Remote support software

James Thompson wrote:
> One comment I would make regarding the statement that "Netopia's
> Timbuktu Pro... requires routable Internet addresses and cannot
> easily punch through NAT" is that Timbuktu Pro combined with a logged-
> in Skype client DOES allow connection to a remote host on the other
> side of a closed NAT router.
>
Someone behind a NAT router using TB2 can "Invite" someone with a
routable IP address to "come in". The invite can even be issued to a
copy of TB2 running behind a NAT router at "its" end if port forwarding
is used in the router and specified in the invite.

dr wrote:

Someone behind a NAT router using TB2 can "Invite" someone with a routable IP address to "come in". The invite can even be issued to a copy of TB2 running behind a NAT router at "its" end if port forwarding is used in the router and specified in the invite.

Yep. In fact, because the Skype connection is restricted to a frustratingly low bandwidth, unless I need to do something on my remote computer that only takes a few seconds, I generally just use the Skype connection as a way to open TB2 on the OTHER computer, so that I can then have the remote computer "Invite" my current one. I'd thought about setting up some sort of script to have the "Invite" go home from work every hour in the evenings, but the Skype method made much more sense given how infrequent and unpredictable my need to connect remotely generally is...

J

>One comment I would make regarding the statement that "Netopia's
>Timbuktu Pro... requires routable Internet addresses and cannot
>easily punch through NAT" is that Timbuktu Pro combined with a logged-
>in Skype client DOES allow connection to a remote host on the other
>side of a closed NAT router.
>
>J

Have you looked at HamachiX (http://hamachix.spaceants.net/)? This
works fine through NAT, and is free. When you have installed it on
both machines and started the service, the remote computer can be
found on your local network with bonjour. If you don't own TB2 or
Apple Remote Desktop, you can turn on VNC with Apple Remote Desktop
on the target machine, and control it through Chicken of the VNC
(http://sourceforge.net/projects/cotvnc/). HamachiX works like a
charm, VNC is dreadfully inefficient unfortunately (but free).

Thanks to Don McAllister (http://screencastsonline.com/sco/) for
pointing HamachiX out in one of his screencasts.

Maurice

On 08/02/07, Maurice van Peursem <mpeursemknoware.nl> wrote:

> If you don't own TB2 or
> Apple Remote Desktop, you can turn on VNC with Apple Remote Desktop
> on the target machine, and control it through Chicken of the VNC
> (http://sourceforge.net/projects/cotvnc/). HamachiX works like a
> charm, VNC is dreadfully inefficient unfortunately (but free).

You'd better use Vine Server (formerly OSXvnc) than OS X's built-in
VNC server (unless you use the ARD client, of course):
<http://www.redstonesoftware.com/products/vine/server/vineosx/>. It's
faster, allows you to restrict to local connections through SSH
tunneling (i.e., Vine Server won't accept remote connections; you must
first connect to the Mac via SSH which is much more secure), and
allows multiple concurrent sessions
<http://www.redstonesoftware.com/products/vine/multidesktop.html>. And
it's free!

As far as efficiency is concerned, I've tried both Timbuktu and VNC,
and the faster one is the free one (at least with connections via my
ADSL access, ~512 kb/s upload), and it doesn't crash all the time,
too... Banish desktop pictures, a simple colour will display much
faster than your kid/S.O./pet's photo, and pick the client wisely, as
some are faster than others (for instance I connect to my Mac from
Windows, and TightVNC is faster than RealVNC).

-Thomas

On Feb 7, 2007, at 11:45 PM, Maurice van Peursem wrote:

> Have you looked at HamachiX (http://hamachix.spaceants.net/)? This
> works fine through NAT, and is free. When you have installed it on
> both machines and started the service, the remote computer can be
> found on your local network with bonjour. If you don't own TB2 or
> Apple Remote Desktop, you can turn on VNC with Apple Remote Desktop
> on the target machine, and control it through Chicken of the VNC
> (http://sourceforge.net/projects/cotvnc/). HamachiX works like a
> charm, VNC is dreadfully inefficient unfortunately (but free).
>
> Thanks to Don McAllister (http://screencastsonline.com/sco/) for
> pointing HamachiX out in one of his screencasts.

It's good to learn that Hamachi is available for Mac--it is well
thought of for Windows by people I trust.

There is a downside to Hamachi, and that is that traffic passes
through the Hamachi supplier's server. They are probably trustworthy
(the people I trust, above) believe so.

   --John (who has never used Hamachi)

>As far as efficiency is concerned, I've tried both Timbuktu and VNC,
>and the faster one is the free one (at least with connections via my
>ADSL access, ~512 kb/s upload), and it doesn't crash all the time,
>too...

FWIW, I've used Timbuktu for the better part of a decade and I've
never found it to be crashy. It was a bit pokey with the first OS X
releases, but now that it tunnels through SSH and I don't have speed
issues... and OS X authentication is just icing on the cake.

--
Andrew Laurence
atlaurenuci.edu

        I haven't followed all of the discussion, but I haven't seen Mac
HelpMate mentioned. I have not used it myself, but it seems like it might
worth investigating if you are doing remote support. For free it does a
whole bunch of command line stuff like: "cleans up trash files, cleans out
caches, and removes unwanted log files" but of interest in this discussion
it can also (it the paid/subcribed versions) do remote technical support
"through firewalls, routers and NATs, with no port forwarding or extra
configuration, allowing for remote help in all situations, including on
airplanes, hotspots, or even with cell phone connenctions"

<http://www.macworkshops.com/machelpmate/>

        I have been meaning to test it out for some time, but have not done
so. They do have a limited trial demo account that gives a few minutes of
working and you can contact them for presumably a more extensive demo.

<http://www.macworkshops.com/machelpmate/test.html>

        The pricing model is different from Timbuktu - unlimited client
installations, so if you are using it a lot it is significantly cheaper,
but if you just want to do remote support of a couple of machines (such as
some relative across the country) Timbuktu might be less expensive.


--
* Johann Beda - contact link: <http://xri.net/=j-beda> *
* Johann's MostlyMac Computer Consulting - <http://mmcc.beda.ca/> *

        To follow up on previous discussions, people might be interested in
a recent posting at macosxhints.com - it is a "hint" detailing how to
create a simple AppleScript bundle that can just be double clicked on by
the "supportee" to allow the "supporter" to do remote control, addressing
some of the issues of NAT/firewalls/etc. that sometimes complicate things.

"Make remote tech support as simple as possible"
Wed, Mar 7 '07 at 7:30AM PST * Submitted by meikokun
<http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20070302234400232>
"I help out a fair few people with computer problems, and there are times
when long explanations over the phone of what is going on with the other
person's computer can just get too tiresome. VNC is great, free, and fast
(if a little limited compared to ARD or Timbuktu), and a sweet way of
seeing and/or controlling the other party's screen. Trouble is, with most
people behind a NAT router nowadays, getting the tech-challenged to
configure a router to allow port forwarding from their side is not for the
faint hearted or short tempered...."

--
* Johann Beda - contact link: <http://xri.net/=j-beda> *
* Johann's MostlyMac Computer Consulting - <http://mmcc.beda.ca/> *