Back to my mac connectivity issues

Hi,
I am a happy mac user and since I work on multiple mac machines I thought the back to my mac feature was a godsend.
Unfortunately, the performance is subpar to many other apps/services available.
I am seeing about 10% of success when trying to connect to other macs, so the question is whether there is something wrong with my network setup (checked multiple times) or the issue lies hidden somewhere else.
Does anyone else experience these issues?
Thank you

Hello tadelv,
We've an article that provides relevant information and tips that may help stabilize Back to my Mac.
OS X: Using and troubleshooting Back to My Mac with your iCloud account
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4907
Cheers,
Allen

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Operating Time Machine over a remote Back to My Mac connection is a challenge -- can I do restores in Terminal?

When operating Time Machine remotely via Back to My Mac (and by remotely, I mean from Illinois to Ohio ), seeing your remote mouse cursor is largely a no-go, even in Lion. It simply does not get displayed, with very minor, flickering exceptions. Certainly it becomes impossible to operate the Time Machine's Finder window in any mouse-clicking way. I can barely operate the CANCEL or RESTORE buttons, and that's if I help myself by mousing over from outside the Screen Sharing Window, and kind of estimating if I am over the button area. Similarly, I can get the mouse to give me some approximate date in the backups progression. But the way to select a file, I found, is through arrow-keys. I can get to the right directory before starting the Time Machine, and I can navigate to the correct file with much delay using the arrow-keys. In short, it's a major freaking pain, because of all the lag and invisible mouse.
But I was able to do what I needed, given enough pain and perseverance.
Question: Given the impoverished visuals for mouse operations, is there a way to do this on the command line, not through the moving galaxy syntactic sugar that just gets in the way? Can I run the whole restore operation in Terminal? Of course, still via Back to My Mac, because I don't know how to get to the remote iMac in any other way remotely, given that it sits behind a cable modem and a Time Capsule router with NAT. And I don't want to set up port forwarding, if I don't have to.
Thanks for reading, and I'll take your considered expert advice.
-- Marek

Well, I have now reformatted/partitioned my poor WD Elements 2TB drive about a dozen times as well as restarted my 1TB Time Capsule so many times it's no wonder it's as confused as I am! <G>
Last night, at your suggestion, William, and in respect for your continued support, I tried creating two 1TB Mac OS Extended (Journaled) partitions on the WD external USB drive, both with GUID partition tables. Both volumes mounted to my laptop's desktop flawlessly and without issue.
Once the external drive was connected to the Time Capsule, however, it was a crap shoot as to whether or not the drive was recognized at all, reporting a problem with the disk, or, even at one point, mounting one of the two volumes but not both. <sigh>
I read somewhere on the Internet that you need to restart the Time Capsule for volumes on an external USB drive to be recognized.
So I tried that. I connected the freshly partitioned/formatted disk to the Time Capsule and restarted it. This succeed in removing the issue of reporting a nameless drive with a capacity of 0MB. It then reported the drive with its correct name but would not recognize whatever volumes in whatever partitions that particular crack at it contained with the exception of the once, as I mentioned above, when only one of two volumes mounted correctly and was listed with the right name and capacity on the Time Capusule's Setup's Disk tab.
At this point I have given up on my goal to use the external drive with Time Machine to back up my Macs or to hope I will ever be able to see its contents remotely via Back to My Mac. All I would like to do now is simply find a reason why I can't get it successfully connected and playing nice with my Time Capsule in the first place!
Any further suggestions or advice as to what steps I might take next would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you all.

Back to my mac -- connect as guest is default

I have a couple of computers using 'back to my mac' screen sharing and file sharing with no problems (powerbooks, ibooks, mac mini(intel), and old G4). I just got a macbook pro and configured it with the same mobile me login info, etc, sync all mail/bookmarks/etc with no problems. However, when trying to connect to all other computers using screen sharing in the finder, it defaults to connect as guest. My mobile me credetials don't get used -- I have to specifically use an existing username/password from the maching i'm trying to connect to.
When I enable back to my mac, I do get an error saying teh router isn't configured for upnp, but it is -- four other machines are using it no problem this way with no problems.
Its only this laptop that has an issue. Firewall is off for all of this.
Any suggestions?

