Timbuktu Pro 8.5 Meets Mac mini
A Review of Timbuktu Pro 8.5 for Mac OS X from Netopia
By Arthur Whalem



What is Timbuktu Pro?
Timbuktu Pro 8.5 for Mac OS X allows you to control, monitor, send mail, exchange files, chat, intercom and more between Macintosh computers. With Timbuktu Pro installed, all of a sudden you can access and control any other Timbuktu Pro enabled computer on the network, provide assistance remotely and even upgrade or install applications from a distance. Timbuktu Pro 8.5 requires Mac OS X 10.3 "Panther" or higher to function but I have found that it will also work with my older OS 9 and OS 8.6 computers that have Timbuktu Pro version 5.x installed on them. Netopia indicates that they only support use of Timbuktu Pro 8.5 with older Timbuktu Macintosh versions back to version 6.0. However, I am pleasantly surprised that Timbuktu 5.x versions are working well with the new Timbuktu Pro 8.5. This allows me to easily share files and control a PowerMac 7200 with OS 8.6 running Timbuktu 5.01, a PowerMac G4 with OS 9 running Timbuktu 5.2.3 or a Mac mini with Mac OS X 10.4.2 installed running Timbuktu Pro 8.5. There is no other software that can be used to control Macintosh computers running OS 8.6, OS 9 and Mac OS X that I am aware of. In addition, there are also versions of Timbuktu Pro available that work with Windows computers. If you want to remote control computers with a wide variety of operating systems Timbuktu Pro is definitely worth a look.

Timbuktu Pro 8.5 New Features
Timbuktu Pro has been around for the Macintosh for twenty years now and it just keeps getting better. Timbuktu Pro 8.5 for Mac OS X adds new features designed to enhance security and increase performance. These new features include the ability for Timbuktu Pro 8.5 users to maintain the confidentiality of their work when operating a remote system through keyboard locking and screen blanking plus a new option only allows Secure Shell (SSH) connections. Help Desk Mode enables administrators to enforce unidirectional access ensuring only Help Desk agents can initiate remote control sessions. Full desktop sharing allows multiple monitors to be viewed simultaneously and improved mouse control for smoother scrolling from small to large displays. When defining users you can now grant access to the full file system for designated users. In addition, Timbuktu Pro 8.5 includes the ability to automatically check for updated versions when you launch the application.

Screen Blanking
If you are using Timbuktu Pro 8.5 to control a remote computer you may want to do so in private. The new keyboard locking and screen blanking feature provides you confidential access to the remote computer without being concerned who may be viewing your actions. To setup this option in Timbuktu Pro 8.5, go to Setup:Define Users on the remote Macintosh and select your user name and click "Edit". Then scroll down to "Lock out your computer's keyboard and mouse" and check it. Now check "Blank your computer's screen(s)". Now start a new Timbuktu session with the remote Mac and it will blank the screen and lock the keyboard. These settings ONLY effect the remote computer so don't be confused and set them up on the computer you are working from and expect it to blank the remote screen. It will not. Once this feature is setup you will need to use a Mac OS X authentication password each time you log back on to the remote computer. This feature requires both computers have Timbuktu Pro 8.5 installed. If your remote Macintosh is a server locked in a closet this option may not add much security to your setup, but if your remote computer is not in a private location this option may be very helpful.

Only allow Secure Shell (SSH) connections
Timbuktu Pro 8.5 adds the ability to set the TCP Security preference to "Only accept Secure (SSH) Incoming connections". When this is checked only encrypted SSH connections provided by Timbuktu Pro 8.0 or higher will be able to connect to your Macintosh. Setting up an SSH connection requires you to have an account on the Macintosh you want to connect to and a Timbuktu defined Mac OS X User account. In addition, "Remote Login" must be enabled on the remote Macintosh using the Sharing:Services system preference. Staying with encrypted SSH connections is a good idea. It will help increase your security, especially if you are using Timbuktu wirelessly. Timbuktu Pro authentication is integrated with Mac OS X user accounts and the SSH tunnels provide a trusted security option.



