Using MS Remote Desktop Client on Mac

Considering move to Mac, need info on Remote Desktop

[Eurotrader]

I am currently using a Macromedia Studio MX 2004 on my Sony Vaio. I am now seriously considering the purchase of an iMac G5.

I've become well versed on the benefits of the Mac platform. I plan to be a dualie and use both my PC and Mac.

I want to use Dreamweaver on the Mac but I don't want to purchase another license for the Mac. I heard about the MS Remote Desktop Client, where you access your PC via the Mac, which is much better than Virtual PC.

I may also use MS Word, and Excel sometimes.

I have several questions:

1) Is this program free?

2) Is this method of use fast enough? Is this method practical?

(My Vaio is a 1.5 ghz P4 w/512 mb of ram, and I am running XP Pro. On the iMac G5 I will have 1 gig of ram.)

Please fill me in, I appreciate all help.

[DerekH]

I understand what you're saying, but if you want to sit at the Mac and log into the PC, the path you want to go down seems to offer you nothing except using the Mac keyboard and display while running two machines to do the work of one.

As you've stated that you intend to run both machines, my advice is rather stark...
Leave Dreamweaver on the PC.

You'll miss the excellent Mac GUI, but you will anyway if you just use the Mac as the world's most expensive "terminal".

I think you're over-complicating things <smile>
DerekH

[Eurotrader]

DerekH,

You are right about overcomplicating things, esp. if much of what I planned to do was Dreamweaver. I actually only use Dreamweaver 5% of the time. I only really use it to paste my written work into a template and post it on the web.

The other 95% is spent researching, writing, studying economics, entertainement, forums, requesting links, etc. -Normal computer work that the Mac excels at, with much less frills.

I just would like to be able to access DW, when necessary.

[photon]

1) It is free. [microsoft.com...]

2) It's semi-practical. There's a noticable lag in the display refresh, but I've found the same to be true with Windows to Windows (may be my PC). So for regular work it's fine, but I wouldn't plan on using it for any gaming. ;)

[lZakl]

Also, another path you might consider, if you have a copy of Windows on CD is Virtual PC. I've used it for over 3 years and had nothing but good come from it. I have all my windows apps right on my Mac... No need for all that controlling PCs remotely. Although I DO have Remote Desktop 2 installed on all the machines here for administrative purposes, but I would never try to run an app from it. It IS slower than you just sitting in front of the computer.

[Slade]

I would like to add in from the Windows world that I use Remote Desktop on a daily basis. It is much cleaner than VNC, which we used before we updated to Win2003 Server.

At work, Remote Desktop is just as good as being there to do System and SQL admin tasks on our servers. (We only go into the server room when something is *really* wrong.)

From home, I connect to my WinXP desktop over a VPN and notice some delay, but it is definately usable. (We just moved offices, and it's acting kind of funny, but before that it was fine.)

You can't play Unreal over it, but hey, what'd you expect? ;)

[abertone]

I too tried the remote desktop and virtual pc routes only to frustrate myself to no end. I finally got myself a kvm switch and run my pc and mac from one monitor, keyboard and mouse. I have all the benefits of the mac and the pc without all the clutter on my desk.

-ABertone

[timster]

I guess you'd call me a "dualee" although that sounds pretty weird. I've used both Virtual PC and Remote Desktop and for me RDC is head and shoulders better.

A KVM wouldn't do for me because I like to sack out with my PowerBook. Virtual PC is no good because it eats processor cycles and I've got better things to do with them.

My PC is actually down the road in the server room of my office. As mentioned before, doing anything graphics-intensive remotely is pretty ugly, but programming, database stuff, and web site testing are basically painless.

It's nice to have the power of two computers at my fingertips. I'd say you've got a good plan.

[ron_ron]

I have Remote Desktop Connection (RDC) to connect from my Mac in Japan to my Windows 2003 server in the US. I love it! It is easy to use and does the job.

I would like to be able to use this software to connect to my desktop PC which runs XP, from my Mac. Can anyone tell me how I would configure the PC to allow this? The PC is hooked up to a router. Does that make it impossible as the router has its own IP.

[timster]

I would like to be able to use this software to connect to my desktop PC which runs XP, from my Mac.

Here's an overview, with a lot of missing details. Should get you going in the right direction.

First you have to configure the PC to share its desktop, but you're probably posting in the wrong forum for expert advice on how to set up your PC.

If you are using DHCP on your router to assign IP addresses to your computers (you probably are) you'll want to modify that so that your PC has a permanent IP (not a "real" IP, just a private one that makes sense on your network).

If your Mac is on the same network as the PC, you're basically done at this point. Simply point RDC at the private IP of the PC.

If you want to connect from elsewhere on the internet, you'll have to set up Port Mapping on your router to allow that. Basically, you're telling the router if it gets a request for Remote Desktop, send it to your PC. Of course there are security implications to doing this that you'll want to understand.