Connect to a macOS device

Learn how to access a macOS computer over Meshnet from Windows, macOS, or Linux.

To log in to your macOS computer remotely over Meshnet, enable remote access on your macOS system and use a remote desktop client on the device from which you connect.

Before you begin

Make sure that:

• Both the macOS device you wish to access remotely (remote Mac) and the device you're using to connect are linked over Meshnet.

• Your remote Mac is on.

Also, it's a good idea to look up the Nord name or Meshnet IP address of the Mac you're connecting to in your NordVPN app. To copy this information for later use, go to Meshnet, click the device’s Nord name or IP address, and choose to copy it.

Set up your remote Mac for access

Before attempting a remote connection, it's crucial to set up your remote Mac to allow these connections.

macOS Sonoma 14

Enable screen sharing or remote management:

1. Select the Apple menu > System settings.
2. Navigate to General, and select Sharing.

   

3. Do any of the following:

   • For basic tasks, under Content & media, turn on the Screen sharing toggle.

     

   • For more advanced control, such as installing software, under Advanced, select Remote management.

     

Tip

Have ready the name and password for the account you're using on your Mac. You can find this information by going to the Apple menu > System settings > Users & groups.

macOS Ventura 13

Enable screen sharing or remote management:

1. Select the Apple menu > System settings.
2. Navigate to General, and select Sharing.

   

3. Do any of the following:

   • For basic tasks, turn on the Screen sharing toggle.

     

   • For more advanced control, such as installing software, under Advanced, select Remote management.

     

Tip

Have ready the name and password for the account you're using on your Mac. You can find this information by going to the Apple menu > System settings > Users & groups.

macOS Monterey 12 or older

1. Select the Apple menu > System preferences and click Sharing.
2. Do any of the following:

   • For basic tasks, select the Screen sharing checkbox.

     
   • For more advanced control, such as installing software, select Remote management.

Tip

Have ready the name and password for the account you're using on your Mac. You can find this information by going to the Apple menu > System preferences > Users & groups.

Connect to your remote Mac

macOS

If you are looking to establish a remote connection between two Mac devices, the macOS Connect to Server feature offers a straightforward solution.

On the Mac you are connecting from:

1. In the NordVPN app, locate and copy the Nord name or Meshnet IP of the Mac you want to access.

   

2. Open Finder .
3. In the menu bar at the top of the screen, click Go and select Connect to server.

   

4. Type vnc:// followed by the Nord name or Meshnet IP of the Mac you want to access and click Connect, as shown: vnc://100.94.97.211 or vnc://secret.raccoon-alps.nord

   

5. When prompted, enter the name and password of your account on the Mac you're trying to access.

   

6. Click Connect.

With these steps completed, you should now be connected to your remote Mac over Meshnet.

Windows or Linux

To connect to the remote Mac from Windows or Linux, first install the NoMachine app on both your remote and local computers.

On your local machine, perform the following steps:

1. In the NordVPN app, locate and copy the Nord name or Meshnet IP address of the Mac you want to access.

2. Launch NoMachine and select the Add button to create a new connection.

3. Under Machine address, in the Name field, provide a custom name for the connection.

4. In the Host field, enter either the Nord name or Meshnet IP of the Mac you want to access, and then select Add.

   

5. Double-click the newly created connection to initiate the remote connection.

6. If a warning appears indicating that the host's authenticity cannot be confirmed, select OK to proceed.

7. Enter your remote desktop credentials and select OK.

   • Username: your remote Mac's account name

   • Password: the password you use to log in to your remote Mac

   

With these steps completed, you should now be connected to your remote Mac using NoMachine over Meshnet.

iOS or Android

To connect to the remote Mac from iOS or Android, first install the NoMachine app on both your remote and local devices.

Add a remote connection

On your mobile device, perform the following steps:

1. In the NordVPN app, go to Meshnet > Manage devices and copy the Nord name or Meshnet IP of the Mac you want to access.

   

2. Open NoMachine and select the Add button, represented by a computer icon with a plus sign, in the upper-left corner to create a new connection.

   

3. Ensure that NX is selected as the protocol and tap Continue.

4. In the Host field, enter either the Nord name or Meshnet IP of the computer you want to access, and then select Continue.

   

5. Keep the default options for Authentication and Proxy.

6. Optionally, in the Name field, provide a custom name for the connection and tap Done.

Access your remote Mac

1. On the NoMachine main screen, double-tap the newly created connection to initiate the remote connection.

   

2. If a warning appears indicating that the host's authenticity cannot be confirmed, select OK to proceed.

3. Enter your remote desktop credentials and select OK.

   • Username: your remote Mac's account name

   • Password: the password you use to log in to your remote Mac

     

With these steps completed, you should now be connected to your remote Mac using NoMachine over Meshnet.