Share Entire Desktop & Screen Improvements
When you are monitoring or controlling a remote Macintosh with multiple monitors Timbuktu Pro 8.5 now allows you to display both monitors together. You can also click on the change monitor button on the frame of the screen sharing window to cycle through individual displays. Timbuktu Pro 8.5 also provides improved auto scrolling when you connect to a Macintosh with a larger display than your own computer. The user gets the effect of a large virtual screen that can be scrolled across a smaller screen. This feature is pretty smooth with a fast network and two computers using Timbuktu Pro 8.5. However, using a scrolled screen wirelessly caused me to wait while the screen was updated as I scrolled across a 17" remote computers screen when using a 12" iBook.



Using Timbuktu Pro 8.5
I use a Mac mini as a server that also has an EyeTV 200 PVR connected to it for TV recordings and powers an EyeHome unit for playback on the home theatre over ethernet. The Mac mini has a 200GB internal drive for EyeTV recordings and a 250GB external FireWire 400 drive for server data. In the past, I used Apple Remote Desktop 1.2 to control the Mac mini from a PowerMac G5 but once Mac OS X 10.4 "Tiger" was installed, ARD 1.2 would no longer work and the new Apple Remote Desktop 2.2 is $299. I decided to place a monitor on the Mac mini and use it locally until I could find another solution. I tried VNC but EyeTV would not show up in the dock and it was much less responsive than ARD 1.2 had been. With the release of Timbuktu Pro 8.5, I decided to try it for accessing the Apple Mac mini. A Timbuktu Pro 8.5 boxed Twin-pack (SW2602P) for the Macintosh retails for $189.95 and the download only version (SW2602P-DL) is $179.95. Owners of Timbuktu Pro 6.x or 7.x can get an upgrade price of 50% off and the 8.5 update is free to Timbuktu Pro 8.x users. Since I only need to control one computer a Twin-pack of Timbuktu Pro 8.5 was my choice.



Using Timbuktu Pro to Control Mac mini
In the image above the Mac mini 17" screen is displayed on a PowerMac G5 using a 2001FP 20.1" LCD. The best performance is achieved by using a wired network and controlling a computer with a smaller screen size. You can use wireless and a smaller screen controlling a larger screen but performance will suffer. Under the control menu you can select millions of colors, thousands, 256 and so on down to black & white. Less colors can provide for faster screen redraw but my desktop colors start to look funky at 256. With a wired network I can leave the screen resolution set at millions of colors and still have nice performance. The Timbuktu Pro 8.5 image is clear and works very well even though it has about a half second delay from working on the Mac mini locally. I can even play EyeTV recordings without causing the program to crash. Timbuktu Pro 8.5 plays about 3 frames a second using an EyeTV 200 full size window over a wired network, which makes it difficult to watch TV. Setting the TV window size to small displays a decent video stream. Obviously, you will not be watching TV over Timbuktu Pro but this is a good test to see if the video can overwhelm the application. Timbuktu Pro 8.5 handled the test without any problems and simply dropped frames when the bandwidth was more than it could handle. I have seen some other network applications freeze or need a force quit under a similar load. Editing EyeTV recordings over Timbuktu Pro 8.5 is difficult as a result of the delay, but scheduling recordings, exporting movies, running applications and performing maintenance can all be done easily with the remote control of Timbuktu Pro. While I could get up and go to the Mac mini to operate it, having the ability to open a Mac mini window on the PowerMac G5 monitor provides fast and easy access. Timbuktu Pro 8.5 works very well with Mac mini. If you want to use the Mac mini as a headless server Timbuktu Pro 8.5 can provide a powerful way to control it.

File Exchange
Timbuktu Pro 8.5 has the ability to easily exchange files between your computer and the remote computer. Drag and drop is supported. The exchange function built into Timbuktu Pro 8.5 will work even when file sharing is turned off on your Macintosh. You can see the window provided by Timbuktu Pro 8.5 for this purpose below.



As a test, I copied a 1.4GB file using Timbuktu Pro and also using Mac OS X 10.4 "Tiger" file sharing to see if there was any speed difference. Timbuktu Pro 8.5 completed the copy in 13:34 minutes. Mac OS X 10.4 file sharing using the same computers completed the copy in 2:38 minutes. That is almost five times faster than Timbuktu Pro 8.5. If you are copying small files you will probably not notice the slow Timbuktu Pro exchange copy performance, but my large file copy sessions will definitely be done with Mac OS X 10.4 file sharing.

