Back to My Mac functions without .Mac
updated 10:55 am EDT, Wed March 12, 2008
Back to My Mac, no .Mac
The Back to My Mac remote networking option, normally only available with a paid subscription to Apple's .Mac service, can in fact be imitated for free, writes one columnist. Users begin by enabling File and Screen Sharing under System Preferences, and then clicking the Options button to expand file sharing to FTP. After some router configuration, users must run the distant computer's Screen Sharing app, located under "System/Library/CoreServices" in Leopard, and enter the external Internet address of the home/work computer.
Browsing files is said to be more complicated, as while connecting Finder to the home system's FTP port allows use of Leopard browsing features, a native FTP client is said to be more efficient. It is also recommended that users give their computer a static IP, and possibly a domain name, making connections far simpler. To save power by leaving the home computer in Sleep mode most of the time, users can check "Wake for Ethernet network administrator access" under the Options tab in the Energy Saver Preference window.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Sep 2000
Not back to my mac
This is NOT BTMM. This approach, called port forwarding, has been available for years. BTMM is far more comprehensive, for example allowing multiple computers on the remote network (your home) to be accessed though TCP tunnelling along with wide-area bonjour discovery. I love you every reference to .Mac is lackluster (in the linked article) but only talks about 1 or 2 features. The total value of .mac, in one integrated place, has easily reached the value of $8.33/month.