Apple Remote Desktop 1.2 User Manual

Apple Remote Desktop

Administrator’s Guide

Includes setup instructions and solutions for managing client computers remotely

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System Requirements for Apple Remote Desktop 5

Setting Up Apple Remote Desktop on Client Computers 6

Installing the Client Software 6

Upgrading Existing Client Software 6

Setting Access Privileges for Client Computers That Use Mac OS X 6

Setting Access Privileges for Client Computers That Use Mac OS 8.1 Through 9.2 8

About Access Privilege Settings 9

Setting Up Apple Remote Desktop on Administrator Computers 10

Using Apple Remote Desktop With Computers in an AirPort Wireless Network 11

Using Remote Desktop With Firewall and NAT Routers 11

Using Remote Desktop With Mac OS X Server 12

Keeping Administration Computers More Secure 12

Using the Set Scheduled Copy Command 12

Copying Items to Mac OS X Clients 13

Copying Items to Mac OS 9 Clients 14

Installing Items on Remote Clients 14

Using Different Types of Installers 15

Creating Reports 15

Types of Reports 15

Evaluating the Network Performance Report 16

Using the System Information Report 17

Using Report Windows to Work With Computers 18

Strategies and Tips for Apple Remote Desktop 19

Demonstrating Software 19

Preparing a Computer Lab Between Classes 19

Getting the Best Performance 20

Solving Problems With Apple Remote Desktop 20

Interpreting Status Messages 20

Interpreting Error Messages 22

Where to Find More Information About Apple Remote Desktop 26

Using Apple Remote Desktop

Apple Remote Desktop gives you the ability to remotely control and manage Macintosh desktops. It’s your complete solution for remote desktop access, remote assistance, system management, and software distribution. You can use Apple Remote Desktop to

manage client computers and maintain, upgrade, and distribute software

provide help and remote assistance for users when they encounter problems

interact with users by sending text messages, observing and controlling users’ screens, and sharing their screens with other client users

use documents and applications when you’re away from the ofﬁce

With Apple Remote Desktop software, you can access your ofﬁce computer, documents, and applications while you’re away from the ofﬁce. Used in a classroom, Apple Remote Desktop enhances the learning experience and allows teachers to monitor and control students’ computers. In corporate environments, it’s the ideal solution for managing remote systems, reducing administration costs, and increasing productivity.

System Requirements for Apple Remote Desktop

Administrator computers

eMac, iMac, iBook, Power Mac G3 or G4, or PowerBook G3 or G4 computer

Mac OS X versions 10.1.5 and 10.2.3 or later

Mac OS Extended (HFS+) formatted hard disk

Ethernet (recommended) or AirPort network connection

Client computers

eMac, iMac, iBook, Power Mac G3 or G4, PowerBook G3 or G4 computer, PowerPC based Macintosh, or Xserve

Mac OS 8.1 through Mac OS 9.2 or later (Mac OS 8.6 or 9.2.2 recommended) and Mac OS X versions 10.1.5 and 10.2.3 or later.

Ethernet or AirPort network connection

File servers (for scheduled operations)

Mac OS X Server version 10.1 or later, or AppleShare IP 6

NetBoot and Network Install

Mac OS X Server with NetBoot and Network Install services enabled

Setting Up Apple Remote Desktop on Client Computers

To set up Apple Remote Desktop, you ﬁrst install the client software on the client computers you plan to administer. Then, you set access privileges for client computers.

Installing the Client Software

Use the client software Installer on your Apple Remote Desktop CD to install the client software on the computers you plan to use with Apple Remote Desktop. For Mac OS X computers, you need the name and password of a user with administrative privileges on the computer. Follow the onscreen instructions.

Important

If you need to use languages other than English, make certain the language script in use on the client computer matches the language script in use on the administrator computer. For example, if you use Japanese on the administrator computer, all client computers you plan to monitor using Apple Remote Desktop from the administrator computer must also use Japanese.

Upgrading Existing Client Software

For Mac OS X computers using Apple Remote Desktop client software version 1.1, you can use the Remote Desktop Client Update feature to update client software automatically. When you open the administrator software, modify a computer list, or switch to a different computer list, the application scans for updatable clients. If any are found, the application will prompt you to perform the update. If you want to prevent the application from searching for updatable clients, choose Preferences from the Remote Desktop menu and deselect “Scan for remote desktop client updates.”

Setting Access Privileges for Client Computers That Use Mac OS X

You activate Apple Remote Desktop on a Mac OS X computer and set access privileges to the computer by using the Apple Remote Desktop pane of the computer’s System Preferences. You set access privileges separately for each user account on the computer. Follow the steps in this section to set access privileges on each client computer that uses Mac OS X.

To make changes on a Mac OS X client, you must have the name and password of a user with administrative privileges on the computer.

To change privileges on each computer, follow these steps:

On the client computer, open System Preferences and click Apple Remote Desktop.

If necessary, enter the user name and password of a user with administrative privileges on that computer.

To activate the Apple Remote Desktop client, make sure to select “Start Apple Remote

Desktop client at system startup.”

Select the checkbox of each user account that you want enabled for Apple Remote Desktop.

Highlight a listed user whose access privileges you want to change, and then make the

changes you want to the access privileges. Your changes take effect immediately.

See “About Access Privilege Settings” on page 9 for more information.

If you wish, enter information in any or all of the four Computer Information ﬁelds.

This information appears in Apple Remote Desktop System Information reports. For example, you can enter an inventory number for the computer, a serial number, or a user’s name and telephone number.

Repeat steps 4 and 5 for additional listed users whose access privileges you want to change.

If you changed the setting of “Start Apple Remote Desktop client at system startup,” you

must restart the client computer for the change to take effect.

Setting Access Privileges for Client Computers That Use Mac OS 8.1 Through 9.2

After you install the client software on a Mac OS 8 or 9 computer, you can choose Remote Desktop access privileges.

To change access privileges on each client computer that uses Mac OS 8.1 through 9.2:

On the client computer, locate and open the Remote Desktop Security application and enter the password (the default password is “xyzzy”—you should change this password to something else right away).

The following window appears:

Make changes to the access privileges and password. Your changes take effect immediately.

You can use the New button to deﬁne up to ﬁve sets of administrator privileges, each with its own password. This way you can give different administrators different privileges to the client computer. For more information, see “About Access Privilege Settings” on page 9.

If you want, click Change Info and enter information about the computer.