Back to My Mac
Encyclopedia
Back to My Mac is a feature introduced with Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard that uses Wide-Area Bonjour
to securely discover services across the Internet and automatically configure ad hoc, on-demand, point-to-point encrypted connections between computers using IPSec
. It requires users to have iCloud
set up, as well as an Apple ID
.
Due to its generality, Back to My Mac can work for many Bonjour
-enabled services, not just Screen Sharing
(similar to Apple Remote Desktop
) and File Sharing. Users must have a router that supports either UPNP
(Universal Plug & Play) or NAT-PMP (NAT Port Mapping Protocol) with either of those features enabled in their connected router. It uses UDP port 4500 for point-to-point IPSec connections (which may be mapped to different UDP ports on the public side of a NAT router).
As of October 12, 2011, Apple has included Back to My Mac in its iCloud
service rather than the previously used MobileMe
, thus making it free to use.
Apple held a special media event on October 20, 2010 dubbed similarly "Back to the Mac", at which Mac OS X 10.7 Lion
and redesigned 11- and 13-inch MacBook Airs
were introduced.
using the built in iSight
webcam.
Bonjour (software)
In computing, Bonjour is Apple Inc.'s trade name for its implementation of Zeroconf, a group of technologies that includes service discovery, address assignment, and name resolution...
to securely discover services across the Internet and automatically configure ad hoc, on-demand, point-to-point encrypted connections between computers using IPSec
IPsec
Internet Protocol Security is a protocol suite for securing Internet Protocol communications by authenticating and encrypting each IP packet of a communication session...
. It requires users to have iCloud
ICloud
iCloud is a cloud storage and cloud computing service from Apple Inc. announced on June 6, 2011 at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference . The service allows users to store data such as music files on remote computer servers for download to multiple devices such as iPhones, iPods, iPads, and...
set up, as well as an Apple ID
Apple ID
Apple ID is an authentication system that Apple Inc. introduced for many of its products, such as iWork, the iTunes Store and the Apple Store. Apple ID serves as an all-in-one account that allows users access to a variety of Apple’s resources...
.
Due to its generality, Back to My Mac can work for many Bonjour
Bonjour (software)
In computing, Bonjour is Apple Inc.'s trade name for its implementation of Zeroconf, a group of technologies that includes service discovery, address assignment, and name resolution...
-enabled services, not just Screen Sharing
Screen Sharing
Screen Sharing is a VNC client by Apple Inc. included as part of Mac OS X v10.5. It allows remote observance or control of any Macintosh machine on the local network that has Screen Sharing activated. It may also be used over the Internet via iChat...
(similar to Apple Remote Desktop
Apple Remote Desktop
Apple Remote Desktop is a Macintosh application produced by Apple Inc., first released on March 14, 2002, that replaced a similar product called Apple Network Assistant...
) and File Sharing. Users must have a router that supports either UPNP
Universal Plug and Play
Universal Plug and Play is a set of networking protocols for primarily residential networks without enterprise class devices that permits networked devices, such as personal computers, printers, Internet gateways, Wi-Fi access points and mobile devices to seamlessly discover each other's presence...
(Universal Plug & Play) or NAT-PMP (NAT Port Mapping Protocol) with either of those features enabled in their connected router. It uses UDP port 4500 for point-to-point IPSec connections (which may be mapped to different UDP ports on the public side of a NAT router).
As of October 12, 2011, Apple has included Back to My Mac in its iCloud
ICloud
iCloud is a cloud storage and cloud computing service from Apple Inc. announced on June 6, 2011 at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference . The service allows users to store data such as music files on remote computer servers for download to multiple devices such as iPhones, iPods, iPads, and...
service rather than the previously used MobileMe
MobileMe
MobileMe was a subscription-based collection of online services and software offered by Apple Inc. Originally launched on January 5, 2000, as iTools, a free collection of Internet-based services for users of Mac OS 9, Apple relaunched it as .Mac on July 17, 2002, when it became a paid subscription...
, thus making it free to use.
Apple held a special media event on October 20, 2010 dubbed similarly "Back to the Mac", at which Mac OS X 10.7 Lion
Mac OS X Lion
Mac OS X Lion is the eighth and current major release of Mac OS X, Apple's desktop and server operating system for Macintosh computers....
and redesigned 11- and 13-inch MacBook Airs
MacBook Air
The MacBook Air family is a line of Apple ultraportable Macintosh notebook computers.The first-generation MacBook Air was a 13.3"-only model, previously promoted as the World's Thinnest Notebook, introduced at the Macworld Conference & Expo on January 15, 2008. It featured a custom Intel Merom CPU...
were introduced.
Uses
Back to My Mac can be used to edit and transfer files from one Mac to another. In one instance an Apple Store employee used this technology to capture the image of a person who stole her MacBookMacBook
The MacBook was a brand of Macintosh notebook computers built by Apple Inc. First introduced in May 2006, it replaced the iBook and 12-inch PowerBook series of notebooks as a part of the Apple–Intel transition. Positioned as the low end of the MacBook family, the Apple MacBook was aimed at the...
using the built in iSight
ISight
iSight is a webcam, both external and internal, developed and marketed by Apple Inc. The external iSight was sold retail for US$149, connected to a computer via a FireWire cable, and came with a set of mounts to place it atop any then-current Apple display, laptop computer, all-in-one desktop...
webcam.