.95.40.34 port 22: Operation timed out"

It take a minute or two using any of these methods before it tells me that its timed out.

I have made sure that she has her computer opened up and turned on of course and the settings so it will wake if admin accesses remotely.

Any ideas as to why this wouldn't work?

Thanks for all the info.

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Answer 15

Emmerac

Level 1

135 points

Nov 14, 2008 1:31 PM in response to blakegeee

That's exactly right. The computer only knows that to connect to it inside the network what address should be used.

What you are doing is correct. The problem is probably at the router. It's likely that your router is not configured correctly or is simply not allowing the connection. Go back to the router and check your settings.

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