Remote access mac. Control the family Mac while staying in the shadows

To a computer from a smartphone, tablet or other computer may be necessary to completely various reasons: someone needs to look through some documentation, someone helps their relatives solve difficulties, and someone even plays the first Fallout remotely from an iPhone, and so on. In this material, we have compiled a selection of the best and time-tested programs for remote access to Mac/PC from an iPhone, iPad or other computer.

Screens VNS - $19.99

Beautiful, convenient and quite powerful client for remote access to Mac (OS X) or PC (Windows or Linux) from any iOS devices from developers from Edovia.

Even on a relatively small iPhone display you will be able to masterfully control your Mac or PC remotely, the main thing is that the Internet connection does not fail. Here you have a secure connection, gesture support, and active corners with additional menus, and hotkeys. It is possible to work with multiple displays connected to a computer.

An important point is the active clipboard: by copying text, a link or an image, you can easily display this content on your iPhone or iPad.

Screens Connect - free

Alternative free application from the same developer Edovia. Allows you to remotely control an OS X-based computer using your own Mac. Ideal for remotely solving problems on a guest computer.

TeamViewer - free

Powerful remote management tool that supports all popular desktop and mobile operating systems- Windows, OS X, Linux, iOS and Android. The program is free for non-commercial use, but for specialists technical support or the company will have to purchase a license costing from 26,800 rubles.

The program will easily provide remote access in a computer-to-computer or mobile device-to-computer connection, without any hassles with the settings.

Support available remote activation computer, support for multiple monitors, gestures, keyboard functions, sound transmission and reliable encryption according to the AES standard (256 bit).

Parallels Access - subscription for $19.99 per year

High-quality implementation of work with remote access between any devices. The service integrates all the functionality you can only dream of.

We list only the exclusive functionality:

• Lock'n'Go magnifying glass for convenient selection text;
• opening applications from the desktop using App Launcher;
• game mode! (launching games on PC/Mac and then comfortable game on mobile iOS and Android devices + tools for creating convenient controls in games);
• storage, management and transfer of files located not only locally, but also in the cloud;
• support Apple Watch and Samsung S Pen styluses;

and much more...

But you have to pay for such rich functionality, and the price is quite high. Developers distribute their creation by subscription. For Russian citizens, such a solution will cost 649 rubles per year.

There is a free trial period.

Google Chrome Remote Desktop - Free

One more thing free solution for remote access to a computer both from another computer and from mobile device on iOS-based or Android. Access is via free extension for browser Google Chrome and therefore this method Suitable for all desktop platforms (Windows, OS X, Linux, Chrome OS).

The connection is created using one-time code authentication valid for one session. The method has been tested and is quite good, but you should not expect any additional functionality and ease of control from a mobile device.

It seems to me that everyone Windows users popular programs such as TeamViewer, Ammy Admin, VNC Viewer etc. All of these programs offer various options Remote desktop access to a Windows computer. And the question naturally arises whether there is life on Mac OS X with remote desktop access. Of course there is :-)

Welcome to cat.

In this post I decided to conduct short review tools for connecting to computers based on Mac OS X.

If we draw a parallel with Windows, then the standard RDP protocol is used for remote access to it ( Remote Desktop Connection) and the corresponding application - Remote Desktop Connection. In Mac OS X there is an analogue of such an application - Apple Remote Desktop 3. And it seemed that happiness was so possible...if not for the price - 4790 rubles.

AppleRemoteDesktop 3

In fact, it's not like that. Apple Remote Desktop 3 is a very powerful application for remote access to a PC based on Mac OS X. The software features are as follows:

• Software distribution – centralized installation of software on computers running Mac OS X
• Digital data management is a function for inventory (software, hardware) on computers with Mac OS X (with the ability to generate reports).
• Remote assistance – remote access to computers based on Mac OS X (supported Drag and Drop files to a remote computer as well as mode hidden access to the remote desktop).
• Remote administration – possibility full control everyone Mac features OS X, including access via SSH.
• Automation – This tool allows you to automate many tasks that need to be done simultaneously on multiple Mac OS X computers (30 task templates are offered out of the box).

