Yosemite screen sharing in Message not working

I've chalked this up to Apple's software becoming bug-ridden to the point of unsuitability. Initiating screen sharing via Messages to a machine over a WAN has never worked for me, even when the other machine was manned by an Apple Genius. Facetime audio hasn't worked in months, and 10.10.3 has made even LAN screen sharing horribly unstable—I'm constantly kicked back to the login screen and need to re-enter the password on the remote machine. At this point I'm more focused on reducing my reliance on Apple software than working around its declining quality.

I am having this exact same problem. It used to work fine in Mountain Lion using Messages or ichat. Now that we are on Yosemite, it no longer works. It tries to connect and then after 30 sec it says there was an error. The settings on both machines are correct re: Screen Sharing, so it is entirely unhelpful for responders to send me through the stock online instructions (we wouldn't on a forum if the regular instructions worked). We are not on the same network - I live in another city and generally help them by remote. For those recommending using the Jabber settings re: gmail - we've tried that. That was what worked in the past. Now that they have fused it together with Messages, it no longer works. Ever.

Everything was fine until Apple started to tinker with something that wasn't broken. It's the most frustrating thing. My parents are elderly and it takes me forever to walk through steps over the phone. Please help!

lewafer wrote:

I am having this exact same problem.

[…]

It's the most frustrating thing. My parents are elderly and it takes me forever to walk through steps over the phone. Please help!

The only solution I ever found was to switch to (Microsofts's) Skype. That was embarrassing, after so many years of extolling the Mac over Microsoft.

Microsoft: "It just works."™

Hi,

Since this Thread last had a post it has been found the most likely candidate is an issue with the Apple SNATMAP server.

The issue effects both Jabber and AIM connections for Video and Audio chat and Screen Sharing and from at least iChat 5.0.3 in Snow Leopard (I also suspect earlier versions).

The only place on the internet these all come together is at the SNATMAP server.

It seems that only non NAT connection to the Internet work. (Such as Setting an Apple Base Station to allow the Mac to do the Login to the ISP)

Some other routers allow this but in some cases people have routers with the Login detail hard coded into them and they cannot do this.

It is also impractical for some people running two or three computers (Not to mention iPhone, iPads and satellite boxes that use the Internet for On demand stuff plus Apple TVs etc.).

As you know the Messages app will invoke FaceTime fro Audio Chats and Video Chats from the Chat window to iMessages contacts (Your need to be in a conversation with them).

In Yosemite to other Yosemite computers it will also do Screen Sharing by Invoking the Screen Sharing app (You have to allow it in System Preferences > Sharing).

As you may realise this will not be an answer for those still using earlier version of iChat or Messages. (it's a work around not a "Fix")

8:14 p.m. Friday; September 25, 2015

Im having a problem trying to get connected to share screens with my Mac Pro, it works fine with my Macbook. I keep getting the following warnings.

Hi,

I would check the settings in System Preferences > Sharing for Screen Sharing at both ends.

It should be set to Anyone.

A Name means that person should have an Account on the Mac that is listed. (i.e Mac User Account on your Mac or you on their's)

It is very unlikely you have done this for a Contacts that lives a long way away.

(Same if you restrict to Administrators as they have to be Mac User Administrators on your Mac).

7:51 p.m. Sunday; October 4, 2015

Hello,

I have the same issue, but with a twist: the menu to enable screen sharing in the Messages app is gone! I have been unable to find any answer to this mystery, and screen sharing is out of range for me. It used to work like a charm in older days, but has stopped working either when upgrading to Yosemite or El Capitan (can't remember exactly when). See screen shot to understand what I mean.

Thanks for any feedback and help on this.

Sjur

Hi,

Yes.

That applies to the AIM And Jabber Buddy lists that you may have (it is an old iChat menu and does not apply to the iMessages account)

However since El Capitan the item has been missing from the Menu.

Since before July last year though many people have reported issues with Video and Audio Only chats Mac to Mac using AIM or jabber Buddy lists as the starting point (the iChat way if you like).

This seems to be related to an issue with the SNATMAP.apple.com sever that helps with the connections in these sorts of chats - it works for LAN connection (Bonjour or AIM to AIM on two computers at the same location for example) but not over the wider internet.

Some people are reporting that it is "fixed" after the Mac OS X 10.11.3 update but I have not been able to confirm this myself.

8:35 pm Wednesday; March 9, 2016

Thanks for the reply, and for clarifying that the missing menu item is removed intentionally and by design in 10.11.

It is true that I have buiddy lists, in fact for both AIM, a local Jabber server, and for Google Talk (also Jabber). For NONE of these I am able to get a working screen sharing, although video chats have lately started to work again (that may in fact be a result of the 10.11.3 update - also video chats have been so unreliably that I haven't used it regularly lately, and thus I cannot tell exactly when it started to work again).

This is what it looks like in my buddy list for the local Jabber server:

And the same is true for the other buddy lists. And if I have understood correctly, using this interface, screen sharing will (or should) start using the old method, not the new iMessage variant.

Hi,

I have moved on from this myself and have had one successful Video chat yesterday.

That icon you show I have showing on some Buddies (one of my own accounts in this case).

The Buddy involved is an AIM ID that used to be used on a PC but no longer is. (it is on an Address Card that relates to the "Account" on the PC that was involved)

I am using OS X 10.11.x and it is reported (one post) that Apple "fixed" this in OS X 10.11.3

Whether it works in earlier version and earlier version of iChat like it used to is unclear to me at the moment.

As you say that Buddy List > Icon Method (after highlight the Buddy) should work in theory.

However it does seem it is the one thing Apple have taken out of Messages 9.x.x in El Capitan and as a consequence it seem to not work in any earlier version of Messages or iChat.

8:10 pm Thursday; March 10, 2016