More Timbuktu Pro Features
Timbuktu Pro 8.5 has a host of features available like sending mail and attachments between Timbuktu Pro enabled computers, control, observe, chat, notify, intercom, invite and you can even create a hardware and software profile of the remote computer for administrative purposes. Timbuktu Pro can work via internet or the modem port. In addition, you can remotely install Timbuktu Pro 8.5 on a computer that you have an administrative password for and that has remote login enabled. The ability to install Timbuktu Pro remotely is a very cool bit of programming. While I use Timbuktu Pro 8.5 mainly to control a Mac mini, it has many other capabilities for maintaining computers remotely and helping users with problems from a remote location. Educators can use the program for helping computer students. Consultants can examine computers in need of repair or install software remotely. The uses for Timbuktu Pro 8.5 are many and you may have a special use that it can help you with too. As a special treat, I was surprised that Timbuktu Pro 8.5 actually worked with legacy Timbuktu Pro 5.x versions that I had installed on Mac OS 8.6 and OS 9 Macintosh computers. If you have Timbuktu Pro installed on any older Macintosh models chances are that Timbuktu Pro 8.5 will still work with them. Apple Remote Desktop requires Mac OS X to function and as such it will not work with older Macintosh models. The backward compatibility of Timbuktu Pro is a very cool feature for those of us that have legacy Macintosh computers.

System Requirements:
Minimum Hardware Requirements
Timbuktu Pro requires the same minimum hardware that is required by your Mac OS. In addition, you’ll need
• 15 MB of available disk space
• 128 MB of physical RAM
• An Internet (TCP/IP) network connection or a modem
• For modem connections, a 56 Kbps or faster modem
• For the Intercom service, a microphone on each computer

Minimum Software Requirements
• Mac OS X version 10.3 or later
• One copy of Timbuktu Pro software on each computer that is to make or receive your Timbuktu Pro connections

Compatibility
Timbuktu Pro version 8 for Mac OS is compatible with Timbuktu Pro for Macintosh 6.0 and later, and Timbuktu Pro for Windows 5.0 and later. Older versions of Timbuktu Pro are not officially supported with Timbuktu Pro 8.x

Pros
Easy to install.
Very good wired network performance.
Allows you to control and observe other Timbuktu enabled computers.
Allows you to exchange files and communicate between Timbuktu users.
Drag and drop is supported when copying files.
Provides encryption when using SSH Tunnels.
Authentication is integrated with Mac OS X user accounts.
Allows you to collect asset information from your computers.
Remote push installation available.
Provides lots of security and setup options.
Works with IP or modem access.
You can record a movie of your remote actions.
Bonjour (formerly known as Rendezvous) is supported.
Works well with legacy Macintosh Timbuktu Pro software.
Cross platform support available.
CD includes Timbuktu Pro 6/7 for earlier Mac OS system support.
50% off for upgrades from Macintosh Timbuktu Pro version 6 or 7.
Comes with a 110 page PDF manual.

Cons
Wireless and modem usage may seem slow.
Timbuktu Pro 10 pack is more expensive than an ARD 10 pack.
Directions for setting up SSH connections could be improved.
Using exchange is slower than Apple file sharing.


Timbuktu Pro 8.5 gets 4 AMUGs out of 5!
If you are looking for a way to control and communicate with computers that have a wide variety of operating systems installed Timbuktu Pro 8.5 is a great choice. In addition, if you only need to communicate between two Macintosh computers, Timbuktu Pro 8.5 is less expensive than Apple Remote Desktop. Timbuktu Pro 8.5 performed very well for this review and also worked well with older Timbuktu Pro software installed on legacy Macintosh computers. If Timbuktu Pro 8.5 sounds like it might meet your needs you can learn more about it and/or purchase it at the Netopia website. There is also a 30 day evaluation copy available on-line.

Netopia, Inc.
Marketplace Tower
6001 Shellmound Street, 4th Floor
Emeryville, CA 94608
Main (510) 420-7400
Fax (510) 420-7601
http://www.netopia.com/

Copyright 2005
Arizona Macintosh Users Group, Inc. (AMUG)
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