Frequently Asked Questions
How to Avoid Common Mistakes with a Hosted Mac
During your new Mac mini setup, there are several common issues that can interrupt remote connections. Below are the most frequent ones and how to avoid them:
1. Enabling FileVault
- FileVault encrypts the entire drive. Until the password is entered during boot, the Mac mini will not complete the boot process and networking will not start—making it inaccessible remotely.
- While FileVault is excellent for laptops to protect data if lost or stolen, it presents a challenge in remote environments: after a reboot, you won’t be able to access the Mac mini until we enter the password locally for you.
- Recommendation: Disable FileVault. If you need to store encrypted data, create a separate encrypted partition instead.
2. Switching from Screen Sharing to Remote Management
- Changing the system setting from Screen Sharing to Remote Management can disable your ability to connect remotely.
- Even if the correct password is entered, the login may fail.
- Recommendation: We do not recommend using Remote Management. Continue managing your Mac mini through Screen Sharing for optimal reliability.
- If you prefer to use Remote Management, follow the setup instructions here.
3. Using a VPN
- When connecting to your remote Mac mini, you typically use the device’s IP or hostname.
- VPNs hide your IP address behind a VPN server, which means enabling a VPN on your Mac mini will immediately cut off access to its IP address – effectively making it unreachable.
- Recommendation: If you’re concerned about security, use a firewall instead of a VPN.
- A software firewall like Murus is a great option. Here’s a setup tutorial.
- You can also implement a hardware firewall. