macnn
03/12/2008, 10:55am, EDT
Wednesday, March 12th
Back to My Mac functions without .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.
Filed under: hacks, networking
Other story tags: Leopard, .Mac, VNC, Back to My Mac
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I do agree they, and the article author, make the mistake of labelling this as just like Back To My Mac - it clearly is not.
BTMM is certainly easier than dealing with port forwarding for a novice user, though. I like to keep things secure and do all my forwarding over ssh so I only need one port forwarded through the front-line router.
If you want to get back to our mac at the office, that configuration would get you back to ONE of the macs. You better be friends with the IT guy because nobody else would be able to get in.
Now, if you create a VPN, you can make it like you're on the internal network, but that's a whole different story.