As you can see, Apple Remote Desktop 3 is a machine for remote work, and it seems to me that everyone should have it system administrator Mac OS X. But for the ordinary, so to speak home use You don’t need such a combine, and it’s a bit expensive.

Now let’s look at programs that are simpler and more familiar.

TeamViewer

This program is almost a standard for technical support services for various companies and home users.

Moreover, it has existed for quite a long time TeamViewer version for Mac.

The interface in the Mac OS X version is the same as in the Windows version. The program is also quite simple to download, run and dictate the ID and password to the person who wants to connect to you.

Let's move on to the next program.

VNC Virtual Network Computing is a remote desktop access system using the RFB (Remote FrameBuffer) protocol.

Strange as it may seem, Mac OS X already has a VNC server built in and it’s easy enough to turn it on and configure access.

To do this, open “System Settings” – “Sharing”

Check the box "Shared screen" to enable the VNC server. You can also set a password for connection. To do this, click the Computer Settings button, check the box "VNC users can gain screen control with a password" and enter the password in the field.

This completes the setup of remote access using VNC. To connect, you can use any VNC client on any operating system, for example RealVNC.

Smartphones and tablets have long ceased to be the “little brothers” of desktop PCs for the majority of users who pay mobile gadgets more time. And this is not surprising, because when iPhone help or iPad, you can solve almost the same problems as on desktop computer or laptop. But it is still far from completely ousting the latter from our lives.

Indeed, even landlines, which were predicted to completely disappear a dozen years ago, to this day, including developed countries. And we all have to use sometimes mobile phone as a "home" A similar situation often arises with a PC - to manage desktop system It is not at all necessary to sit at a computer; you can use one of the solutions listed below to receive from a mobile device.

Parallels Access (649 rubles per year)

Main feature this application is that it offers the user its own desktop interface with icons of programs installed on a desktop PC. At the same time, it allows you to work with packages such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Adobe Photoshop, Sony Vegas etc. That is, by connecting your iPhone or iPad to your PC, you can run these programs like regular mobile applications. In addition, you can work with them through gestures, and your fingers will replace the cursor. If there is a need for precise eyeliner or use function keys, then you can call on-screen keyboard or virtual cursor. The only condition for quality work Parallels Access - stable high speed connection to the Internet. The application itself is free, but after 14 days of use you will need to purchase a subscription.

Download Parallels Access for iPhone and iPad (App Store).

Microsoft Remote Desktop (free)

utility Remote Desktop Connection for all kinds of platforms, using the proprietary protocol of the same name, it can hardly be called the most functional ( third party developers release solutions with more wide possibilities based on the same RDP protocol), but it is characterized by stable operation and relatively high level security. Having installed Microsoft Remote Desktop on your iPhone, iPad or Mac, you can access applications, libraries, documents, network devices and other functions of a remote Windows computer.

TeamViewer: Remote Control (free)

Simple, free and safe solution to control a remote PC via iPhone or iPad. To start a session you just need to install mobile application to your iDevice and download the utility for Mac OS X, Windows or Linux for free from the official website of the developers. Establishing a connection does not take much time and allows you to manage the desktop operating system, send and receive files, use the clipboard, broadcast audio and video, turn on/off the remote PC, etc.

Screens VNC (649 rubles)

A “sit down and go” application. To establish remote control You won’t need to perform any complex operations on your computer from anywhere in the world—it’s enough to install it on a desktop running OS X or Windows in advance special programScreens Connect, and also purchase in the App Store app Screens VNC for 649 rubles (979 rubles on Mac App Store). After you fill out a short form and establish a connection with your PC, it is automatically synchronized via iCloud and subsequently you can simply click on the previously created connection and enter the password.