I can't turn File Sharing off. I still want to file share. But I just don't want to connect to this "share" using the information that the Finder is defaulting to, and autoconnecting with. There doesn't seem to be a way to do this. I went through my entire KeyChain and I couldn't find anything that would account for this. It's as if the Finder thinks that because I connected to this share using my appleID once, it now defaults to this every time, and I have to actually disconnect and then reconnect with the login info that provides me the level of access that I require. Not sure if this makes sense.
I do appreciate the help. Thanks.

Losing back to my mac connection

When away from my homenet, I can always reach my TimeCapsule from the Internet, and sometimes even my computers. After a while though, I loose the connection to the computers, but I am still connected to the TC. At home, I restart " Back to my Mac" and then it works for a while again. What to do?

Same problem just with my new retina. The old MBP was ok.

WRT54GS V4 with Mac - connection issue!

Hi,
I have a WRT54GS wireless router of version 4.
It has 3 PCs (one desktop, wired, 2 laptops, wireless), 2 iPhones and one Mac connected to it.
All PCs and iPhones are working fine and get good signal and stable connection.
The one Mac, however, can't seem to make it...
The connection keeps dropping and when I try to conect again I get a connection timeout (-6). After few attempts I, most of the time, are able to connect and get very good signal, until the next time it dropps.
Things I already tried so far:
I updated the firmware to the latest one, from the Linksys support site.
I resterted the router few times as well as the Mac.
I changed the channel (from 6 to 9).
Help... Please...
Thanks,
Message Edited by Radzi on 10-27-2008 01:36 PM

DIdn't help...
Tried changing to WEP, removing security completely, all kinds of tricks, including, now, chnging the MTU from 1500 to 1350.
No luck.
The odd part is that I sometimes get a signal and then it is very strong and fast. Few minutes (best case) later it starts losing the connection quality to complete drop.
I, then, get on the Mac "connection timed out" message.
I start getting very tired of this. Look slike I will give up soon and buy something else.

Several PC and Mac connectivity issues with Airport Extreme Base Station

Hello,
This is not all necessarily airport base station related, but there is some crossover, so I'm posting all of these issues...
Here is the laundry list of things that I can't make work in a home network that contains a PC w/ XP Home, MacBook 1.83 w/ 10.4.7, and Airport Extreme Base Station w/ Modem.
1. Can't see the PC from the Mac.
a. "Connect to server -> Browse" does not find the PC
b. "ipconfig" on PC provides valid looking IP address
c. ping from mac to PC IP address times out
d. Firewall on XP is disabled via control panel
b. Windows file and printer sharing is enabled
2. Can't see mac from PC
a. Windows file sharing enabled on mac
b. Firewall on mac disabled
c. I used \\MacIPAddr\shortusername
d. ping times out
3. Using dial-up to access internet, how do i tell airport to dial using PC?
a. this feature is working fine from mac
b. If already connected (via instruction from mac), can surf the internet fine from PC
c. Is this even possible from the PC?
4. Can't see printer connected to base station from PC
a. See it fine from mac
b. How do i "find" the printer on the PC?
c. Is Bonjour required for this? (I don't have it on the PC yet)
5. Can't see a "shared" printer on the PC from the mac
a. printer is connected directly to PC
b. Mac's add printer wizardry looks like it may "see" the printer, but then it asks for username and password for PC. This is XP home, with no usernames or passwords. Single user. Nothing seems to work in the credentials pop-up dialog.
Any suggestions on any of these issues is very welcome.
Thanks

