Enabling screen sharing through .mac or VNC

I want to enable screen sharing on my desktop computer from another network (so I can connect to my home machine from the office, or on the road). I have successfully enabled my router to allow VNC traffic, and have been able to connect from my laptop on another network. Everything seems to be working fine besides the fact that I am concerned about having port 5900 open on my home router. Is connecting using a .mac account more secure? I suppose I would be able to turn off port 5900 on my router, but I'd also have to pay $100 a year, and worry about someone hacking my .mac account also (I really wish that apple would come out with [FREE] remote desktop software like windows!).

My last effort
turn on process accounting:
"mkdir /var/account"
"touch /var/account/acct"
"accton /var/account/acct" or reboot
"chmod o-rx /usr/bin/lastcomm"
"chmod -R o-rx /var/account"
Everything has to be run in sudo. If you do the above, then run sudo lastcomm and check what that says.

Similar Messages

Is screen sharing through Messages limited to third-party accounts in Yosemite like it is in Mavericks?

So I was told this by an Apple support member through the online chat, but everything else I've been reading seems contradictory. Every blog post I've read, and even Apple's own website makes it seems like you can screen share on Messages with any contact with an iMessage account (in Mavericks, it was limited to third-party accounts signed into Messages like Google, Jabber, AIM, etc...).
I was able to screen share through the iMessages account if the two computers were on the same network (both on wifi, or both tethered to the same phone), but not if they were on separate networks. Which seems almost next to useless. It'd be nice to just get a breakdown of what's possible with screen sharing through Messages.
So far it seems like:
1. Screen sharing is possible using a third-party account (as per in Mavericks).
2. Screen sharing is possible using an iMessages account only within the same network (added in Yosemite). <- if this is really all that was "added", they really should make that clear, rather than making it seem like iMessage accounts have the same utility as third-party ones.
Just want someone to confirm this. Thanks!

Hi,
Screen Sharing only works with an AIM Account (AOL) or a Jabber ID when the person at the other end is also using the same sort of Account and a Mac with iChat or Messages.
The Bonjour Account which is used for LAN based Mac to Mac Chats can also Screen Share.
The Yahoo account (if you have one) is Text only. It does not even do File Sharing. It does not do Video Chat, Audio Only ones or Screen Sharing.
The iMessages account does not do Video chats (or Audio Only)
What it does do is invoke the FaceTime App.
FaceTime does not Screen Share.
Links to the info you have read would be useful.
The Messages Help info.
Text (if the pic does not show)
Share your screen
You and a friend with Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard or later can share a screen, making it easy to collaborate on a project.
When you share a screen, you and your friend can do anything on the shared desktop, such as opening folders, creating documents, and copying files by dragging them from one desktop to another. Messages automatically starts an audio chat.
You can share screens using AIM, Jabber, Google Talk, and Bonjour. You can’t share screens using Yahoo! or iMessage.
Important: When you share your screen, your friend has the same access to your computer that you have. Share your screen only with people you trust, and be careful if you receive a request to share your screen from someone who isn’t in your buddy list. If the request comes from someone using Bonjour, remember that the name shown for the person in Bonjour does not necessarily match the person’s real name.
See the Line above the one where the word "important" is in bold text.
OS X 10.5 is the one with iChat 4.x.x with it.
To be clear:-
iChat 1 was an AIM client but also had the Bonjour account under it's previous name of Rendezvous
iChat 3 added Jabber capabilities
iChat 6 added Yahoo ones. (extremely limited)
Messages brings the Name change and the focus on the iMessages account with the associated window changes.
This means Messages can join 5 "services"
Opening Messages asks you for an Apple ID to register with iMessages.
It also has the Bonjour account present but not turned On.
You can add anything you used in iChat
Some Apple Issued ID are valid AIM Screen Names
GoogleTalk and Facebook Chat IDs works as Jabber IDs
Apple IDs
These can be considered in some ways to be separated into different functions or layers.
The first difference is between external emails and Apple Issued ones that end in @mac.com, @me.com and @icloud.com (Some people are using a small number of pre Email linked Apple IDs - about 15 years or older accounts.)
The Apple Issued ones can be used as AIM Screen Names.
You can also distinguish between iCloud Linked ones and plain Apple IDs
As Apple changed from MobileMe to iCloud they used and linked @me.com IDs to iCloud as people registered for iCloud.
Later they issued iCloud ending emails (you may have both)
This leaves you with "All iCloud IDs are Apple IDs, but not all Apple IDs are iCloud ID ones".
The short answer is if an Account in Messages can Video within the app (not invoke another app) then it can Screen Share.
10:05 pm Friday; November 14, 2014
 iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad

How can I remotely enable Screen Sharing remotely on 10.8?

