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There are many ways to remotely control a Windows computer software such as using third party software or the built-in Remote Desktop feature. However, the choices of remotely controlling another computer that is running a different operating system can be quite limited. Although Windows dominates the computer market, but you can still find a lot of people using Macs that runs on OS X.
Apple has their own remote access software called Apple Remote Desktop (ARD) which is a shareware that cost $79.99. It comes with some powerful features such as software distribution and automation to perform repetitive tasks on remote computers, but unfortunately it is meant for Mac to Mac and not cross platform. In this article, we will be sharing a few methods on how you can remotely access Apple Mac computers from another computer running Windows for free.
1. TeamViewerTeamViewer is one of the most popular remote access software that is commonly used to provide remote support because it is easy to use and comes with really powerful features such as file transfer, switch sides, conference call, VoIP, screen recording and etc. Other than that, TeamViewer also works on multiple operating systems where it allows you to control a Mac OS X system from a Windows computer.
You will need to download and install the “HOST” version of TeamViewer on the Mac computer that you want to remotely control. As for the Windows computer that will be controlling the Mac computer, simply download the TeamViewer full version, install and run it. Enter the ID followed by the password and you’re able to connect to the OS X machine. The ID will not change and always stay the same on the machine.
The TeamViewer Host options can be accessed by clicking on the TeamViewer icon at the menu bar and select Preferences. You can change your password, configure the voice, microphone and phone conferencing, access control and etc.
Download TeamViewer Host for Mac
2. LogMeIn Free
LogMeIn Free allows you to conveniently remotely control a Mac computer running OS X from Windows through its web interface or the Firefox plugin. First you will need to create a free account, then login from the Mac computer and click the Add Computer button to download the LogMeIn Installer. After installation, you are able to access that computer from any other computer by logging in to LogMeIn. Do take note that the file transfer feature is disabled in the free version.
Download LogMeIn Free
3. RealVNC
Although there are many versions of VNC which are mostly free, RealVNC targets the enterprise users by offering shareware version and cross platform support to Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Solaris, HP-UX and AIX. Similarly to LogMeIn, the free version of RealVNC provides a very basic remote access feature without file transfer, chat, session encryption, optimized performance, printing and deployment tool. You can use other VNC viewer such as TightVNC and UltraVNC to access the RealVNC server.
Download RealVNC
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ReplyIf the OSX commuter has remote management enabled, what client does the Windows computer need to run to connect to it?
ReplyLogmein Free isn’t completely free anymore. You can buy an account, and for IT people, you can buy Logmein Central, and then tie a couple of Logmein Pro pay-for machines to the account (easy). Then you are given logmein free subscriptions you can then tie into the account. If the remote access is going to give you an hourly rate or save you time (and time is money) then it is WORTH buying the annual subscription.
The thing that has always been an issue for me is Logmein wants to boast about their ability to stream the remote desktop as HD, and frankly that is just bells and whistles to me. That requires WAY more bandwidth, and is pointless in most cases. The GREAT thing about logmein, even over their join.me product, is you can cut back the color quality or even make it black and white. This SIGNIFICANTLY speeds up the remote session to make sure things work right. Join.me is a $100/yr subscription, to compete with their enterprise version rescue, but again the quality of the remote session is simply limiting and time wasting for the average IT guy who needs to help the user.
More to the point of Logmein Pro, you can actually perform secure file transfers, and monitor the system in a dashboard. The Dashboard for pro subscriptions ALSO gives you things like the top fifteen running processes, all scheduled tasks, the most current 15 lines of the event viewer log, etc. You can perform various levels of remote boot, and even utilize a scripting type offering called one to many.
It is incredibly powerful, and COMPLETELY worth the cost of the annual subscriptions.
(I do NOT work for Logmein, just an IT consultant.)
Thank you very much. Used realvnc viewer on win 7 64bit, to connect to a mac laptop on OS X Mavericks.
