Remote Login/Access from iPad

I am going to be on a longish vacation this summer and I have decided that I am going to just take my iPad Pro and not my laptop (my stress level is higher if I am not, at least, reading email and news).

Given that I really won’t be working, there is very little that I need the Mac for… but there are a few things that I run on the Mac that don’t run anywhere else.

So, I am thinking that the solution is to use the iPad to remote access my Mac when and if I need it. There seem to be several products that do this with different capabilities, etc. Are there any recommendations for which one to use?

I use Screens. Mostly I’m just using it in-house on the same network. But they offer an option to create a Screens Connect account on the Mac. At that point, assuming you’re logged in to that account from the Mac and have a fast connection on both Mac and iPad you should have no problem accessing the Mac. I’ve only done it once or twice as I have no need but I’ve heard good things.

Note: You only need to purchase the iPad app. The Mac-side client is a preference pane in system settings. You don’t need to by the Mac Client unless you have multiple Macs and want to control a Mac from a Mac.

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I just picked up Jump Desktop, and I really love it. Super easy set up, and the iPad app was $15. I was using the free tier of TeamViewer, but I was having an issue where after running and then closing TeamViewer, my command key would stop function on the Smart Keyboard folio.

EDIT: Also, like Screens, you only need purchase the iPad app as Jump Desktop Connect is a free download.

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To avoid getting locked out:
Set your Mac to restart after power failure
Disable automatic software updates

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I use Jump Desktop every day

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One more vote for Jump Desktop!

I use it every day. What I love about Jump Desktop is that it works reliably both with MacOS and Windows just out of the box using Jump Desktop Connect without the need to set up stuff on my router or the PC/Mac.

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Another screens user here, I’ve tried TeamViewer and also port forwarding through an ssh connection using in built screen sharing on another macOS device - but screens has been the most reliable for me.

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OK. So I went to Jump Desktop. I installed it on my MAC (I have SetApp so that was easy) and I bought the client for my iPad. I registered the iPad and then connected and it just worked. Tried it a few times over a couple of days and even tried doing some work through it. So far so good.

Today was the next step. I took my iPad to a friends house. I got on his WiFi network and tried to connect. No dice. Tried a few times and gave up.

Question. To use Jump Desktop remotely is there something else I need to do? Another configuration setting? Open a port in my firewall? Whatever?

Yep half way down this page :slight_smile:

https://support.jumpdesktop.com/hc/en-us/articles/216423583-Setup-Manual-configuration-for-Mac-OS-X

If you want to do the manual route: yes, you have to do the usual stuff to create a way into your network and onto your Mac, if you want to connect to your Mac from outside of your network using your iPad by following the instructions @MacExpert has linked.

But you do not have to do that in order to connect to your Mac from your iPad. It is just one option. There is another.

If you install Jump Desktop Connect on your Mac, you do not have to configure anything further on your Mac or on your router and you do not have to open ports. As long as Jump Desktop Connect is running, the connection to your Mac “just works” using Jump Desktop to your iPad.

You can get Jump Desktop Connect for free at Install Jump Desktop Connect

I use the Jump Desktop Connect route.

I have been using the desktop connect program. And like I said, it works fine if I am at home. I guess I need to play with things a bit more.

The thing is that if you use the Fluid Desktop Connection via Desktop Connect there is nothing to configure. It works just right out of the box via the internet. If it works when you are at home and if it does not when you are not at home, it sounds to me that you maybe do not use the Fluid Desktop Connection provided by Desktop Connect.

Just to be sure, it might be a good idea to delete any connection you have set up in Jump Desktop.

Then try to set it up again using this resource:

It should just work because Desktop Connect (Fluid Remote Desktop) is a client that holds the connection to Jump’s service. If you login to the device on your iPad, the connection is already established. You just need to connect. Those connections will show up in Jump on the iPad as Fluid Remote Desktops.

It says fluid connection :slight_smile: