Reading Time: 3minutes![Remote For Mac Server Remote For Mac Server](/uploads/1/1/8/1/118142624/577139354.png)
With Terminal, you can connect to remote servers using several protocols, including ssh, sftp, ftp, telnet, or a protocol you define. Open Terminal for me. In the Terminal app on your Mac, choose Shell New Remote Connection. Select a protocol in the Service list. Select a shared server in the Server list. In the User field, enter a user name. Apple Remote Desktop gives you the complete tools you need to control all the Mac computers in your network right from your own computer. You can even save task settings as templates and apply them in the future, or use one of more than 30 included sample scripts. Select Connect to Server from the Go menu. In the Server Address field type in the IP address of your remote computer preceded by “vnc:” as it appeared in Screen Sharing above. Click the Connect button and it will open the remote desktop in a new window.
In this article, we explain how to use Remote Desktop to access your Windows server’s desktop from anywhere in the world. On a normal Windows computer, you have a keyboard, monitor, and mouse that allow you to interact with the machine. For Windows VPS servers hosted on the Internet, things are a bit different because your server could physically be thousands of miles away. To access the desktop of an Internet-hosted server, Microsoft has created a feature known as Remote Desktop.
Please note that this article pertains only to those who have a Windows server, those with Linux servers can learn how to use SSH to access their server.
Supported Operating Systems
All Liquid Web Windows servers are capable of Remote Desktop. However, not all client computers can use it. Here is a list of operating systems known to be capable of communicating with your Windows server with Remote Desktop:
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Clients and Servers
- Microsoft Windows XP Professional
- Microsoft Windows 2003 Server
- Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate and Business Editions
- Microsoft Windows 2008 Server
- Microsoft Windows 7 and later
- Linux with the RDesktop application installed
- Mac OS X with a Remote Desktop client:
(Mac OS X versions 10.9 and later: Microsoft Remote Desktop)
(Mac OS X versions 10.5-10.8 only: Open Source CoRD Client)
(Mac OS X versions before 10.7: Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection Client for Mac)
Remote Desktop from a Windows Computer
- Click the Start button.
- Click Run…
- Type “mstsc” and press the Enter key.
- Next to Computer: type in the IP address of your server
- Click Connect.
- If all goes well, you will see the Windows login prompt.
Remote Desktop from a Linux Computer with RDesktop
- Open a command shell using xterm
- Type ‘rdesktop‘ at the command prompt to see if you have rdesktop installed
- If rdesktop is installed, then proceed. Otherwise, you will need to install the rdesktop package for your flavor of Linux.
- Type ‘rdesktop‘ followed by your server’s IP address. Then press Enter.
- Example:
$ rdesktop 72.52.246.40
- Example:
- If all goes well, you will see the Windows login prompt.
Remote Desktop from Mac OS X
- Using Microsoft Remote Desktop (Mac OS X versions 10.9 and later):
- Install Microsoft Remote Desktop from the Mac App Store.
- Click the New button or use the shortcut Command + N to set up a connection to your server with the following settings:
- PC name: You can use your server’s IP address or its hostname (if the hostname has an appropriate DNS record and resolves).
- Username: To access the admin account, use “Administrator”.
- Password: Enter the Administrator password.
- Configure full-screen and multi-monitor settings to your preference.
- Once you’ve filled in the appropriate settings, close the Edit Remote Desktops window.
- Select your connection under My Desktops and press the Start button in the menu to connect (or simply press the return key on your keyboard).
- If your server uses a self-signed SSL certificate, a message will be displayed as Remote Desktop is negotiating credentials. You can either press Continue to proceed with the connection or, to permanently store the certificate and connect directly in the future, click Show Certificate and then check the box next to Always trust … before clicking Continue to proceed.
- Using CoRD (Mac OS X versions 10.5 through 10.8 only):
- Download and install the CoRD application
- Open the application and click on the File menu, then New Server
- You will be presented with a window where you can specify information about the server you are connecting to.
- Enter the server’s hostname or IP address in the Address field.
- You can alter the other settings in this window if you wish but all you need to start the connection is the address.
- When you are finished making changes, press the enter/return key on your keyboard or simply close the new server window.
- Your new server profile will appear in the list to the left side of the application. Double-click on it and you will start the connection to your server.