Remote desktop iTeleport (799 rubles)

Another utility that can satisfy the needs of both amateurs and professional network administrators. With its help, you can connect to any number of computers running Windows, OS X and Linux operating systems using any VNC server, including proprietary ones - iTeleport Connect. Separately, it is worth noting the performance of the application - with a stable Internet connection iTeleport allows you to work with heavy graphic editors, games and other programs, while supporting high-resolution monitors (including 4K). Another feature of the program is the display of the function keys of the system to which at the moment connection is made.
Download "iTeleport Remote Desktop" for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch (App Store).

Splashtop 2 Remote Desktop (169 rubles)

One of the most versatile and popular (among paid) applications in this collection. Splashtop 2 Remote Desktop allows you to broadcast audio and video to high resolution, work with data libraries on a PC, switch between monitors, supports almost any connected device, gesture control, cloud synchronization connections, etc. Like iTeleport, this app is different high performance and the ability to transfer large volumes of data without loss. The only caveat is that many program functions are not available in normal mode and are in-app purchases.

We have written before about using . I, as a person who knows little about these issues, will present this topic from precisely this point of view: how quickly, without special effort manage from . The question remains, of course, why this is necessary. More precisely, why remote control from a phone via local network, because accessing your computer via the Internet does not raise any questions. As always, I will be guided by the principle “If it exists, then it is needed.”

Sharing screen on local Wi-Fi network

So, step 1: in System settings activate the option.

Be sure to go to Computer Settings and set a password. You never know...

Step 2: Install VNC client for iPhone. I settled on Mocha VNC Lite. I didn't need more for the test.

Open the program, create a new connection and enter the internal IP of the Mac, which can be seen immediately after activation Shared screen. If necessary, carry out additional settings(for example, set a password).

It is better to make the screen resolution a little less than the maximum. The iPhone does not have enough memory to display this resolution, and the program may simply crash.

I had no crashes and everything worked the first time.

By the way, I read somewhere that the program works successfully on devices without .

Remote control via the Internet

It's not so simple anymore. Each modem, regardless of whether it is wired or wireless, has its own settings. For access from the network, the computer will have, in addition to an internal IP, an external one. The main setup you will have to do is to redirect all incoming external IP connections through port 5900 to the internal one. Go to your modem settings and find something like Port Forwarding, configure all traffic on port 5900 and route it to the internal IP. I had to dig around in the settings on my D-Link. If everything is done correctly, you will have access to your computer from anywhere global network. The main thing is not to forget to turn it on ;).

Today we have one of them on test best clients For remote control Mac or PC using iPhone or iPad. If you are a Mac user, you have probably already heard about Parallels. It was Parallels that created one of the best virtual machines for Mac Parallels Desktop, which allows you to expand to Apple computers other operating systems from OS X Windows systems, Linux and others. Personally, as a Parallels Desktop user, my impressions of virtual machine extremely positive. But today we are not talking about Parallels Desktop, but about another product of the company for iOS - Parallels Access.

The purpose of this application is to remotely control Mac and Windows computers using an iPhone or iPad via the Internet. All that is needed for this is an Internet connection. Experiments have shown that you can connect to a computer using a GPRS channel, but such a connection is not stable and slow - Wi-Fi is just that.

In addition to managing your computer, Parallels Access allows you to connect your cloud Dropbox storage or Google Drive

And manage its content in the application: copy, move, rename, upload to iPhone memory or delete. Parallels Access stands out from its competitors in its convenience. Launching applications on a computer is done not by double-clicking on an icon on the desktop or in the Programs menu, but in its own App Launcher (analogous to Launchpad in OS X). After connecting to the computer, iPhone screen In Parallels Access, you will see the applications you frequently use on your Mac or PC. The set of programs can be easily changed or supplemented from the set of applications installed on the computer (the “Change” inscription in the upper right corner).

Communication with the computer is carried out using own server Parallels, that is

to connect to remote computer you must either register account in Parallels, or log in via social Google network+ or Facebook.

For remote control from iPhone, you need to install on your computer free client Parallels Access. The control panel in Parallels Access is located on the right and contains the elements:

1. App Launcher;
2. App Switcher - analogue of the dock in OS X;
3. Settings;
4. On-screen keyboard.