Share Screen Failure in Remote Desktop

Question

Level 1

4 points

Share Screen Failure in Remote Desktop

I am working on an issue any help is appreciated. Here is the scenario:

Instructor station with El Capitan 10.11.6 running Remote Desktop 3.8

32 lab mac pros with El Capitan 10.11.6 with ARD client 3.8.5

Instructor invokes share screen across the lab. At random points sometimes a few minutes, sometimes ten minutes, sometimes more: all of the clients drop the screen share and go to the login screen. The instructor station still has the presentation on its screen.

I have looked into sleep settings. With the times being random I don't believe it is tied to the sleep timer. The instructor station is set to never sleep.

Remote Desktop-OTHER, OS X El Capitan (10.11.6)

Posted on Sep 1, 2016 3:16 PM

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Answer 1

Sep 1, 2016 9:43 PM in response to paul@ccc

Hi paul@ccc,

- do users log into the lab machines before the Instructor invokes Share Screen?

- if so their screen saver settings might be the issue.

Try:

- users do not log into the machines.

- send this unix command via ARD, user root, to all lab machines to disable logoinwindow screensaver

defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.screensaver loginWindowIdleTime 0

HTH

Cheers, dwbrecovery

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Answer 2

paul@ccc Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 2, 2016 2:29 PM in response to dwbrecovery

During today's lecture we had students login. While logged in the instructor reported it was "better" but would still lose the screen share and go back to the login screen. I will test the command you mention and I will also change the security setting to not require password on sleep.

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Answer 3

paul@ccc Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 2, 2016 5:04 PM in response to paul@ccc

I sent that command and tested, but clients are still dropping out. Interestingly it seems to drop when using powerpoint for Mac 2011. During testing periods showing just the instructor's desktop there was no dropping in testing windows of 15-30 minutes.

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Answer 4

Sep 2, 2016 6:16 PM in response to paul@ccc

Check if these affect the dropouts:

- different resolutions on the instructors desktop stops the dropouts in powerpoint.

- On the instructors desktop, Remote Desktop -> Preferences -> Security -> Controlling Computers : use Encrypt passwords and keystrokes only.

HTH

Cheers, dwbrecovery

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Answer 5

paul@ccc Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 6, 2016 2:07 PM in response to paul@ccc

Hmmm I have confirmed the resolutions match from the instructor to the client. I also checked use encrypt passwords and keystrokes only. I tested screen share with and without powerpoint. Viewing the slide show the clients dropped about five minutes in. Just sharing the desktop lasted 20 minutes. I am thinking it is not specific to powerpoint after all.

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Answer 6

Sep 9, 2016 7:30 AM in response to paul@ccc

As a FallBack, ( not the perfect solution ), use Screen Sharing app on the students Macs to connect to the Instructor's Mac. Suggest to use Adaptive Quality and Turn Scaling off.

At one site, this was all that worked with Macs connected to a mix ethernet and wifi.

Using Share Screen… from ARD would black-out the screens.

hth

Cheers, dwbrecovery

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