ReplyI was using the built in vnc server for osx, but with the last 10.8.5 update my connection got a lot of lag. I updated my vnc viewers to the latest but that didn’t help. I finally downloaded the vine vnc server ( turned off the osx vnc server ) and bingo problem solved. Thanks for the article, it was a great help.
Replythanks a lot
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One of the coolest advantages to a network is the ability to take control of one computer from another computer. For example, sometimes you might need to access files on your Mac Pro desktop while you’re on a trip, but you don’t have File Sharing enabled. What can you do?
You can remotely connect into your Mac Pro and then enable File Sharing. Perhaps you have a file on your computer with someone’s phone number that you suddenly need on the road. With remote control, it’s at your fingertips!
How to use Screen Sharing on your MacBook
Lion’s Screen Sharing feature, which is available from iChat, can be turned on for individual users from the Sharing pane in System Preferences. You can allow access for all user accounts on your MacBook or limit remote access to selected users. Screen Sharing is Apple’s implementation of Virtual Network Computing (VNC) technology.
To set up Screen Sharing, follow these steps:
Click the System Preferences icon in the Dock.
Click the Sharing icon to open the Sharing Preferences pane.
Click the Screen Sharing check box to select it.
To limit remote access for specific accounts, click the Only these users radio button, and click the Add button (which bears a plus sign) to select a user.
Close the System Preferences window to save the change.
After you’ve enabled screen sharing, you can use the Buddies→Share My Screen menu item in iChat to share your screen with another person. To view another person’s screen, use the Buddies→ Share Remote Screen menu item.
Remote Controls For Mac Free
Remotely control your MacBook
Virtual Network Computing (or VNC, available for many platforms at RealVNC) is a very nice application that enables you to remotely control a computer from pretty much anywhere that has an Internet connection. VNC is easy to install and configure, and it runs on many different platforms, ranging from Windows 7 and UNIX on desktop computers and servers to iPhones, iPads, and Windows CE on personal digital assistants (PDAs).
Wrap your mind around this: You could be at a friend’s house on her wireless network and use your iPhone to remotely control your MacBook at home over the Internet.
Some networks have proxies and firewalls that might interfere with VNC’s operation. You can remotely control a computer that’s behind a firewall or cable/DSL router, but the firewall/router needs to be configured properly. Because the process varies from one manufacturer to the next, check your cable/DSL router manual for instructions on how to do this.
How VNC works
In a nutshell, VNC takes the graphical interface on your monitor, turns it into data, and sends it to the computer that you’re using to remotely control it. The computer that you’re using sends keyboard presses, trackpad movements, and clicks to it, acting just the same way as it would if you were sitting right in front of it.
You can use Lion’s Screen Sharing feature in iChat to make a remote connection from another Mac to your MacBook. However, you’re not limited to using just another Mac using Lion and Screen Sharing in iChat — you can control your MacBook from a Windows PC, or from an older version of Mac OS X as well! If you’ve already enabled Screen Sharing, follow these steps to enable any VNC connection:
Click the System Preferences icon in the Dock.
Click the Sharing icon to open the Sharing Preferences pane.
Click the Screen Sharing entry.
Click the Computer Settings button.
Click the VNC Viewers May Control Screen with Password check box to select it.
Click within the password text box and enter a password for VNC applications.
Click OK to exit the Computer Settings sheet, and close the System Preferences window to save the changes.
Remote control of another computer from your MacBook
A few different VNC viewers exist for Mac OS X. A VNC viewer is just an application you use to remotely control another computer running VNC. You can download them at RealVNC. If you find yourself on a computer without a VNC viewer — heaven forbid — VNC server actually runs over the Web as well!
Remote Access Mac
As long as the computer that you’re using has a Web browser that supports Java — which Safari does — you can still remotely control your computer. (You may have to download the Java runtime package from the Apple website. Click in the website Search box and type Java runtime to locate the latest version.)
Remote Controls For Mac Pro
When you connect to the computer running VNC using a Web browser, the Web server sends a default page that contains a Java applet. That Java applet asks you for the password to connect; upon entering the correct password, it brings up the remote control session right in the Web browser.