Linux

On Linux, you can use Remmina , which is a free remote desktop client available in the default repositories of many Linux distributions.

Note

The instructions below apply primarily to Ubuntu 16.04 LTS or above, but if you use a different distribution of Linux, the procedure should remain similar.

Install Remmina

If you don't have Remmina installed on your system, install it using one of the methods described below.

Terminal

1. Open the terminal.

2. Update the package manager list of available packages by running the following command:

   sudo apt update

3. Install Remmina by entering this command:

   sudo apt install remmina remmina-plugin-vnc

Ubuntu Software

1. Open the Ubuntu Software application.

2. In the search bar, enter remmina and select the matching result.

   

3. Click the Install button.

Add a remote Mac connection

1. Open your terminal and enter the following command:

   nordvpn meshnet peer list

2. In the displayed list, find the Mac you want to access and copy either the Mac's Nord name or its Meshnet IP:

   
3. Open the Remmina app that you installed earlier.

4. Click the New connection profile button in the upper-left corner of the app window.

   

5. Select Remmina VNC plugin from the Protocol dropdown list.

   

6. Under Basic, enter the information to create a reusable connection.

   • Server: the Nord name or Meshnet IP of the Mac you want to access.

   • Username: your remote Mac's account name.

   • User password: the password for the specified username.

   
7. Click Save.

Access your remote Mac

1. Double-click the new connection profile you've created.

   
2. Accept the certificate presented by the server to verify that you trust the computer you are trying to access.

With these steps completed, you should now be connected to your remote Mac using Remmina over Meshnet.

Alternative remote desktop tools

If you prefer, you can use other remote access software like AnyDesk.

Using AnyDesk

Once remote access is configured on the target Mac, install the AnyDesk app on both the Mac and the device you're connecting from.

For this setup, you won't need remote Mac account credentials. Instead, you can use either manual approval on the remote Mac or set up a dedicated unattended access password.

Optional: Enable unattended access with AnyDesk

By default, AnyDesk needs manual approval for incoming connections. To bypass this, you can enable the app’s Unattended access feature:

1. On the remote computer, launch AnyDesk.

2. In the menu bar, click AnyDesk > Preferences.

   

3. Navigate to the Security tab and click Permission profiles.

   

4. From the menu on the left, choose Unattended access and select the Enable unattended access checkbox.

   

5. Enter a secure password that will be used for authentication and click Change password.

After applying the changes, you can connect to the remote device without having to manually accept the connection request.

Connect from Windows, macOS, or Linux

On your local machine:

1. In the NordVPN app, locate and copy the Nord name or Meshnet IP address of the Mac you want to access.

2. Launch AnyDesk you installed earlier.

3. In the remote address field at the top, enter either the Nord name or the Meshnet IP address of the remote Mac and click Connect.

   

If you set up an unattended password on the remote Mac:

1. In the Authorization dialog that appears, enter the password you created for unattended access on the remote Mac and click OK.

   

2. Optionally, you can select the Log in automatically from now on checkbox to avoid entering the password again for subsequent connections.

If you haven't set up an unattended password, wait for the user at the remote Mac to accept the connection request manually.

Connect from iOS or Android

On your mobile device:

1. In the NordVPN app, go to Meshnet > Manage devices and copy the Nord name or Meshnet IP of the Mac you want to access.
2. Open AnyDesk you installed earlier.

3. In the remote address field, paste either the Nord name or the Meshnet IP address of the remote Mac and tap the arrow button to connect.

   

If you set up an unattended password on the remote Mac:

1. In the Authorization dialog, enter the password you created for unattended access on the remote Mac and tap OK.

   

2. Optionally, you can select the Log in automatically from now on checkbox to avoid entering the password again for subsequent connections.

If you haven't set up an unattended password, wait for the user at the remote device to accept the connection request manually.

With these steps completed, you should now be connected to your remote Mac using AnyDesk over Meshnet.

Checklist for a successful connection

If you encounter issues while attempting to connect, check that:

• Both devices are linked over Meshnet.

• Both devices see each other as active in the Meshnet peer list.

• The remote Mac is turned on and not in sleep or hibernate mode.

• The remote Mac's network settings allow for incoming Remote Desktop connections.

• The correct Nord name or Meshnet IP address is being used for the connection.

• You are logging in with the correct remote Mac account credentials, if applicable.

• Any firewall or antivirus software is not blocking the connection.

See also

• Connect to a Windows device

• Connect to a Linux device