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Version: Developer

Configure remote macOS access in Kasm Workspaces over VNC

Overview​

Kasm Workspaces brokers browser-based access to a macOS system through the built-in VNC service that macOS exposes as Remote Management. This guide enables Remote Management on the macOS system, adds the system as a VNC server in Kasm, and publishes it to users as a Workspace. The result is governed, audited remote access to macOS hardware through the same interface that Kasm provides for containers and other servers.

Prerequisites​

  • A working Kasm Workspaces deployment with administrator access.
  • A macOS system that is reachable from the Kasm deployment over VNC, which uses port 5900 by default.
  • A macOS user account with permission to enable Remote Management.

Solution approach​

This guide progresses through the following phases:

  1. Enable Remote Management on macOS.
  2. Add the macOS system as a server in Kasm.
  3. Publish the server as a Workspace.

Detailed steps​

Enable Remote Management on macOS​

Remote Management exposes the VNC service that Kasm connects to.

  1. Open the Settings app on the macOS system and go to the General section.
  2. Scroll down and click Sharing.

Location of the Sharing section in macOS Settings

Location of Sharing Section
  1. In Sharing, find Remote Management and enable it.
  2. Click the information icon next to the Remote Management toggle.

Location of the Remote Management toggle in macOS Sharing settings

Location of Remote Management
  1. To restrict the options further, click the computer settings button, clear all the checkboxes, and click OK.

Remote Management options dialog in macOS

Remote Management Options
  1. Change the access option from All Users to Only these users.
  2. Add your user account to the list of allowed users.
  3. Click your user account, select Options, and configure the following:
    • Check Observe to allow viewing the macOS system remotely.
    • Check Control to allow remote control of the macOS system.
    • Click OK to save the settings.

Adding a user to the Only these users list in macOS Remote Management

Adding User to Only These Users

Add the macOS system as a server in Kasm​

  1. Log in to Kasm as an administrator.
  2. Go to Infrastructure, then Servers.
  3. In the servers list, click Add.
  4. In the Create Server panel, provide the following information:
    • A friendly name to identify the server.
    • The IP address of the macOS system.
    • VNC as the connection type, which is the remote access protocol macOS uses.
    • The port 5900, the default port for VNC.
    • The macOS username and password to authenticate the connection.
    • Max Simultaneous Sessions set to 1, which ensures exclusive access to the server.
    • The deployment zone.
  5. Click Save.

Adding a macOS server in the Kasm Infrastructure settings

Adding A Server to Kasm Workspaces

Publish the server as a Workspace​

A Workspace makes the macOS system accessible to users.

  1. Log in to Kasm as an administrator.
  2. Go to Workspaces, then Workspaces.
  3. In the workspaces list, click Add Workspace.
  4. In the Create Workspace panel, provide the following information:
    • Server as the Workspace Type, which connects to the macOS server.
    • A friendly name to display to users.
    • A description of the Workspace.
    • The thumbnail URL, optionally, to display as the Workspace icon.
    • The Enabled checkbox, checked to activate the Workspace.
    • The server you created, selected from the Server drop-down.
  5. Click Save.

Users can now access the macOS system remotely through Kasm Workspaces.

Common troubleshooting steps​

  • The connection to the macOS system fails. Confirm the IP address, verify that VNC port 5900 is open, and confirm that Remote Management is enabled for the connecting user.
  • The session is view-only. Confirm that Control is checked in the user's Remote Management options.
  • A second user cannot connect. VNC allows one controlling user. Confirm that Max Simultaneous Sessions is set to 1 and that no other session is active.