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Remote Desktop Connection

Avatar Philip Noyce
Good evening....a new iMac user here who has just joined the Group so apologies in advance for questions which may appear straightforward at first glance.
I use an iPhone, iPad and now the iMac. It's running El Capitan and is a thing of beauty!
I used a Windows 10 laptop before and connected to my work server using Remote Desktop Connection.
I have trawled through a few websites which give apps to connect which, on the reviews, do not look particularly good. Is there a standard way of connecting to a remote desktop in a mac or perhaps you could recommend an app to use?
Many thanks for your help
Philip

Re: Remote Desktop Connection

Avatar Mick Burrell
I've no direct experience but I think if the remote server is an Exchange server then you need to use VPN and I don't think you need any extra software to do that. You may need some connection details the server requires from the IT department at work - or from the software you used to use.

Re: Remote Desktop Connection

Avatar Derek Wright
The friendly fellows that want to take over your machine and contaminate it and charge you money to remove the virus use a program called Teamviewer

see
Teamviewer

they get you to install the program and then swap numeric codes with you to enable the remote desktop to be accessed

It is also used for legitimate purposes as well - it is cross platform product. So give it a try and let us know how you get on

Re: Remote Desktop Connection

Avatar Tony Still
OS X has built-in screen sharing using the industry-standard VNC (Virtual Network Computing) protocols. If Windows also supports that (this article suggests that it does) you should be able to get away without any extra software.

You enable Screen Sharing though the Sharing and of System Preferences. Here's an Apple support page on the subject. Best of luck.

Re: Remote Desktop Connection

Avatar David Moon
Many years ago, pre-intel, I used to connect to my works server in the USA from here in Dorchester via VPN and using Microsoft's own Remote Desktop Connection for Mac and it worked great. I see that http://download.cnet.com/Microsoft-Remote-Desktop/3000-7240_4-26392.html is still a way to go.

Re: Remote Desktop Connection

Avatar Derek Wright
Tony - can one connect to another Mac outside of your network - ie to a Mac in Australia from a Mac in the UK using the builtin screen sharing ?

Re: Remote Desktop Connection

Avatar Tony Still
Hi Derek,

Yes. You may have to tweak the router settings at one or both ends to open ports but I'd just try it first.

Re: Remote Desktop Connection

Avatar Mick Burrell
I think there's an issue with screen sharing (and video?) at present in Messages. Something to do with the server Apple uses. Lots of information on forums. I had a need to regularly screen share with a friend. Neither of us have changed router or settings but it stopped working after one of my updates to (I think) Yosemite and it's still not working. It briefly worked when I reverted to Snow Leopard (my friend has never ventured beyond Snow Leopard) but even that has stopped now.

Re: Remote Desktop Connection

Avatar Tony Still
Mick,
Does the problem in Messages also affect screen-sharing as I described (effectively through the Finder)? I haven't used it for a good while.

Re: Remote Desktop Connection

Avatar Mick Burrell
I've never tried it - iChat worked so well and Messages did too at first.

Re: Remote Desktop Connection

Avatar Philip Noyce
Thank you for all the replies. I used Microsoft Remote Desktop app in the end which connects well but I had some issues of re-sizing of the remote desktop.
 
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