LogMeIn

Lifestyle – Thoughts – Passions – Reviews

20 June 2007 151 views 20 Comments

I used LogMeIn a lot in the past, in my Windows days, specifically to support my parents and a few other people that I helped out from time to time. As my father is coming over this weekend to pick up his PowerBook and learn how to use it I was really pleased when I saw that there was a free preview of LogMeIn for Mac available. I have being using it for some time now and I am impressed (and somewhat relieved as this is going to be a great way to help my father as he gets to know his PowerBook).

I have set up an account and downloaded the software to all the Macs, including his, so that I can log into and ‘take control’ of any of the Macs from any one of the Macs – make sense? Basically from any Mac you log in through a browser to your account, where you can add any of ‘your’ Macs. This works great if you just want to remotely control the Mac, which to be honest is basically all I want to do. There is a Safari plug in, but I don’t use Safari so wasn’t that interested in that. There are also more advances support options which look great, but again are a little more than I actually require.

I did try and stream a movie across from my Mac mini to the iMac via LogeMeIn and while it worked technically it wasn’t at all watch-able. For what I want to do LogMeIn remains a simple and effective solution. I am really pleased that they have brought it out for the Mac.

Details

LogMeIn Free for Mac (Preview)

If you’re a Mac user and you want to access your computers remotely, then this Preview of LogMeIn Free provides a glimpse of what’s in store. Free and easy remote control that “just works” – combined with the standard LogMeIn bullet-proof security.

LogMeIn enables you to connect to your Mac computers from anywhere in the world; from any other Internet-enabled Mac, Windows PC or hand-held device. The remote control feature in LogMeIn Free means you can view and control your Mac desktop and applications just as if you were sitting at the computer. Just like LogMeIn Free for the PC, Mac users can add an unlimited number of their computers for free.

To connect from a Mac and remote control another computer, you can also download a Safari plugin for an optimal remote control experience. You can adjust the settings of the remote control to best suit your needs. For example, matching the screen resolution of the two computers and switching to full screen enhances the feeling that there is really only one computer, not two.

If you use LogmeIn I would like to hear what you think of it.

20 Comments »

Mac Sokulski said:

I use logme in extensively for remotely managing my work network. It is the best thing in remote control software. The client is lightweight and completely stays out of the picture. The best thing is that you don’t have to remember IP addresses, or any other connection data. As Chris said, you just log in to a web site and take control of the systems you have setup. Simple and effective.
With the addition of a Mac client and a plugin for Safari, means that I can actually use my Macbook Pro to do all the administrative work on all my Macs and Windows machine out there in the world. I whole heartedly concur with Chris’s view.

# 20 June 2007 at 5:11 pm (Quote)

Chris Marshall said:

Interesting that you are using it already in a work environment.

# 20 June 2007 at 5:26 pm (Quote)

Mac Sokulski said:

I’ve been using the windows version for years. Started off with RemotelyAnywhere, and went from there. Currently I’m using their LogmeIn Rescue. I’m really impressed with the whole product line.

# 21 June 2007 at 8:48 pm (Quote)

Phil Bridges said:

An often overlooked feature of Logmein is that it uses the same ports as any self-respecting home banking system would use (80 & 443 I beleive). So, if like me you are behind a ‘corporate firewall’ you’ll probably still be able to remote to your home Windows PC or Mac without upsetting your IT dept as these ports are are rarelty blocked and there are no ports to configure forward or configure either end.

I’ve been using it for over a year now, funnily enough macs have always been able to remote control Windows PCs as have Linux machine from day 1 thanks to Java but that seems to have been rarely publicised.

The addition of the Mac client is definitely the icing on the cake!!

# 25 June 2007 at 1:24 pm (Quote)

Chris Marshall said:

Phil that is a great point, thanks!

# 25 June 2007 at 4:30 pm (Quote)

Scott said:

Chris, agree with you entirely on this. I also used to use Logmein on Windows before I converted to Mac a while back. Since then I have convinced my parents to by an iMac and so having Logmein running on OSX is great news ( I can support them from home again… )

Great looking site as well by the way.

Cheers

# 4 July 2007 at 8:05 pm (Quote)

Scott said:

PS. Any chance of a Pownce invite ?

# 4 July 2007 at 8:08 pm (Quote)

Chris Marshall said:

Scott thanks – and for agreeing with me AND saying you liked the site a Pownce invite is on the way!!!!!

# 4 July 2007 at 8:13 pm (Quote)

Bill Dennehy said:

Hi, I just bought an ipod Touch but Safari says it is unable to DL the Mac plugin. Any idea why? I bought this specifically to use when I’m overseas and now am disappointed it won’t work (so far). Thanks
Bill

# 17 May 2008 at 1:08 am (Quote)

Phil Bridges said:

[quote comment=""]Hi, I just bought an ipod Touch but Safari says it is unable to DL the Mac plugin. Any idea why? I bought this specifically to use when I’m overseas and now am disappointed it won’t work (so far). Thanks
Bill[/quote]

You won’t need the mac plugin to use logmein on a Topuch or an iphone, it still works fine, well, on 1.1.4 jailbroken iPhone at least. I believe it just drops back to java instead.

# 17 May 2008 at 8:03 am (Quote)

Chris Marshall (author) said:

Because the Logme In plugin requires an actuall physical install. It’s not as nice as let say flash. So Safari on iPod Touch will not work with Logme In, as there are no way of installing the plugin.

# 17 May 2008 at 8:30 am (Quote)

Phil Bridges said:

[quote comment=""]Because the Logme In plugin requires an actuall physical install. It’s not as nice as let say flash. So Safari on iPod Touch will not work with Logme In, as there are no way of installing the plugin.[/quote]

Folks.. I’m using it no problem, and you don’t need the plug in, it just drop backs to Java. I used logmein on a mac minin way before they ever had a mac plugin.. ditto ubuntu… The magic word here is Java….

# 17 May 2008 at 8:40 am (Quote)

Phil Bridges said:

[quote comment=""][quote comment=""]Because the Logme In plugin requires an actuall physical install. It’s not as nice as let say flash. So Safari on iPod Touch will not work with Logme In, as there are no way of installing the plugin.[/quote]

Well I’m using it no problem, and you don’t Need the plug in, it just drop backs to java. I used logmein on a mac minin way before they ever had a mac plugin.. ditto ubuntu…[/quote]

# 17 May 2008 at 8:43 am (Quote)

bill dennehy said:

OK, so why is my screen black? No text -nothing (with LMI). Everything else works fine. Should I go to an Apple store and ask them to look at it? Bill

# 17 May 2008 at 4:29 pm (Quote)

Phil Bridges said:

You need to change you default Remote Control settings to HTML (If you’ve used it a PC you’ve probably set it to active-X by default).

How to – http://www.technologyevangelist.com/2007/10/how_to_use_logmein_o.html

# 17 May 2008 at 4:51 pm (Quote)

bill dennehy said:

[quote comment=""]OK, so why is my screen black? No text -nothing (with LMI). Everything else works fine. Should I go to an Apple store and ask them to look at it? Bill[/quote]