How to Remotely Control a Mac from a Mac With VNC

VNC stands for "Virtual Network Computing" and allows one computer to control another remotely. This is especially handy when you're away from your work computer and need to do a bit of work from home. Using Chicken of the VNC, a free, lightweight VNC program for the Mac, you can easily control any Mac remotely. The Server is the Mac you need to access remotely and the Client is the Mac you're using to control the Server.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Apple Macintosh Computer running OSX
• Another Apple Macintosh Computer running Mac OSX
• Chicken of the VNC

How to Set Up the Server

1. Open "System Preferences." Click the blue Apple logo on the upper left and select "System Preferences."
2. Click the "Sharing" icon in the Internet & Network section of the System Preferences screen.
3. Check the box next to "Apple Remote Desktop."
4. Click on the "Access Privileges" button.
5. Check the box next to "VNC viewers may control screen w/ password:"
6. Enter a password only you know. Secure passwords are a combination of numbers and letters and occasionally characters such as "@" and "!" Click "OK"
7. Type in your password to allow "System Preferences" to make the changes. This is the password you use to log in to your Mac. Then click "OK"
8. Write down your Mac's IP address which is located below the "Services" box on the "Sharing" preferences screen.

How to Set Up the Client Computer

9. Download and install Chicken of the VNC. Go to versiontracker.com to download the program (see Resources below). Always download from a trusted source.
10. Start up Chicken of the VNC.
11. Click on the plus sign below the "Servers" column in the "VNC Login" screen to add a new server.
    
    If the name of the server appears in the "Servers" column, just click on the name of the computer you want to control and proceed to Step 5.
12. Type in the IP address of the Mac you want to control in the "Host" field.
13. Type the password you set up in Section 1 in the "Password" field.
14. Click "Connect." A window will pop up on your Mac with the screen of the "Server" Mac, and you can control it as if you were sitting in front of it.