Screen Sharing Between Mac and PC
 

Ok I was wondering if anyone knows a good screen sharing free software that I can use between a mac and pc. Also I was hoping that it includes file transfers. Also how will i go about using a software like this. The only way I know how to screen share is iChat. I know that Leopard has a screen sharing software built in but i don't know how to use this.

Thanks for the Help.

Take a look at VNC. It's free, multi-platform and pretty good.
JollysFastVNC and realvnc seem to work OK.

If you want the premium kit, use Timbuktu. It's not freeware like VNC but it's the best of breed.

ok cool thanks yea i am looking for a freeware. So I can download one of the two software stated and I can use the software that comes with leopard. And it will work. Can you please tell me how these programs work, like what do I have to do to access my pc from my mac. Both will be on separate networks. Do I need to put in the IP address of my computer. Sorry for all the questions but I want to make sure what I need to do, to get this up and running.

Thanks

How to set up VNC on Mac OS X. This was the second hit in Google for the search terms 'how to use VNC "OS X"'. Google is your friend.

Trevor

You did not mention whether your trying to screen share/or control and whether you need to do within your home or between your system and say someone else's across the internet.

If it is across the internet there are solutions that will cut through firewalls automatically like logmein that is free. Using something like VNC requires Pre-Control of both PC configurations of routers and such.

sorry but yea, it will be on different networks, and I am trying to control it.

If you have to have file transfer in your remote control program your choices are limited. You did not say how big the files are you want to transfer. There are free separate programs and not free services for this purpose of just file transfer. And of course for small things email works

Logmein on the mac side supports only the free version that does remote control only.

https://secure.logmein.com/home.asp?hp=5

On the client side you download the free software and you use an email account to register/add computers. On the Side that you wish to do controlling from you do not need to add the software (though their is a recommended browser plug in). I think the software is great. It can be a little buggy at times where you might have to dump the session and start over. The software puts a little menu item at the top of the clients screen that lets you enable and disable incoming connections.

There are a few other programs that are also free but I have not tried them. If you search these threads for logmein you will find threads about this program and other programs. Note that on the Mac Side you can use either Firefox or Safari. Some have posted that firefox is more stable with logmein.


Good luck.

Timbuktu was the cross platform gold standard [and it does file transfers] (though it not have the ability to cut through firewalls without help) I believe they did/do still offer register an IP to an email address on both ends to cut through firewalls (the program is about $150 for 2 pack). Others could tell you of their experiences and preferences for free and not free programs.

While your waiting to hear from others I recommend you try logmein. It is really easy to get started with. I use Logmein to teach friends and family remotely how to do things on their computers.

Thanks for the help, i heard of LogMeIn, but i saw that I need the pro version to do so. The files i wish to transfer are quite big. Most could go as 17GB. Maybe I'm getting ahead of technology right now. I will try logmein, I just heard that Mac 10.5 has a software that does this and was wondering how could I use that to access my PC at home while i'm away at college, so I will be able to troubleshoot my dad if he has trouble.

Thanks again

Your not getting ahead of technology your trying to get the best free solution versus paid.

17GB would take a long time no matter the method. No free solution of separate file transfer solutions that I am aware of will let you transfer more then a few GB. Part of this depends on wether you mean 17GB files or 17GB of various size files.

I want to reiterate that their is no paid version for the mac side that I am aware for logmein.

Apple does not offer a cross platform control solution. I recommend for your primary need Logmein.

Even if you use Virtual Box or another VM program, or Bootcamp to run windows on your mac you still have some of the same issues of cutting through firewalls.

You either have the heavy lifting of configuring routers on both ends of the connection, or programs can take advantage of skype, or chat apps to provide the machine to machine connectivity and then your choice of remote control programs.

Like I said you can search for threads here and elsewhere. If someone knows of a better solution then logmein I would love to use it too:)

Good Luck

Timbuktu does let you register your current (DHCP) address in such a way that someone inputting the email address you code in as standing in lieu of whatever your current IP address is will be forwarded to your IP address. That doesn't get you past firewalls, it just gets you past the vagaries of DHCP servers.

But Timbuktu can also piggyback on Skype's protocol. And Skype is free. You have to set up Skype so the two accounts on the two machines see each other as "buddies" and Skype has to be open & running, but with that much set up, two "buddies" can Timbuktu past firewalls, even if the remote computer you're connecting to has a 192.169.xx.yy or 10.xx.xx.yy type "local" IP address.

Timbuktu does do file transfers, it handles modifier keys well, and it's probably the fastest and most responsive of the remote control protocols. It transfers the contents of the CLIPBOARD, which is a very nice touch, but only works when client and server are the same platform.


Apple Remote Access is almost as fast, but ARA only has that kind of speed connecting to other Macs; when forced to use VNC protocol to connect to a Windows PC it's no faster than VNC clients in general. On a Mac-to-Mac basis, ARA has file transfers and a huge host of other remote control tricks like sending a command to be performed from the other computer's command line, and, like Timbuktu, can transfer clipboard contents... but all of this is Mac-only. Connect to/from a PC and ARA is just another VNC package. ARA is free and built-in to OSX under "sharing" (server) end but you have to pay for the "viewing" (client software) end.

VNC is not as fast as either of those and does not supply any kind of file transfer. Some clients are better than others but many of them have problems with the remote mouse position not keeping up with the local one and other forms of "screen stuttering". There is no clipboard sharing. The one thing it really has going for it is that it is free. You can use FTP to transfer files.