Is the PC running any kind of internet security or firewall software?
1. Can't see the PC from the Mac.
2. Can't see mac from PC
Sharing files between an XP PC and a Mac running OS 10.4.x
http://www.ifelix.co.uk/tech/3020.html
3. Using dial-up to access internet, how do i tell
airport to dial using PC?
Jon Sevy has a Java Utility for this purpose.
You will need Java in order to run the utility
http://www.java.com
4 . Can't see printer connected to base station from
PC
Printing from a Windows XP PC to a printer attached to an Airport Extreme Base Station or Airport Express
http://www.ifelix.co.uk/tech/1004.html
Printing from a Windows XP PC to a printer attached to an Airport Extreme Base Station or Airport Express using Bonjour
http://www.ifelix.co.uk/tech/1008.html
Problems with finding Printer Driver on Windows XP when using printer connected to Airport Extreme or Express
http://www.ifelix.co.uk/tech/1012.html
5. Can't see a "shared" printer on the PC from the
mac
Printing to a printer on a XP PC from a Mac running 10.4.x
http://www.ifelix.co.uk/tech/3015.html
Printing to a printer on a Mac running 10.4.x from a Windows PC using Bonjour for Windows
http://www.ifelix.co.uk/tech/3014.html
iFelix

How can i fix Connection issues with back to my mac since yosemite upgrade.

Ok I have been having nothing but problems with back to my mac since the upgrade. both machines are using yosemite and I have even reinstalled yosemite on both still having connection issues. anyone else know how I can fix this? I get one of 2 error messages one that says there is a problem connecting and i should make sure screen sharing is active and then another that says the server does not exist. So far to get it working it involves restarting back to my mac or both macs. This is not a good fix since once I disconnect and try to reconnect a few hours later it does it all over again. I am currently in France and needless to say my parents are starting to get really annoyed with constantly having to do things on there end so I can remote into my iMac.Before the yosemite upgrade I maybe had to do this once or twice.

What I have done is open Disk Utility, Repair Permissions, and do that more than once if it returns a lot of errors in the permissions. Then Restart the Mac.
Also, go to System Preferences > Spotlight and try turning off a couple settings such as search suggestions...these things are taking a lot of resources now.

HT4907 I am able to connect to my Mac Mini on Back to My Mac through iCloud but the keyboard/trackpad on the MBAir or MBP with which I access does not register on the Mini. So I can see the screen but cannot interact with it. Mini works accessing MBP/Air

I am able to connect to my Mac Mini on Back to My Mac through iCloud but the keyboard/trackpad on the MBAir or MBP with which I access does not register on the Mini. So I can see the screen but cannot interact with it. Mini works accessing MBP/Air and I can use Mini to input data or interact with screens of those computers.

Regarding your first question about bookmarks, I think you discovered the answer in when you pressed the address bar. The second tab there has your bookmarks.
As for the keyboard, I'm not sure why your Firefox is reacting so slowly; mine seems to show keyboards even when I don't want them. If you have accumulated a lot of history, perhaps that's an issue?
Did you use any third party software to move your Firefox data from internal memory to the storage card?

My brand new mac pro always had Internet connection issues at school. WHY is that? I see the school's Internet working perfectly fine on other PC's, but there is never a day where my mac doesn't have Internet connection issues at school. How do I fix it?

I got my mac pro in the middle of August. School started the week after. Internet was working perfectly fine at home. But at school, I never had a good connection. Sometimes on the good days I get a connection when I'm sitting at the exact spot in class I always sit at. It's ridiculous and it's frustrating. I invested my money into this laptop and I'm beginning to regret it. I thought it was the school's Internet, but I don't see Internet issues with other PC users. It's most frustrating on registration days and I'm trying to register for my classes before it gets taken, but again... Internet connection issues. It's random. Majority of the time, it doesn't work at all. I've done Network Diagnosis and turning WiFi off then turning it on again. I've done everything I could. I put my money on this laptop and it was a lot of money. I could have bought an 800 dollars laptop and I would have Internet connection anywhere on campus. So, I don't want to continue everyday to regret on buying this laptop every time I try to connect to the Internet at school or Starbucks or anywhere else. How do I fix this? What's the problem ?
At school, I heard this guy had a problem with Internet connections too and he owned a new mac book pro. He said something like Apple messed up on something, but he fixed it. If I knew mac book pro's had these issues I wouldn't have bought it in the first place. It's freezing on me every other day. It's ridiculous. But what concerns me the most is the Internet connection. So someone please tell me what can I do next to prevent the problem? Am I doing something wrong maybe?