Is there a way to remotely enable Screen Sharing from another mac? I'm using 10.8.

I assume you mean by remote login.
To enable via SSH to an admin account:
sudo launchctl load -F /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.screensharing.plist
To disable:
sudo launchctl remove com.apple.screensharing

How to enable internet sharing on mac book to use my iphone?

how to enable internet sharing on mac book to use my iphone?

Hey PPRoy,
Thanks for the question. The following article may assist in achieving your goal:
OS X Mavericks: Share your Internet connection
http://support.apple.com/kb/PH13855
Thanks,
Matt M.

IChat screen sharing through Orange livebox (UK)

I am able to establish video connection through iChat with my father in the UK, but cannot establish screen sharing. After spending time on the phone with Apple support here in Canada, Apple in the UK, and my father's ISP Orange, it appears that the problem is with the Orange "livebox." Orange are telling us that they don't support the feature.
Has anyone else been able to find a workaround so that they can establish screen sharing through a livebox?
Thanks for your help.

Livebox devices tend to be actually made by Sagem
See this list http://portforward.com/routers.htm
IS the model you have listed ?
It may help if the ports are opened by UPnP as Screen Sharing tends to use more random ports that basic Video/Audio chats.
10:23 PM Monday; January 21, 2008

Screen sharing on Mac's through Messages (remotely) ?

Hi,
I'm visiting my in-laws and have just helped them set up their new iMac. I expect they will from time to time need me to assist them remotely (we live app. 1200 km apart), so now I am trying to get screen sharing in Messages to work (all Macs are running latest Mountain Lion).
Using my MBPro on their local WiFi network, I noticed that the screen sharing commands remain grayed out in Messages when chatting between the two iCloud accounts. By playing around a bit I noticed that when activating Bonjour on both Macs it appears to work. On my own Mac I noticed an AIM account which should also do the trick according to what I can find on the web ... but I don't recall ever creating an AIM account and wouldn't know how to do so for my in-laws.
So here are a couple of questions I am struggling with (and given my departure date later this week would like to resolve quickly) :
- Does screensharing work in Messages between iCloud accounts ?
- What is Bonjour ? Why do I need it ? (seems a bit of blurry on the web as far as I can find)
- What do I need an AIM account for ? Was this created automatically on my own Mac at SnowLeopard time ? Should I create one for my in-laws and if so how ?
- Is chatting over bonjour / AIM possible on iPad / iPhone ? or will the conversations re

Hi
- Does screensharing work in Messages between iCloud accounts ?
Yes and No
The No is as an iMessage account.
If the Apple ID is an Apple Issued one (@Mac.com and @me.com) then it can be added as an AIM account and will Screen Share
- What is Bonjour ? Why do I need it ? (seems a bit of blurry on the web as far as I can find)
Bonjour is Apple's Zero configuration method of finding other Macs, Bonjour enabled items like Printers and some PCs running Bonjour enabled apps.
These show up in the Share in the Finders Side bar.
This shows up as the Computer name (See System Preference > Sharing)
Within iChat/Messages (if Enabled) then you can see other people with Bonjour Enabled on their iChat or Messages.
In iChat or Message the Buddy Name is taken from the Address Book (Contacts in Mountain Lion) My Card.
You will see what other people call themselves in their Card, they will see what you call yourself.
It will do all that a AIM or Jabber accounts can do except Group Text chats.
- What do I need an AIM account for ? Was this created automatically on my own Mac at SnowLeopard time ? Should I create one for my in-laws and if so how ?
Messages added iMessages to iChat to create an iChat+ type app
Before in iChat AIM and Jabber were the main services that you could use to send messages to other people.
Some Apple IDs ending with @mac.com or @me.com are valid AIM names
(You do have to keep the password to 16 characters or less (AIM Server limit)
iCLoud issues @me.com names will not work in iChat 5 or earlier
iChat 6 and Messages have a Dual login to AIM and Me.com that allows AIM to "see" the password.
It might be the case that you had or have an email valid Apple ID from earlier that now appears in System Preferences > Mail, Contacts and Calendars and has been marked as valid for Messages when you only previously used it for Mail.
You could create your relatives an Apple ID (keep the password to 16 characters or less) from iCloud and both use "AIM" to then do the Screen Sharing.
You can also register a Name with AIM themselves.
Creating the Apple ID tends to Hard Code an external to Apple Email address to that Account but the name is then a valid Email.
AIM can use an email as the name. You can create a name with AIM without listing an email as the name and you then enter this as a plain Username in the Add section of Messages.
You realistically still need to list a separate email for Verification and Password Recovery but you can use the same email over and over and create as many names as you like.
- Is chatting over Bonjour / AIM possible on iPad / iPhone ? or will the conversations re
Bonjour is only used on a LAN (Local chats in the same premisses)
iPad and iPhones are not Bonjour Enabled.
AIM text chat are possible on an iPad/iPhone to a Computer.
The simplest is the iPad logs in with an AIM name via a web Browser and use AIM Express.
The Name used would have to be either @mac.com or an AIM one as an @me.com from iCloud could not get the password checked this way.
The Mac uses Messages/iChat depending on OS and iChat version.
However between iPhones/iPads and a computer the iMessages account is easier.
9:36 PM Monday; September 17, 2012
Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"
 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Lion 10.7.2)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

