Setting up remote access from PC to Mac using DynDNS

Question

Hi Guys,
I'm hoping someone can help out, I'm quite desperate here.
I am about to head overseas for three weeks, and need to leave my Mac running, so that I can log into it remotely using a PC. My Mac, is a MacBook Pro, and the PC I will be using is an Asus EEE PC. I will need to do simple things like grab files, open PDFs and run a few applications from time to time on the Mac.
I have a billion 7404VGP router that my Mac will be plugged into, using an ADSL connection. I have a dynamic IP address so I have setup a DynDNS account.
I have read countless tutorials, and posted to a few different sites, but I can not get any consistency in responses or guidance on how to set this up properly. It's killing me.
Am I correct in understanding that VNC is the best method to do this? I'm being told that I also need to open all sorts of ports on the router. Some say I need to 'SSH', others say I need to 'VPN'. I'm quite technically literate but I'm lost in all the protocols and variations people are saying I need to use.
So far, I have setup the following:
*On the Mac:*
- Enabled 'Screen Sharing' in OS X System Preferences > Screen Sharing
- Specified a password for 'VNC viewers may control the screen' within Screen Sharing settings
- Setup a DynDNS account, and created a custom name (ie myname.dyndns.org)
*On the Billion Router*
- Setup the DynDNS configuration so that when the IP address changes it tells the server
- Under Virtual Server, I have added a port forwarding entry as follows:
Schedule: Always On
Application: DynDNS
Protocol: TCP
External Port: 80 to 80
Redirect Port 80 to 80
Internal IP Address: This is where I think I need guidance. I have to select the IP associated with my MAC address, so the IP is 192.168.1.4.
This is as far as I have gotten. I have installed a VNC viewer on the PC, and tried to login using the IP address that shows up in my DynDNS account, but nothing is working.
What am I doing wrong? Can somebody kindly explain (or direct me to), a straight english step by step process of how I can get this going? Any guidance is appreciate it.
Thanks so much.

Answer 1

I am about to head overseas for three weeks, and need to leave my Mac running, so that I can log into it remotely using a PC. My Mac, is a MacBook Pro, and the PC I will be using is an Asus EEE PC. I will need to do simple things like grab files, open PDFs and run a few applications from time to time on the Mac.
The grabbing of files is going to complicate things a little bit, as now you want 2 things, not just one.
I have a billion 7404VGP router that my Mac will be plugged into, using an ADSL connection. I have a dynamic IP address so I have setup a DynDNS account.
I have read countless tutorials, and posted to a few different sites, but I can not get any consistency in responses or guidance on how to set this up properly. It's killing me.
Am I correct in understanding that VNC is the best method to do this? I'm being told that I also need to open all sorts of ports on the router. Some say I need to 'SSH', others say I need to 'VPN'. I'm quite technically literate but I'm lost in all the protocols and variations people are saying I need to use.
VNC is a way to control the Mac remotely. But grabbing files will require something else, which is most likely why you got some suggestions for ssh, and/or VPN.
I'm going to suggest TeamViewer Screen Sharing and File Transfer utility (free for personal use).
<http://teamviewer.com/index.aspx>
The advantage of TeamView is that you can both control the screen and you can grab files all in one package.
Just make sure you fully test your setup before leaving.
However, if you want to pursue VNC, I'll add comments below.
So far, I have setup the following:
*On the Mac:*
- Enabled 'Screen Sharing' in OS X System Preferences > Screen Sharing
- Specified a password for 'VNC viewers may control the screen' within Screen Sharing settings
This should be a strong password.
- Setup a DynDNS account, and created a custom name (ie myname.dyndns.org)
So far so good
*On the Billion Router*
- Setup the DynDNS configuration so that when the IP address changes it tells the server
- Under Virtual Server, I have added a port forwarding entry as follows:
Schedule: Always On
Application: DynDNS
Protocol: TCP
External Port: 80 to 80
Redirect Port 80 to 80
Internal IP Address: This is where I think I need guidance. I have to select the IP associated with my MAC address, so the IP is 192.168.1.4.
The port numbers are wrong. Port 80 is for a web server. VNC uses port 5900.
Did you have to manually enter that IP address when you setup the port forwarding? Or does the router have some way of locking into your Mac?
I ask, because of your Mac's IP address is assigned via DHCP, then it is possible the router could change the address it gives to the Mac on a power failure restart, but the port forwarding might be locked into 192.168.1.4.
So if the router needs to have a stable IP address for port forwarding, then you might want to configure the Mac with a fixed IP address (preferably one outside of the routers DHCP assignment range), then use that fixed IP address with port forwarding (always test any configuration change such as this).
Oh yea, you are configuring your Mac to automatically reboot when power is restored (System Preferences -> Energy Saver -> Options -> Restart automatically after power failure
This is as far as I have gotten. I have installed a VNC viewer on the PC, and tried to login using the IP address that shows up in my DynDNS account, but nothing is working.
As mentioned, you need to forward port 5900 for VNC.
What am I doing wrong? Can somebody kindly explain (or direct me to), a straight english step by step process of how I can get this going? Any guidance is appreciate it.
Port forwarding port 5900 should do the trick.
However, at this point you only have screen sharing. You can do stuff to your Mac, but you can not transfer files via this connection.
This is where suggestions for ssh come in (or you could go back to my TeamViewer idea ).
Ssh can offer remote terminal login (PuTTY is a very good Windows Terminal emulator). Ssh can also offer scp (ssh cp) and sftp (ssh ftp) services, both of which can be used to transfer files to and from the Mac securely over the internet.
The easiest PC/Mac file transfer while traveling, would be to find a good Windows sftp GUI application. There are a bunch of them for the Mac so there must be 4 or 5 times as many Windows GUI sftp clients. A Google "windows sftp gui client" search should come up with a few.
OK, getting ssh working.
Enable System Preferences -> Sharing -> Remote Login.
Now on your router, Port Foward port 22, the ssh port.
Now you should be able to fire up a Windows sftp GUI client, and access your Mac via your DynDNS.org name. The username and password will be your Mac's account short name and password. If you do not know your short name, you can find this via System Preferences -> Accounts
Summary:
o Forward port 5900 for VNC
o Forward port 22 for ssh
o Enable Remote Login on the Mac
o You have already enabled Screen Sharing, and specified a VNC password (goodness).
o Configure the Mac so it will reboot in case of a power failure.
o Make sure the router will still be able to port foward 5900 and 22 after a power failure, either because it locks into the Mac, or because you have given the Mac a fixed IP address.
Now test the heck out of this, from a coffee shop or a friends house.
Even if you configure VNC and ssh, I would suggest also trying TeamView so you have a "Plan B".