Has anybody actually got BTMM to work? I have been Googling this till my eyes bleed for the last month, and have found that for a very small number of people, it just 'works' - very Apple. For a bigger number of people, it NEVER works, whatever they do. (Not so Apple) And for the rest, it starts off not working, then after one of a myriad number of fixes (all different for different people) then it magically starts working. I am currently in the middle category. I have tried everything on the web (Apple pages and otherwise), engaged in a lovely 2 hour iChat with Amy L. from Mobile Me, who checked that all my settings were right, and been in to see a 'Genius' at the Southampton store, who was more bewildered than I was, and I am about to give up altogether. I have a Belkin 7633 uk version modem/router, and have punched all the required holes in the firewall, but it still steadfastly refuses to connect. I spend a lot of time away from home in hotels, and would dearly love to access the files on my home mac from the road. Has anybody got any ideas?
I think the answer here must be to rule out completely any connection failure due to the "routers". Swapping for another would obviously be one method, setting the relevant Mac in a DMZ zone another. Running the connection within your own network first might be another way forward, all methods trying to rule out anything which may be affecting the connection.
Hi Terry & Mick
The BTMM works perfectly INSIDE the firewall provided by the Belkin, on my home LAN - defeats the object a bit, but shows that it does actually work. The problem seems to be firewall related. But I think, after a lot of research, that it is related to the firewalls at both ends of the connection. Now, according to Amy, my firewall is set up correctly. However, I do not have access to the routers at the various hotels/coffee shops etc.. that I try to use. Apple, via Amy, eventually admitted that this can be a problem that they have no control over (so can't fix), so that appears to be that on the hotel front - I may be lucky one day and find one that has the right settings. However, I want to show that it does actually work when both ends are set up right - that way I know the problem is at the hotel end and not with my system. I need to be able to control both ends of the connection at least once to show this.
I have turned on uPNP, and considered buying a new router - but the Apple list is only routers, not ADSL modem routers, so I am a little reluctant to fork out £70-100 on a new one that may not work either. (What are the Netgear models that you use, Mick? If they work for you they may be worth a try)
Setting up the MacPro behind the DMZ with the Macs own firewall providing protection is not one I had thought of - when I get home I will try it. I am concerned that the other 2 PCs and one Mac may become compromised - I'll just have to set them all up carefully.
I am also beginning to look into other options - SSH & VNC (but this, according to various blogs, is not so good with Leopard) or, God forbid, OSX server and a VPN. Expensive and way OTT for my needs. And DynDNS may also offer some help - anyone using that to simulate a static IP address?
I'll let you know how I get on with the DMZ option.
I use Netgear DG834G at one end and DG834N at the other. I haven't tried it for ages though. They didn't work when Apple first launched BTMM but did soon after. That was the last time I tried it.
Tony Sullivan 