Use the iPhone Remote app without a wireless router
Jul 30, '08 07:30:01AM
Contributed by: drumforfun
Something that may be fairly overlooked, but useful is using the iPhone Remote Application when you don't have access to a wireless network. I love taking my Macbook Pro on the go and have fallen in love with the Remote App, but there's not always a wireless network availiable! A quick and simple fix for this is to create your own secure wireless network using your Mac.
A step by step process would look something like this:
- Click on the wireless icon in the menu bar and select Create Network.
- Choose a name. If you are around other locked or untrusted wireless signals, you will want to choose an unused channel. (I would say use the two channel rule, but you're not transferring data here.) Make sure you put a password on it!
- Open up the Network System Preferences panel. You'll want to create a new location to make it easier for future use, and it's easiest to stick with the default network settings. This step is optional, but if you're on the go, it makes it easy.
- Go into the Security System Preferences pane, and make sure your firewall will allow access to iTunes. (Basically anything other than "Allow only essential services.") I have mine set to specific services, and allow incoming connections to iTunes.
- Join the wireless network you created with your Mac, and you'll get a self-assigned IP address.
- Join the network with your iPhone, and you're ready to rock n' roll -- remotely using your iPhone!
Your Mac is now a wireless router for your own mobile LAN. It's cool to use this in conjunction with Front Row (see this previous hint). If you have a Keynote presentation to give, you can export it as a QuickTime movie to iTunes and play/pause it using your iPhone, which seems to impress people. No matter where you go, you can use the Remote app now!
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Mac OS X Hints
http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=20080725011849280