Hi Kevin,
I'm using an XLR input mic which is connected to the phantom power enabled XLR mic socket on a USB M-Audio M-Track. The M-Track is connected by USB to the Mac Pro - so effectively I've got an M-Audio USB soundcard with a mic input. I've also tried a microphone that is a straight XLR to USB cable (guessing with some soundcard chip buried in the usb plug) but that also yields the same effect of bad latency, intermittent quality, stuttering and repeating and echoing (without the speakers on during record so its not feedback).
The mic works absolutely fine with other recording applications I have on the mac at the moment - albeit non-adobe ones (tested it on the EasyAudioRecorder - and it lives up to its name. it's easy)
I will try with Audition and report back, but sitting here right now I can imagine it would work fine with audition too - it just seems to be the way premiere is set up for recording into the timeline is a bit sketchy. I'm willing to accept it might well be a quirk with the new Mac Pro trashcan - I'm not weighting all the woes on premiere.
Any thoughts or am I out of luck to sit with my fingers crossed for a fix in the next round of updates?
Nathan.

ICloud & back to my mac - is this a screen share issue?

Since installing Lion a few weeks ago on my Macmini (to help me fully upgrade / migrate from MobileMe to iCloud) I've have a couple of issues which are bugging (no pun intended) the life out of me. I'm almost at the point of doing a complete erase and install of Lion it's that bad. Normally I always do an erase and install when upgrading OSX but the setup of my mini is such that it would take me a long time to rebuild it from scratch. That'll teach me.. I just upgraded Lion on top of Snow Leopard, whereas on my MBP I did a clean install of Lion and no problems.
Here's my issue:
On serveral occasions, whilst using back to my mac, to screenshare my mini on my MBP, I've had windows and hard drives disappear off screen. If I do a right mouse click on my finder I can view the windows on screen but when I select them they disapear. I have a feeling that mission control is doing something, but I never use this, nor do I have anything set-up, other than the intial configuration. This is *really* doing my head in. I can usually fix it by changing the screen dimensions on my mini through the Display control panel or switching my TV over to the hdmi input so I can view the desktop directly on my TV (as opposed to screensharing).
I'm not really sure if this is a problem with mission control, or back to my mac, or a video input problem (I'm using a mini displayport to dvi and dvi to hdmi cable to connect the mini to my TV).
Any troubleshooting suggestions very much appreciated.
VP

If you have a VPN installed (by mistake?) you should be able to go to your System Prefs > Network and see the VPN listed in the left hand column along with Aiport and Ethernet. You can un-install by using the minus button at the bottom of the column.
The link provided shows you how to install a VPN client with screen shots, including one of this Network Prefs screen and what a VPN client looks like.
https://www.publicvpn.com/support/MacOSX105.php

