Got a Switcher!

[jer446]

I just got my first switcher. The only problem is, she is an EXTREME newbie with computers, so i would like to set the computer up for her. I cant go to her house because she lives kinda far, but can i take control of her imac? I know you can, but on windows, i always have trouble with it because it never connects.. Is there any ports that i should open or something? I would like to just show her around like i was there, and this would allow me to do that.

 

[TLRedhawke]

If you just have her install OSXVNC, and you run Chicken of the VNC, that should work fine. Just have her download and run that one (you can walk her through it over the phone/messenger), then have her go to http://www.showmyip.com, and you enter that IP into Chicken, using the "Shared Screen" setting. That will let you move the mouse and whatnot while she can watch, and take control as well.

 

[iEdd]

Hey this is a really great idea. I could help my grandmother without impossible phone calls. Big question. Will it work if the computer I'm controlling has dial-up? Does it just mean I have to keep getting the IP address?

 

[ldenman]

it should work fine with dial-up, just slower.

 

[balamw]

Hey this is a really great idea. I could help my grandmother without impossible phone calls. Big question. Will it work if the computer I'm controlling has dial-up? Does it just mean I have to keep getting the IP address?

The method in the guide http://guides.macrumors.com/Remotely_Controlling_another_Mac doesn't require you to get the IP every time, as long as you use Dynamic DNS, but it does require some more initial setup.

B

 

[TLRedhawke]

Use a Dynamic DNS if you're going to need to do it often. Otherwise, it's just as easy to get the IP at the moment via showmyip.com, and use that.

With regard to the dialup issue, it will be particularly slow. The best thing I've found to speed up the VNC is to change the desktop picture on the controlled machine to a solid colour, and reduce the amount of icons on the desktop. But, you can always do this remotely, just make sure it's the first thing you do.