Q: VNC Setup

VNC may not be the easiest option when you are on the road. You may want to take a look LogMeIn.com and TeamViewer.com. These 2 remote screen sharing apps can get through home routers easily. There might even be iPhone versions (I'm sure there is a TeamViewer.com iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad app). LogMeIn.com gives file transfer for a fee, and TeamView.com includes file transfer.

Another option would be an Apple MobileMe subscription, and then use the Back-to-My-Mac feature. This will give you both screen sharing and file sharing.

The iChat auto accept script is actually a useful way to get around the router and every changing IP address issues. And iChat gives you file transfer as well. And as an added bonus, iChat can give you audio as well.

If you want to go the VNC route while on the road you will need to:

o Port Forward port 5900 to your MacPro
o You will need a dynamic DNS name
o You will need to enable screen sharing
o You will need to configure a VNC password for iPad use

Most of this stuff you can find via Google, and it has been explained in the Apple Forums many times.

MacPro -> System Preferences -> Sharing. Enable Screen Sharing. If you are going to access this from something besides another Mac (iPhone, iPad, Windows, Unix, ...), then Click Screen Sharing -> Computer Settings, and give a VNC password.

MacPro -> System Preferences -> Network -> Advanced -> TCP/IP. Give your MacPro a fixed IP address. Something like 10.0.1.201 (assuming your Airport Extreme is using the 10.0.1.* private IP address range). This makes port forwarding easier.

Airport Extreme Base Station port forwarding. Applications -> Utilities -> Airport Utility. Select your Airport Extreme base station. Select Advanced -> Port Mapping. Click on the + button. Enter Public TCP Port: 5900. Enter Private TCP Port: 5900. Enter Private IP address of your MacPro (maybe the above suggested 10.0.1.201)

Get a free Dynamic DNS name from No-IP.com or DynDNS.org. Install a dynamic DNS name updating utility on your MacPro.

On your MacBook Pro, use Finder -> Go -> Connect to Server -> vnc://MacPro.dynamic.dns.name . You now have screen sharing.

If you want file sharing, the port you forward is 548. You make the connection using afp://MacPro.dynamic.dns.name

NOTE: Opening these ports opens you to internet access, so make sure you use very secure passwords.

iPhone/iPad Note: You will need to find an iPhone or iPad VNC app, as the VNC is not standard software for these devices.

Message was edited by: BobHarris

You had mentioned : "Get a free Dynamic DNS name from No-IP.com or DynDNS.org. Install a dynamic DNS name updating utility on your MacPro."

I did that, but I don't know what you mean by updating utility on your MacPro. Is that something I need to do in the Network prefs? Or on DynDNS.org? Thanks!

2 options. Sometimes home routers have a configuration feature for updating a dynamic DNS name.

Or your dynamic DNS provider should have a Mac utility that you download and run continuously on your Mac, that monitors your ISP assigned IP address, and update your dynamic DNS name at your provider whenever your ISP changes your IP address.