Enable Screen Sharing from command line

I inadvertently removed screen sharing from my mac mini server firewall but I can still ssh into it. How can I enable either screen sharing or remote management via ARD?
Thanks so much,
J.

Sorry for the imperfect instructions, I was doing it from memory.
First, set up secure ssh credentials by doing the public/private RSA key exchange.
Based on someone else's suggestion I found on the web, I created an "alias" command in my .tcshrc file. I just launch a terminal session and use my alias I've created, followed by my ssh credentials on the remote machine, and the alias/script does the rest.
Begin fragmment from my .tcshrc....
echo " myvnc ACCOUNTNAME = connect to ACCOUNTNAME via VNC"
alias myvnc 'ssh -f -L 1202:localhost:5900 \!:1 sleep 10 ; open vnc://localhost:1202'
... End fragment.
So when I want to vnc I just type
$ myvnc [email protected]
In fact, after a while, I got tired of reading all the server logs of people trying to hack my server over port 22 (ssh standard port). Once you have the alias command above working for you, you can pick a different port on your server's firewall, and forward it to port 22 inside the firewall. That way, hackers that scan your port 22 won't get any response.
Once you do this, you can revise the alias in your .tcshrc to also include the "-p" ssh argument, so hep save you the trouble of remembering the ssh port you have moved your server conversation to. For example, it you decided to close port 22 at the firewall, and forward port 2222 (just an arbitrary number I picked) to your server's port 22 inside the fire wall, your alias line would look like this...
alias myvnc 'ssh -p 2222 -f -L 1202:localhost:5900 \!:1 sleep 10 ; open vnc://localhost:1202'

Upgrade from iChat 3.1.8 to 3.1.9 & enabling Screen Sharing options

Hello,
I am trying to help my best friend use her old mac with iChat and she does not have all the options available to her.
First of all, she has the following mac:
iMac G5
PowerMac 8,1
Mac OS X 10.4.11
iChat 3.1.8
I bought her a webcam with microphone so we could video chat and it works perfectly. It was the Rocketfish HD Webcam from BestBuy about $50.00 (http://rocketfishproducts.com/products/computers/RF-HDWEB.html).
We where able to video chat perfectly and we even used the video chat to chat 3-way with another friend using iChat.
When explaining all the features to her, I was trying to show her how to use the share-screen feature, but we realized she did not have that option available to her.
My questions are:
1) How to make this screen-sharing option available to her?
2) Does the upgrade to iChat 3.1.9 have that feature enabled? What does the 3.1.9 upgrade have that the 3.1.8 version doesn't? Where can I get this upgrade from? Is there a higher iChat 3 version other than 3.1.9?
3) Is there any way to upgrade her to iChat 4 or higher without having to upgrade her whole operating system?
4) Is there any free third party software that can enable her to share her screen using iChat 3?
Thank you for your help,
Melissa

