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Back To My Mac Help

Can't get it to work. Both iMac and MacBook Pro on 10.10 Yosemite. Same AppleID on both computers. Just me and no other accounts.


When I'm away, I like to access my iMac from the MBP. But the MBP doesn't see the iMac. It does see my Airport Time Capsule ac and I can login to it. And Back to my Mac is activate within the Airport. Just never for the iMac.


The iMac does see the MBP - but won't login to it.


I am with both computers right now, but I am logged into a different interest connect - not my in home internet.


Any ideas? I have disabled and enabled BTMM on both restarted, repaired permissions


Thanks for any input.

Posted on Oct 24, 2014 11:12 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Oct 24, 2014 11:26 AM

Make sure you've taken all these steps:


Set up and use Back to My Mac

34 replies

Oct 27, 2014 7:15 AM in response to musicmaker

I'm having a similar problem and tried all the tips to get Back to my Mac to work remotely, to no avail. When my Macbook and iMac are on the same network (at home) it works fine. If I take my Macbook to a remote WiFi, the iMac does not show in the Finder. The odd thing is that I can connect to the iMac using “Connect to Server” (command-k) in the Finder, or by using Screen Sharing and typing in the iMac’s IP address.


While these work-arounds are fine, it would be nice if Back to my Mac “just works”. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Oct 27, 2014 12:24 PM in response to Michael Facelle

Yes local network the iMac shows up with the little iMac icon representing it and works fine. Now that away, as I said, just the Apple TC which I can login to. Hopefully an update coming soon.


After I posted the original above - I did rest the iMac settings, repaired permissions and from home I was able to login to another network and the iMac showed up and I connected. I thought solved. Now that away - it's gone again.

Oct 28, 2014 2:04 PM in response to Linc Davis

As of right now, I am at a place that it did work in the developer builds. Different state - same cable provider as at my home too. That's why I'm stumped.


I do have some going to my home tonight to restart the iMac just to see if it shows up for me. Hoping a fresh restart while will let me connect. Even one time and it disappears - which I think how it will go.


it's a curious thing - I love the puzzle of computers though. Thanks Linc. I will post back as I get any info though.

Oct 30, 2014 3:13 PM in response to musicmaker

So I had the iMac restarted at home. And it showed up for me while away. I was able to access files and upload files to it.


I have kept my MBP loved into the iMac since. Meaning the MBP is up 24/7 and so far I still have access.


When I'm about to leave this location, I will close out the iMac and try and login again. Curious if it will still be available. But as of now, I prefer to keep the ability to access it.


I will post back if once I eject the iMac - will I still see it as a shared device and be able to login into it.

Nov 10, 2014 1:06 PM in response to musicmaker

Been thinking about this and this popped into my head today. I'm hoping I found a solution?


Because when I am away I always saw my Airport Time Capsule - it always was available, which also had my AppleID for Back To My Mac entered. So today I disabled my AppleID Back to My Mac in the airport. And up popped my iMac!


I did this while at home but logged into a free WIFI that is available.


So I have a trip coming up soon and will try again. But I am hoping thesis the glitch.

Nov 29, 2014 5:11 AM in response to musicmaker

That didn't work. So i left iMac with fresh reboot. Traveled over holiday with my MacBook Pro. I saw the iMac and was able to get to it and upload a file. One time. After I did this, ejected iMac it disappeared from sidebar again. And can't get to it at all. So Weird.


I Know the iMac is online too. I use Air Video with it and can access the iMac everytime to watch video from it. And my son use AppleTV with it at home. It's just Back to My Mac.

Dec 5, 2014 6:26 PM in response to Matty O

I too am having a problem, I've done all the troubleshooting, I've gone through all my time capsules settings, I've tried re-enabling back to my mac on both computers, removing apple id from time machine and re adding, the problem is not on my home network, if I'm on my home network it works great, when i go to work or school and try to connect, its worked twice, other wise it won't connect. I've tried messing around with my energy saving preferences, my iMac and macbook pro do not have the problem where it says Travis, Travis (2), originally this occurred but since changing the network sharing preferences that no longer occurs, there is nothing on this topic that has worked and i am stuck. i have an iMac 5k that i bought and restored from a time machine back from my macbook pro and bought a new time machine router. any help would be great. I'm using 10.10.1 and have the correct firmware update for the time capsule.

Dec 5, 2014 6:35 PM in response to twayneo1

i don't think its a network problem, because i too, have been able to login once or twice then functionality is gone, it has to be an iCloud issue/btmm issue, i just hope this is fixed soon. i found that if i put wake for wifi and don't put hard disks to sleep automatically it worked that one time on a different network, but havens got it to work since then, its just odd i works perfectly at home and is very hit and miss everywhere else

Feb 3, 2015 11:10 AM in response to twayneo1

Had great hopes with 10.10.2, but alas - Back to my Mac worked for me on this trip for two days - then failed to connect now for the last 4 days. Tried using both Recent Items to re-connect o the iMac and the usual way of a new Window and clicking on the iMac under Shared.

Just do nit understand why BTMM works the first and second time and then never again. I hate not being able to figure this out.


Disabled, re-enabled BTMM in System Prefs, restarted - so many times. The drag is I actually need to connect to my iMac.


I wonder what it is?

Back To My Mac Help

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