Remote Access over the internet

[stubeeef]

I really need to help my mother do simple things now and then on her old eMac running 10.3.9
I am using 10.5 over 4 computers in my house.
We both have broad band connections, I know her IP and mine.
I use screen sharing in our house to monitor my kids internet use on occasion. Screen Sharing is not available on her 10.3.9 system, but other options are there.
Using only the Mac systems we have, is there a way I can take over her computer and manage it from mine?

Thanks

 

[milk242]

Use logmein for a hassle free setup.

Otherwise you can install a vnc client and then get her to setup dynamic dns with a client to link her computer's internal ip to her external ip.

 

[belvdr]

Share it over iChat.

 

[GimmeSlack12]

Have her turn on Remote Management (Sharing Prefs), port foward 5900 to her local IP. Then on your side use Screen Sharing (cmd-K in Finder) and type in vnc://<her world ip> . Voila, native VNC-ing in OS X.

 

[Billy Boo Bob]

Another option (not free) is Timbuktu. Might have difficulties finding a version, if any, that will work on hers and yours, though. But with it you can move files, chat, message, voice chat, etc...

Not that the other options listed are not as good or better. It's just what I've been using for some time with mine and my brother's system. I'm in the same boat with him... Often telling him to "move over, I'm coming in", since he has trouble articulating what he's doing. Lots of "thingies" and "whachamacallits".

If you could move her up to Tiger then I know the latest will work on both. And you can even remotely install a copy on hers from your machine. She just needs Remote Login (ssh) active.

You didn't mention... Is she local to you where you can visit and set hers up (but not local enough to go over every time she has trouble), or are you having to do this all over the phone / chat?

 

[stubeeef]

Thanks a bunch for the ideas, networking is certainly my weakness.

I live 20 min away but work long hours in my car alot. Sometimes I need to solve issues or tutor her from home to save a couple of hours of roundtrip driving on top of time there. Always good to see Mom but not always the best timing.

Have her turn on Remote Management (Sharing Prefs), port foward 5900 to her local IP. Then on your side use Screen Sharing (cmd-K in Finder) and type in vnc://<her world ip> . Voila, native VNC-ing in OS X.

to open/port forward port 5900, can she do this from her computer via prefs or is it something earthlink needs to do?
Remember she is using 10.3.9 & I am using 10.5.7

There is not an option for Remote Management in her menu see attachment for available choices for her in 10.3.9

 

[milk242]

I think its apple remote desktop and to do port forwarding you will have to enter it in the router settings.

 

[GimmeSlack12]

to open/port forward port 5900, can she do this from her computer via prefs or is it something earthlink needs to do?
Remember she is using 10.3.9 & I am using 10.5.7

There is not an option for Remote Management in her menu see attachment for available choices for her in 10.3.9

Ahh, I thought there might be a version difference. But yes as Milk242 said, it is Apple Remote Desktop she needs to activate and then hit "options" and enable everything and put in a password.

Port forwarding is only necessary if there is more than one computer on her internet connection (i.e. she has a router). I recommend you go to Portforward.com for very specific instructions but the gist of it is:
Login to the router through your browser. Address should be 192.168.1.1, or 192.168.0.1 (though depending on the type of router this could be different).
Login/pass: admin/admin (again different for different routers)
Find the port forward section and allow port 5900 to route to your Mom's home IP (home IP is found in Network Prefs>Advanced>TCP/IP).

Refer to portforward.com if this isn't going as planned. It is a very easy process, just take it one step at a time.

 

[belvdr]

If you both have iChat, and use that to share, you don't need to do port forwarding or even know each other's IP. It seems this is being made out to be more complicated than it has to be.

 

[Le Big Mac]

If you both have iChat, and use that to share, you don't need to do port forwarding or even know each other's IP. It seems this is being made out to be more complicated than it has to be.

Pretty sure you both have to be running leopard for that to work. Mom is on Panther, so VNC is it.

 

[belvdr]

Pretty sure you both have to be running leopard for that to work. Mom is on Panther, so VNC is it.

You're right. It's a shame there's not a faster protocol to use. I hate to admit it, but Microsoft's Remote Desktop walks circles around VNC.