Hi,
Re 1) Only by upgrading to iChat 4 or 5
Re 2) No. See 1) above.
Re 3) No. Each iChat version goes/comes with the OS involved. In fact it is particular about getting it's Updates when the OS is Updated. Reinstalling iChat from an Install Disk requires you run the COMBO OS Updater of the OS level you are at to update iChat to that level.
Re 4) YES http://www.pleasantsoftware.com/showmacster/
This comes with a set of preset pics that can be On or Off instead of the Video feed.
It has some other settings and one of these can be a section of the Screen as Video feed.
It has a demo to try and cost less than $20
It will do slide shows of Pics and Annotate single pics if you use the white board option.
Also try the Demo of this (it is cheaper as well).
It does not mention it in the blurb but it used to have a feature for changing the Video feed and this could be the Desktop (in fact if you didn't/don't delete it the default on Demo Expiry was/is to show the Desktop)
Both are compatible with each other.
Both warn you that they don't work in Snow Leopard (iChat 5 Can see the stuff they send OK)
NOTE:
It is a Display of her Screen only and is not interactive mouse wise from your end. As it is still a video chat you can talk her through things though.
Both will work up to iChat 4.0.9 which may give you the option of Installing for Demo-ing something to her.
10:48 PM Monday; August 16, 2010
Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"

Is screen sharing through the Messages app encrypted?

The Messages app in Mavericks has the option to share your screen (Buddies > Share my screen...). Just learned about it today.
I've been wondering how secure it is to use over the internet.
Any thoughts as to if the screen sharing session is encrypted?
I'm using Mavericks, and haven't found anything that says if the sessions are encrypted or not.

Hi,
The Messages app can use different ID to use the different services.
It can use Apple IDs to use the iMessages service (Text Only) But you can invoke FaceTime from an existing conversation.
By default you also get the Bonjour Account.
If you have other Macs on your LAN (and they use iChat or Messages with Bonjour Enabled) you can Screen Share with them (in addition to Video Or Audio Only chats).
You can join the AIM service with some Apple IDs (ending in @me.com and @icloud.com in most cases and sometime @mac.com depending on your OS version) and of course with AIM or AOL registered Screen Names.
Mac to Mac (iChat or Messages) these can Screen Share over the internet.
Whilst the Login may be SSL (AIM almost insist on in nowadays) the Video chats, Audio Only chats and Screen Sharing are Peer-to Peer connections.
There are steps in the connection process to make sure you are not vulnerable to "Man-in-the-Middle" attacks.
They will only work AIM to AIM.
Jabber (Or XXMP) accounts can include GoogleTalk or Google Mail IDs in reality or Facebook chat IDs are valid Jabber IDs.
You can of course register for a Jabber ID on any other Jabber server you know about.
These will work Jabber to Jabber must be to a Mac using iChat or Messages and not other apps or web Browser logins (As you can do with both Facebook and Google).
The Yahoo account is text only.
8:55 pm Wednesday; July 16, 2014
 iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad

BB screen sharing with Mac

Hi Everyone,
I am supposed to give a demo of 1 of the web application in BB, i need to display the flow on projector through my mac, So please let me know, is there any s/w available to to do so.
Any help appreciated..
Thanks..

That message is not indicative of a remote screen sharing session or any remote access to your mac. I wouldn't worry about it. It's more likely that some file you had backed up from when you used that computer before was trying to access a location on that computer or possibly that your old computer had been signed into your icloud account and was trying to link up for back to my mac functionality or something innocuous.

Networking/screen sharing between Mac and PC

I have a standard home wired/wireless network using a DHCP router. My main computer is a Mac Pro running Snow Leopard (latest everything). My secondary computer is a Windows 7 PC, which has IP address 192.168.2.94.
On the Mac Pro, in the Finder sidebar, under shared, I do see the PC: it's called "rackpc". If I click on it, I see the option to Connect As, but if I click it, it says Connection Failed (the server "rackpc" may not exist or it is unavailable at this time). The screen sharing button doesn't appear (as it does for other Macs in my network).
However, if I manually use the Finder's command-K (connect to server) and type in vnc://192.168.2.94, I can easily connect to the PC and share its screen.
So my question is: how can I "save" this bookmark of vnc://192.168.2.94 (or better yet, make the Mac auto-sense the rackpc's existence, which it partially does) and allow it to appear properly in the Shared list of servers on my local network? Right now it appears there, but as I said above, Connect As doesn't work, and Screen Sharing doesn't appear.
The rackpc is not on a fixed IP because I can't figure out how to do that in Windows. So it's grabbing .94 from the router, which is fine by me for now.

