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Hi.
I am able to remote into a PC from my iPad using Microsoft Remote Desktop for OS using the remote computer's name. However, with the OSX (my MBP), the same App isn't able to find the PC when I provide its name. It is able to find and connect when I provide its IP address.
What should I do to be able to connect using the PC's name.
Thanks
Farzad
MacBook Pro, macOS Sierra (10.12.6), Mid 2012 Model A1286
So I did try and ping the name and it didn't work and I pinged the IP address and ping worked. I have captured the attachment that shows that I am using the correct spelling for the name and in fact the computer appears with the same name in Mac Finder, and I am easily able to get into it and explore it. The only thing is that I cannot run anything unless I remote into it.
Rudegar wrote:
don't think one can resolve computer names if the network is just setup as a workgroup network rather then a domain
That shouldn't matter. This sounds more like a DNS resolution problem. You can still resolve computer names to IP addresses even when there are no domain controllers in the network (in other words, setup as workgroup) as long as you're in the same network.
Thanks, ShagCA.
The beauty of a Mac, and the reason I trashed all my PC's almost two decades ago has always been that I have never needed to be under the hood which is the Windows culture. I have no idea how to ping a computer although I think I can easily figure it out.
The reality that OSX is suddenly not plug-and-play like it always has been is of concern to me. I don't believe I have to mess around with DNS on the OSX and get that deep in order to get the OSX to see and recognize the name of a PC on the same WiFi.
I am using the Microsoft Remote Desktop for OSX while my OSX is on the same WiFi as the host computer is. And it readily works if I provide the IP address assigned to the host computer so I am pretty sure if I went under the hood and pinged that IP address it would bounce back.
Is there a way on OSX that I can see, through OSX, which computers are on a given WiFi? In Windows you just click on Network and it shows all the computers on the same network. I have not found the same feature on my Mac.
Farzad
It looks like you don't have internal DNS (or Windows domain controller) to resolve names to IP address. What you're experiencing is very obvious, name resolution problem. I asked you to ping the computer name (not the IP address). I'd like to make sure your Mac can resolve the name to IP address. I wasn't trying to get you to test connectivity between Mac and your Windows machine.
I have never used Mac in my life so I can't offer any help. I can only tell you to double check on the computer name to be absolutely sure it is spelled correctly. Another thing is to use static IP on the computer you're trying to remote in and edit your Mac hosts file so it can resolve the name (to its IP). Good luck.
don't think one can resolve computer names if the network is just setup as a workgroup network rather then a domain
So this does make some sense to me but I have to winder why would an iPad be able to remote into a PC by its name but a MBP would not.
Thanks for the reply. The PC is on a simple network and everything else can remote into it using its name, including my iPad. I am not sure why it should be more complicated from OSX.
Are you doing this Remote Desktop session from within the internal network (LAN)? Can you ping the computer name from Mac? Does it resolve to an IP address when you ping the computer name?
Okay, I will check into it. In the mean time I am hoping someone that has used a Mac before can also chime in.
Static IP is fast becoming Plan A.
Thanks for replying.
Microsoft Remote Desktop: Can Connect by IP Address but not by name