Logmein.com and gotomypc.com and Mikogo and Yugma and other web-based remote control software is substantially slower than any of the above three and is often clumsy about its handing of modifier keys and some mouse behaviors (like option-dragging or shift-draggin) don't always work right. As mentioned above, though, most of them can tunnel behind firewalls.

PCAnywhere was theoretically going to come out with a Mac version but I haven't heard of it, or for that matter of PCAnywhere, in some time now... they may have fallen off the map.


So... that's how I'd list them from top to bottom.

Thx Ahunter.

Timbuktu Multi OS 2 Pack is $200
ARA 10 Pack is $299 unlimited $499

Can ARA take advantage of Skype or another piggy back across the internet connectivity option. It Sounds like a great choice.

Logmein and the others are easier and more elegant (can start remote support unattended) but as you mention can be a little Staccato to work with. For working with neophytes it is sufficient and I have done serious work with it.

Using Logmein or similar at least as an emergency starting point is probably still advised. I do have my charges turn off the listening feature between support sessions. Sometimes I throw myself out because they tend to forget.

Please provide any other info you have. As a number of the other seniors have mentioned this is a common topic. Perhaps we can make a definitive sticky out of this thread and 1 or more of the others when complete.

Microsoft has a Remote Desktop Connection for Macs to log on to Windows PCs.
I've used this to manage a Windows server from an eMac. It's only one way but it does work well.

Is their a way to set up RDC (guess its a newer version of RDP) to work over the internet. When I used to use that and PCanywhere we had VPN connectivity to the servers. Now everything is Citrix based RDP and other Web published apps, no VPN required.

That brings up a thought about these things. Are there Decent perhaps Free easy to set up personal VPN cleints/tools that would allow two people to create VPN tunnel that would allow for the use of virtually any Remote Control application.

Microsoft's RDC is a wonderful tool to run "a PC" remotely but it's not quite the same as the others on this page — you do NOT get to see what Joe or Sue Enduser is doing (and having problems with). Instead you get your own entirely separate session. In that respect it's more like making a remote Unix connection that includes an X11 session: you are in your own separate user-world from anyone actually sitting at the computer to which you are connecting. (Or from any other remote user for that matter).

Still Good for: Opening a FileMaker database and making some modifications without the risks of network packet loss that you run when opening it over WAN / Internet.

Other Limitation: Can't use it to connect to a Mac FROM a PC. (PC to PC yes, Mac to PC yes). I don't think it does any form of file transfer or clipboard sharing, even PC to PC. Definitely none for Mac to PC unless they've changed it recently.

If anyone else is actually using FileMaker on that machine, you'll need a multi user license of FileMaker or it won't let you connect to Server.

I ask again beyond what has been mentioned...

"Are there Decent "perhaps Free" easy to set up personal VPN cleints/tools that would allow two people to create VPN tunnel that would allow for the use of virtually any Remote Control application."

You could use DropBox to share files. It works on both Macs and PCs. It's free up to 2GB. You can get 50Gb for $9.99/month

For screen sharing try Yuuguu. Works on Windows, Mac OS and Linux based computers. is also free is both computers have it installed. I've used this with great success. All other screen sharing I've tried resulted in failure as soon as you moved the cursor.

They exist; I can't tell you a whole lot about them, as it's always been someone else who set them up for me and then supplied me with the software and/or account & password settings to log on.

Back circa 2002-3 I used Cisco VPN 5000 and 3000 to log into the private network of my employer, from home, at which point I could Timbuktu into machines running there (with local-only IP addresses like 192.168.13.217).

I'm sure that if they had them then, they have them now.

Yes me too we used Cisco. VPN is more secure and elegant that relying on skype etc. I have started searching too. I will report back. At the moment I am reading up on a French program called ShareTool.

edit:
One has to find what works, what can be trusted. No Malware:) Here are some reviews http://www.macupdate.com/reviews.php?id=26850 Here is a CNET review http://download.cnet.com/ShareTool/3...html?tag=mncol

Here is the product site http://yazsoft.com/products/sharetool/information/

With one pro review and some real users I am willing to give it a try.

Another remote-access sw package not mentioned so far is Mac HelpMate. It tunnels thru firewalls. I think it uses the web as an initial in-between to "invite" the connection. Been awhile since I had occasion to use it. The Windows version is Win Helpmate and the two of them are on speaking terms (i.e., you can use the combo Mac HelpMate + Win Helpmate to gain remote access to a PC from your Mac, or vice versa).

It's kind of expensive, and I liked Timbuktu better, but for the sake of completeness let's add it to the list.

I looked at Mac Help Mate and I think it might have had a free version too. I downloaded the app and then deleted it because I discovered that it supports many other functions beyond remote control that could get a neophyte user in big trouble (since you have to leave this program available to the person your trying to support).

I have used so many different ones. It's a real challenge.

I find that Teamviewer is by far the most responsive.

I used to use logmein, but sometimes it fails to start.
And VNC has trouble if you don't know how to port forward properly.

I was wondering peoples opinions on the more secure connector options: Beyond the Remote Control Software (some of which include their own). I did get Apple Remote Desktop. Tried it locally works nicely.

Connector's
Skype
Share Tool
Mobile Me

While not freeware, RHUB's TurboMeeting is a full-featured remote support and web conferencing tool. RHUB has no monthly fees, but you do have to pay for the appliance. TurboMeeting is considered as good as WebEx and GoToMeeting according to this review:

I can add TeamViewer to the list. I'll vouch for it, it works as well as most of the others on the list except maybe Timbuktu and Apple Remote Desktop.