- Using the Microsoft RDP Tool (Mac OS X versions before 10.7 only):
- Download and install the Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection Client for Mac.
- When you open the application, you will be prompted for the “Computer:” you would like to connect to. You can enter the server’s hostname or IP address.
- After you click Connect the client will ask for your user name and password. If it fails to connect, you can try again inside the remote connection window.
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We pride ourselves on being The Most Helpful Humans In Hosting™! Our support staff is always available to assist with any Dedicated, Cloud, or VPS server issues 24 hours a day, 7 days a week 365 days a year.
We are available, via our ticketing systems at [email protected], by phone (at 800-580-4986) or via a LiveChat for whatever method you prefer. We work hard for you so you can relax.
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Remote access to Mac, anywhere
Get Screens and work across multiple remote Macs.
While many countries are on a lockdown due to COVID-19, remote work is becoming a lifestyle. Remotely accessing a Mac is designed to be easy. Apple has spent a lot of time ensuring anyone can log in to their Macs — both desktop and laptop — from any other Mac device, anywhere. And, besides, there are a variety of third-party apps ready to help with that too.
Still, remotely managing their Mac sounds overly complicated to a lot of people. From how you connect to sharing files or screens to using your Apple device as a remote mouse, we want to demystify the process in the easy-to-follow guide below.
Best Remote Access Apps for Mac
There are times when you want to access your Mac remotely, and there are many different solutions to remote access your Mac. Best utilities in one pack, give it a go!
How to access your Mac from another location
There're two ways: you can allow remote login to your Mac from another computer, or allow others to access your computer using Remote Desktop (it's available from the App Store).
Allow remote login to your Mac from another computer
For devices using the same macOS, you can allow remote Mac login using a Secure Shell (SSH). This enables Mac remote desktop access using a Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP).
To set up Remote Login:
- Go to System Preferences > Sharing
- Select Remote Login.
- Choose which users you want to have remote access or the ability to control your Mac.
You can either select All Users, which means any other device on your network, or any Mac you own, can access and connect, or click the plus sign to pick the exact users.
When you want to remotely log in to your Mac from another device, you need to know your username (the name that appears when you login) and your computer's IP address. Write them down and keep them safe, as allowing access to your Mac does make it potentially less secure, especially over cellular or public Wi-Fi networks.
Accessing, controlling, or viewing information on your Mac can be done with a built-in Terminal or any other SSH app using your username and IP address.
Allow others to access your computer using Apple Remote Desktop
With macOS remote Mac access and control is even easier. To set up it:
- Go to Menu > System Preferences > Sharing
- Select Remote Management - it should appear as a checkbox.
- Now you can select who has remote desktop access. Either select, All Users, which means any other device on your network, or Mac you own, can access and connect, or click the Add button(+), which gives you the ability to select who can have remote access and/or control.
If you are using a VPN or VNC viewer and want to access your Mac remotely, you will need to setup a password first. It is also possible to use iOS devices, such as an iPhone and iPad, through Apple Remote Desktop, available from the App Store.
How to stay on the same page with Screens
Collaboration has become of utmost importance to today's workplaces. And with more and more people working remotely, being on the same screen (ahem, page) is a must.
Screens allows you to work remotely with any computer regardless of your location. Whether you are on a business trip or traveling, stay confident knowing you can access any file on your home computer at any time.
This robust screen sharing tool for Mac supports:
- Multiple displays
- Drag-and-drop file sharing
- Hiding your remote screen while accessing it
- Accessing other computers (e.g. colleague's) as a guest
- Alternative shortcuts (useful when connecting Mac to PC)
- Custom actions in case of disconnection
To start using Screens, get the app from Setapp and configure the following:
- Remote login and remote management (as per the guide above)
- Install Screens Connect helper app and create a Screens ID on every machine you'd like to connect to in the future
- Use your Screens ID in the Screens app and it will automatically determine which of your computers are available for connection
Remote desktop client for Mac
Control any computer remotely – a perfect way to access your Mac from anywhere without limitations.
Share files between devices
Today we have plenty of ways to send and share files. But ask someone to send something, and you are likely to get it through email. Due to the ubiquitousness of email, it's still the default method for file sharing, despite its obvious flaws and constraints.
