How to control the Office Mac with the Home Mac

remote control

How Can I control my Office Mac with my Home Mac?

Both Macs are in different networks. So with the default setting they don't see each other.

Best Answer

There are a number of alternatives, but they depend somewhat upon how your networks are configured. Generally I would assume that a work network would be fairly “locked down”.

The Ideal Case (which seldom works)

Assuming two “open” networks, you’d need to make sure that, on the Office Mac, you have gone to System Preferences » Sharing » and enable either Screen Sharing (at least) or Remote Management (at most).

Remote Management includes a number of options in addition to screen sharing.

If possible, I would also recommend enabling “Remote Login” on the work Mac. That will allow you to connect via SSH, which you can sometimes do while screen sharing for increased security.

But then you need to know how to connect to the Office Mac, which would require "port forwarding on the office network.

Which you are unlikely to have or be able to get in most places.

Which brings me to my other suggestions.

The Common Alternatives

Rather than deal with all of that, there are various programs out there which will try to make the process simpler by installing a "helper" application on the Office Mac, and then using a related app on your Home Mac.

I will mention two that I have used and can recommend:

  1. Screens and Screens Connect

  2. Jump Desktop and Jump Desktop Connect

Both of these apps are very good. Screens is more well-known, I believe, but I have started using Jump Desktop and found it to be every bit as good if not somewhat better. If you have a Setapp subscription, both apps are included. If you don't, both apps have trial versions available.

The idea is the same with both: install the "Connect" app on your Office Mac. Run it, walk through the configuration process, etc. Then make sure that it is still running when you head home. If you run into errors here, it's probably because your work network is locked down to the point that won't allow it to work. That would not surprise me at all. In fact, I'd be more surprised if it works.

But, assuming that it does work, install the other app on your Home Mac, and use the same login/configuration information that you used when setting up your Office Mac.

If your Office Mac network is allowing the connection, you ought to be able to see, connect, and log in to your Office Mac from your home Mac.