Cannot screen share using Messages

Question

Level 1

0 points

Cannot screen share using Messages

When attempting to screen share through the Messages app I will get the window saying "starting screen sharing," and I can hear the other person, but it never switches to their screen. The same thing happens if I try to share someone's screen or they try to share mine. The only console message the appears each time I test this is:

Messages[168]: attribute = {

VCSupportARDAudioMux = 1;

shouldFindExternalIP = 1;

}

I am able to start a video session with people, if that could rule out anything. I should also note that screen sharing fails to work even if firewall is turned off.

I tried searching this online, but no one had this specific problem. Any help would be appreciated.

MacBook, OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Nov 12, 2013 4:39 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Best reply

Ralph-Johns-UK

Level 9

76,789 points

Nov 13, 2013 2:37 PM in response to kwdoyle

Hi,

In Messages > Preferences > Video > Bandwidth Limit what do you have set ?

It should not use the 100kbps setting. This is below the min listed for both Video and Screen Sharing.

If it is at NONE they try it at 500kbps at both ends.

If you or your Buddy have a service that is much faster than the other there can be problems.

The message you found means a Connection using the Apple Remote Desktop engine that messages Screen Sharing uses with the Audio connection as well is true (1 = true/Correct 0= false/fail)

It should find the Router/Modem's IP at the far end to deliver the chat data and this appears to be also true.

This suggest you are connected and as you can hear them this appears to be the case.

10:37 pm Wednesday; November 13, 2013

 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad

Reply

Answer 2

kwdoyle Author

Level 1

0 points

Nov 13, 2013 3:37 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

That actually worked! I had my bandwith limit set to none and setting it to 500 kbps fixed it. Thanks for your help.

Reply

Answer 3

Nov 14, 2013 12:00 PM in response to kwdoyle

for the Points.

When iChat went Video in 2004 most people had a max of a Gb download and often much slower.

Uploads could be as low as 128kbps (there was an international Agreement that "Broadband" would start at 256kbps each way).

Although the Stated min is 128kbps this tends to be the Service you pay for.

However your Modem and computer have to maintain the connection to the ISP and that takes some of this bandwidth.

If you speed tested a 128kbps service you often only saw 105kbps of it "free" to use.

iChat would give you a complete Video failure message (it would not even attempt to connect) if it found Speeds lower that then the Dial up max (about 50kbps on a 56kbps device).

Since then processors and Internet Connection speeds have come on leaps and bounds.

The gap between what was Cable and DSL have been reduced.

I currently get "fibre to the Cabinet" (FTTC) at 40Mbps download and around 10Mb upload.

At a Max size of Video pic of 640 X 480 pixels at 30fps (or 0.3megapixels X 30 fps = 90 megapixels of data per second)

Obviously the Invite and Connection process can be as fast and if there are vast differences in speeds then one end can literally swamp the other end with data.

Screen Sharing is basically a Software camera showing you the Desktop (to start with) with a Audio Chat along side.

It have the same min as a Video chat.

8:00 pm Thursday; November 14, 2013

 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad

Reply