Fortunately, there are much better ways:
Native macOS File Sharing
Few people know that their Mac has native file sharing functionality built in. To use this feature, activate it in the Sharing pane of System Preferences by checking File Sharing. If you only want to share specific folders, add them to the Shared Folders list. If you only want specific users to access the folder, add them to its Users list. Otherwise, everyone will be able to access it.
AirDrop
Although not the most reliable solution, AirDrop works fine for occasional sharing a file between Apple devices. In the Finder, choose Go and then AirDrop on both the sending and receiving Mac. As soon as you see the receiver's user icon, drag the desired file onto it to send.
Read more about how to use AirDrop
Dropshare
If you don't want to send files Mac-to-Mac directly but rather through a cloud storage, there is no easier way than Dropshare. The app works with numerous cloud providers, from Dropbox to Google Drive, and saves your files for sharing by simply dragging them onto its menu bar icon.
File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
The most technical but also the most robust way to share files from your mac is to use FTP, which you could do either through Terminal or an FTP Client, the latter being much more user friendly.
Windows Remote For Mac
There are a few popular FTP clients one could choose from. The robust file managing app ForkLift covers most of the FTP functionality but takes it to the next level and could be a viable replacement for the Finder altogether with its quick search, instant previews, and file comparison.
DCommander is another full-featured file transfer app for Mac that combines speed and reliability, able to handle thousands of files, schedule backups, and even automate transfers.
At last, when it comes to sharing the same files on different devices, an app like ChronoSync Express becomes invaluable.
ChronoSync Express is powerful tool for sharing and transferring files from Mac to Mac, or any another Apple device. With a feature called Synchronizer Document, you can select which files need to be automatically synchronized and shared between devices, just like that:
- Create a new synchronizer document for each folder synchronization you'd like to perform
- Name the synchronization
- Change the Operation to Synchronize Bidirectional
- Select folders to sync on the left and right
- Test with a Trial Sync
Do you need to use a VPN (Virtual Private Network)?
Whether you are working on your Mac directly, logging into your Mac remotely, or sharing access with someone else, security should be on top of your mind.
![Remote For Mac Server Remote For Mac Server](/uploads/1/1/8/1/118142624/577139354.png)
As a rule of thumb, you should always use a VPN when connected to a public Wi-Fi network, as someone could log in and see the information you send just as easily as you do.
And with remote access — even in the View Only mode — someone can see every file and document on your Mac, except those that are password protected. Unfortunately, if you leave passwords in a visible document, you expose yourself to immense risks.
A secure VPN client for Mac like Shimo is well worth using to stop unwanted eyes from lurking around, especially if you are sharing sensitive files, financial records or customer data.
However, for extra peace of mind and security, consider firing up your VPN automatically on all networks you are not 100% sure about to keep your emails, bank accounts and personal documents safe.
To share your Mac with someone else, download a remote Virtual Network Computing (VNC) app like Jump Desktop. With full remote access and Mac remote control, the other person — or yourself connecting to another Mac — can have the same level of control as the person using that device. Except for Admin level access, since it's password protected.
Starting with Jump Desktop is easy: either yourself (gaining access) or the person you are giving a remote view or control access to your Mac, needs to add details of the device and the password.
Secure your access with VPN
Get a VPN client for Mac to avoid privacy infringement while connecting remotely. It's secure and free to try.
Once permission is granted at the other end, remote Mac screen sharing or control (whereby you can use the iOS device as a remote mouse) becomes possible.
How to use your iOS device as a remote mouse
If your remote work starts on a patio hammock somewhere in east Asia, you should note that Apple iOS devices, such as an iPhone or iPad, can be used to control a Mac remotely, much like a mouse can control a desktop or laptop. Apps that make this possible work on VNC.
Remote Mouse is the easiest, most effective way to turn your iOS device into a wireless remote control for your Mac.
Although remote access through a local network would be most effective, since the closer you are to the device the quicker the connection, it's also possible from anywhere in the world, providing the network is secure and fast enough.
Setting up and granting access to the iOS device is the same process as when someone wants to access using a Mac. Except you need to give them a password. And make sure it is different from your primary Mac or iOS (App Store) one.
So working together or checking on your devices can be done from anywhere in the world and there are lots of ways to do that, from sharing screens and files to having complete access to a system set up far away. Setapp equips you with all the apps needed to remotely access any device you need and elevate your work to the global level.
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