Double computer name on network and NAT issue with Back to My Mac

These are the problems I am having:
When my MacPro workstation (which on the network is named "The Beast") wakes from sleep - I get a message saying "there is already a computer on the network with the name "The Beast". Other computers on the network can now find you at "The Beast-2"" and it gives me a new name in the file sharing preferences - even though it is the only computer on the network with that name.
Why is this happening???
The other problem is with BackTo My Mac - When I try to enable it - I get an error message saying "Turn off NAT Addressing" - which I thought was turned off since the AEBS is in Bridge Mode. Why is this happening?
Here is my network setup which consists of the Modem / Router from my ISP - an Airport Extreme Base Station and one Airport Express - which is connected to my MacPro via ethernet. The MacPro does not have an airport card installed and is running OSX 10.6.8 - all other computers / devices are running 10.7.x and iOS6).
VDSL Modem / Router (from Internet provider) with wireless turned off - (so it is not broadcasting a competing wireless signal) - connected via ethernet to my Airport Extreme Base Station.
Here are all the settings on the AEBS and the Airport Express: - I am using Airport Utility 5.6.1 on my Mac Pro running OSX 10.6.8 - so the setup prefs are different than the newer version of Airport Utility found on 10.7.x systems - but both work fine. Although I did notice that the option to allow ethernet clients to connect to the Airport Express does not exist (or I just didn't find it) in the newer version of Airport Utility.
Airport Extreme Base Station is set up as follows:
Wireless Mode: Create a Wireless Network
Wireless Settings:
Allow this network to be extended IS CHECKED
Radio Mode: 802.11n (b and g compatible)
Wireless Security: WPA/WPA2 Personal
Access Control:
MAC Address Access Control: Not Enabled
Internet Settings:
Internet Connection:
Connect Using: Ethernet
Connection Sharing: OFF (Bridge Mode).
TCP/IP:
Configure IPv4: Using DHCP
Advanced Settings:
Logging & Statistics:
Syslog Destination Address is blank (as in nothing appears in this field).
Syslog Level: 5 - Notice
Allow SNMP is CHECKED
MobileMe:
Back to my Mac is turned off - but if I try to turn it on I get an error message saying "Turn off NAT Addressing - which I thought was turned off since the AEBS is in Bridge Mode. Why is this happening?
IPv6:
IPv6 Mode: Link-local only
As stated - my MacPro with no wifi card - is connected via ethernet to an Airport Express which connects wirelessly to the AEBS for network and internet access.
Airport Express Settings:
Airport Settings:
Wireless Mode: Join a Wireless Network
Allow Ethernet Clients IS CHECKED
Wireless Security WPA/WPA2 Personal
Internet Settings: Are grayed out (as in I can't change these settings - I assume because they are being controlled by the AEBS) and read as follows:
Connect Using: Wireless Network
Connection Sharing: OFF (Bridge Mode)
TCP/IP:
Configure IPv4: using DHCP
All other settings are identical to the AEBS.
All other WiFi devices in the house (MacBook Pro, iPhones, iPad's, iMac, Apple TV, Nintendo Wii etc…all are able to connect to the network and connect to the internet - no problem.
Thanks for any insights into what might be causing the double name on the network and why it is asking me to turn off NAT addressing - when both my Airport devices are in Bridge Mode?

I am also having this issue... any updates on this??

Back to My Mac is not connecting when external from my local network

I have an Aiport Extreme. Back to My Mac is enabled with my Apple ID. The Mac Mini I have hard wired into the router is also enabled for Back to my Mac. It's utilizing the same Apple ID.
Troubleshooting steps undertaken:
Reset router
Turned off back to my mac on my mac mini and then turned it back on after a few minutes.
Went into the airport utility. (tried each individually and together)
Created a DHCP reservation for that mac mini.
Enabled a default host for NAT.
Unchecked the "block incoming IPv6 connections," but have turned it back on.
In order to test the setup, I tether to my iPhone. As soon as I tether, the mac mini disappears from shared devices in finder.

Hi
I have exactly the same problem. I've been tinkering with it for days on and off and so far find it has nothing to do with the setup. I've been through the suggestions as posted by Braden, although i discovered these myself earlier, and it made no difference. I've tried turning things on and off, resigning in to back to my mac and icloud over and over again.
I did discover that either a restart temporarily fixed the problem, or it was me turning off the firewall on the mac mini i wasn't sure, but in either event the fix only lasts a day or so and then the mini randomly disappear from the network (usually just before i really need it!).
Back to my mac was functioning perfectly before the Yosemite upgrade so I'm seriously thinking about downgrading to Mavericks as i now strongly believe it's a bug in Yosemite. If/when 10.1 update comes out, and if it still doesn't fix the problem, then i will jump back to mavericks.
Apart from that I've been really happy with Yosemite!
(sorry Hoosier, i just noticed you were on Mavericks not Yosemite... but same issues here. )

