Even more basic...

[aesart]

Greetings!

I already have FileMaker Server running on our private network, being served from a Windows 2000 workstation through services, and what I'd like to do is be able to access this database from home.

We have a DSL service (Covad) that brings the internet through a router, and I've been told that we have one static IP address that can be mapped, but they insist that I need PC Anywhere and a port number to be able to hook up the machines. Trouble is, the machine at home is a Mac.

Besides Server, I also have Unlimited, and I know FileMaker is supposed to have all these web capabilities. Our network "guy" is a genius on Novell, but hates Macs (which I do all my work on), so I ask of the many folks in here, shouldn't there be an easier way to do this?

[LiveOak]

Two options:

1) You can connect FM to FM by opening port 5003 through your router and mapping it to the FM Sever machine. You will setup your home copy of FM for TCP/IP networking, go to File --> Open --> Hosts and specify the IP address of your router.

2) Use Timbuktu from Netopia instead of PC Anywhere. Timbuktu is cross platform. In this case open Port 407 and map it to a FM client machine.

-bd

[Kurt Knippel]

Follow LiveOak's advise, basically you "network guy" is a putz, since what he needs to do to make this work has nothing to do with what is on your end. You could have anything from a Commadore64 to a Cray Supercomputer and he still needs to do exactly the same things to give you access.

[aesart]

Thank you for your reply!

Could you answer another question? So I may learn something new, what is the significance of that particular port number? Is it set up by default in FMPro, Windows 2000 or Covad? And why would it be different for Timbuktu?

Again, thank you for your answer!

[Kurt Knippel]

Port designations are mostly arbitrary and have just been picked my different software manufacturers. I do not know that there are any actual technical reasons for the selections.

[Garry Claridge]

If you are running OS X you can use 'Remote Desktop' (download from the Microsoft site). I know it works with XP Pro, you have to check if it works with Win2k (it may need Terminal Services).

The Mac will talk to anything :-)

All the best.

Garry