See if this Apple Tech Note helps:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1812?viewlocale=en_US

High CPU usage for AppleVNCServer (Screen Sharing) on Mac Mini (mid 2010)

Steadily around 90-100% (on a dual-core), no browser opened, just iTunes, VLC and a couple of low-impact servers.
I wasn't worried about this since my Mini (no monitor, all Screen Sharing) has always done that but I just realized that Screen Sharing into my iMac or my MBP 13in (mid 2010, same CPU as Mini) does not make them go nearly as high (5-15%).
As a result, it runs pretty hot when I VNC into it.
Any suggestion?

The screensharing CPU issue is still there in Mac OS 10.8.2 :-(
(i have the problem on my mid-2011 mac-mini server)
top sorted by CPU shows clearly two "screensharing"/"Screensharing" processes eating each about 45% CPU

Enabling ARD client automatically enables Screen Sharing

Basically the exact opposite problem described here http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=8910629&#8910629
If I enable ARD client on any machine, whether it's running Leopard, Tiger or Panther, other Leopard client users are potentially able to observe and control that machine using the Screen Sharing feature, if they had the correct username and password, and the client being observed would have no idea. Fortunately they haven't figured this out yet.
This is a problem for me, as I need the ability to observe/control other client machines in this office using my ARD admin, but I need to ensure my Leopard users cannot do the same thing using the Screen Sharing feature.

The problem is that I almost always inevitably end up having to reveal the admin password at some point when I'm trouble shooting a staff member's Mac over the phone while he's overseas on business for example.
Once a user name and password slip out, there's really not much you can do to keep people out. Even if you have a special account for ARD, if someone else has administrator privileges, they can just turn on Screen Sharing or Remote Management for their account. So only if your users are good about not turning that on can you really keep unauthorized users out of your systems.
You might want to look into "neutered" admin accounts. It's a bit tricky, but it is possible to give some administrator privileges to an account but not all of them. Then you could perhaps allow the privileges your users need but still keep them from giving away the keys to the entire system. There's a PDF of a MacWorld session available here (clicking that link will download a zipped file). It's a bit old, but it should still be valid, and it's sketchy (it's the preso slides) but might provide sufficient information. If it's too sketchy, I have a QuickTime of the session the same people presented in 2008 that I could give you if you have a place to upload it (it's too large to email).
Regards.
Regards.
Message was edited by: Dave Sawyer

Screen sharing Macbook/Mac Mini - typed letters do not match

I'm runnung a Mac Mini and a Macbook with network. Both have Leopard 10.5.5 and German localisation with German keyboard layout. When screen sharing and typing a "z" on Macbook, Mac Mini shows a "y"; it seems to be the English keyboard layout.
When typing the same on the Mac Mini's Alu-Keyboard (German layout), the letters appear as typed.
What's the bug?
Thanks

You need Leopard and iChat 4 to work with Shinywhitebox's[Chatter|http://www.shinywhitebox.com/chatter/chatter.html]

Screen Sharing through Messages

I'm having a bit of an issue with screen sharing. I'm running the latest version of Yosemite as is the other machine. (Mac Mini 2011)(MBP 2009) On both machines: Firewall was turned off and it didn't work, then I turned it on and allowed screen sharing(no change). I went into preferences and allowed all sharing(no change).
When I try to initiate screen sharing I get the option in Messages. The other person never gets the alert. When they try to initiate it with me using Messages, it's greyed out and they can't send any requests.
Any ideas if this is a known bug or something else I'm missing?

Messages Help
Share your screen
You and a friend with Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard or later can share a screen, making it easy to collaborate on a project.
When you share a screen, you and your friend can do anything on the shared desktop, such as opening folders, creating documents, and copying files by dragging them from one desktop to another. Messages automatically starts an audio chat.
You can share screens using AIM, Jabber, Google Talk, and Bonjour. You can’t share screens using Yahoo! or iMessage.
Important: When you share your screen, your friend has the same access to your computer that you have. Share your screen only with people you trust, and be careful if you receive a request to share your screen from someone who isn’t in your buddy list. If the request comes from someone using Bonjour, remember that the name shown for the person in Bonjour does not necessarily match the person’s real name.
Open Messages for me
Share your screen or a friend’s screen
Respond to an invitation
Screen sharing in Messages is independent of screen-sharing settings in System Preferences. You can share screens using Messages even when Screen Sharing is deselected in the Sharing pane of System Preferences.
SEE ALSO
Audio chat, video chat, and screen-sharing requirements
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Enabling screen sharing through .mac or VNC

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