Connect As- won't let me enter Name and Password on Back to My Mac

I'm trying to "get back to my mac". It's a Pro Mac and iCloud shows it as Online. Connecting from my MacBook Pro, over the internet. Both machines are fully updated Mavericks (10.9.4).
When I "Connect as…" on the ProMac in the finder, the Connecting… sits for a long time and then I get the error message "There was a problem connecting to the server “x". The server may not exist or it is unavailable at this time. Check the server name or IP address, check your network connection, and then try again."
Same thing for screen sharing.
What I expect to happen is to be able to click on Connect as… and to be able to enter name and password (I suspect it's logging into the wrong user), but it just tries to connect and generates the error again. I've tried a restart and can't really think of anything else to wake it up.
Any suggestions?

Hi Neal Bridgens,
If you are having issues setting up or using Back To My Mac from your MacBook Pro to your Mac Pro, you may find the information and troubleshooting steps outlined in the following articles helpful:
Set up and use Back to My Mac
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4907
If you have issues using Back to My Mac
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS5381
Regards,
- Brenden

Remote Connection using Back to my Mac for Time Capsule?

How do I connect to my Time Capsule and connected usb drive/printer now that Back to my Mac for Mobile Me is disabled and iCloud is running Back to my Mac?
More information:
I used to use the Mobile Me's version of Back to my Mac to enable connecting with my time Capsule, but how is this done now that iCloud has taken over Back to my Mac and I have upgraded to Lion.
I have a Feb2011 MBP and a 2010 minimac the macmini is always connected to the time capsule, but I would like to be able to connect directly to the time capsule without having to go through the macmini.
Thank you for your help

It is possible but I am not sure it is worth the hassle..
Your key issue here is public IP for your network.. if you have a static ip you are fine.. but very few people have this. It also depends on how the TC is setup.. is it the main router for the network or plugged into a modem router which has the role of main router, even if you use the TC as a secondary router.
Without more info..
1. This is easy if you have a static public IP and the TC is the main router and gets the public IP on the wan port.. just go to disk sharing in the airport utility manual setup and check for wan (internet access).
2. If you have a dynamic IP, then you will have to sort out how you are going to find that IP.. the normal method to use dyndns account is not directly applicable because the TC has no client. It is possible to set up dyn dns but you will need to purchase your own domain name.
3. You may find it easier to use standard router and bridge the TC. A standard router can be setup to port forward 548 AFP files service to the TC ip address. You may or maynot be able to access the printer. Certainly would be easier if the printer has IPP services. And is a true network printer.
4. Use vpn.. get a vpn router so you can setup proper vpn endpoints.. then you use VPN service to access your local network.. this is far more secure and will work with dyndns just fine.

Connectivity Issue Between MacBook Pro and Mac Mini

I have a MacBook Pro and a Mac Mini both with Yosemite 10.10.2, I've never had any issues with them sharing a connection when I was home, (I've never been able to connect outside of my home network) but I use the Mini to backup my MacBook Pro, but has of February 11th my MacBook Pro doesn't see my Mac Mini no matter what I do. I can share the screen from the Mini to the Book Pro but I can't remotely access the Mini from the MacBook Pro. I've turned off Back to My Mac on both Macs and removed it from my Airport Extreme and re-entered all of the information. I signed out of iCloud on both Macs and signed back in. I haven't changed any settings at all before I lost the connection, I am not sure how to resolve this issue.

Hey there GRivera210,
It sounds like you are having issues with using Back to my Mac. I would recommend using the troubleshooting outlined in the following article to help resolve the issue. It also has a contact for the iCloud support team if it doesnt resolve it:
If you have issues using Back to My Mac
Thank you for using Apple Support Communities.
Take care,
Sterling

Back to my mac connectivity issues

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