remote access

Question

Level 1

9 points

remote access

How do I enable remote access to my iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2015) from my MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2018) when not on my home network?

I have a 27" iMac. I have an external SSD I use for work files. We just sold our home and are renting for a while. We have a really nice pool area and public, and resident only, wifi at the pool. I have been working by the pool while the weather is nice on my MBP, but I have to bring my SSD with me. It's a PITA and I have to shut my iMac down to preserve the open finder windows (active jobs). I can access my iMac from my MBP while I'm in the apartment on my home network, but cannot figure out how to set up a VPN to access my iMac (and SSD) without shutting it down or bring my SSD to the pool with me. I have Avira VPN (paid) but I only use that outgoing... I need to know how to use VPN incoming.

macOS Monterey 12.6.3 (21G419) on both Macs.

Thanks.

iMac 27″, macOS 12.6

Posted on Apr 25, 2023 7:28 PM

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Answer 1

John Galt

Level 10

158,538 points

Apr 26, 2023 4:32 AM in response to rcoda

You need to purchase a third party remote access product such as LogMeIn. I do not use it and that is not to be considered a recommendation.

A VPN is inappropriate for the purpose.

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Answer 2

John Galt

Level 10

158,538 points

Apr 26, 2023 9:29 AM in response to rcoda

I understand. The answer remains the same: you need a third party remote access product.

Or...

A commercial ISP account with a static IP address, a local VPN server (not the Avira product, which is worthless) and open ports on your router.

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Answer 3

Apr 26, 2023 10:12 AM in response to rcoda

What John said; or, you can sign up to a dynamic dns service, and get yourself a domain name like you.myip.net or something; you still need to set up your router to update the records when and if the IP served by your provider changes; and, as John said, you still need to open the necessary ports on your router and direct access to those ports to your machine (which, incidentally, should NOT be set with DHCP, but with a local manual IP, etc).

Sounds complicated? It is, to some extent. And since you had no idea that something like this was required, I strongly suggest that taking that SSD with you is the simplest way to go.

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Answer 4

rcoda Author

Level 1

9 points

Apr 26, 2023 7:06 AM in response to John Galt

To be clear... I do not want a remote management app to run applications that are on my desktop, or control my desktop (I have Adobe CC on both Macs)... I just want access to my files which are on an external SSD. I'm wondering why it works if I am on the same network, but not if I am on a different (wifi) network.

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remote access

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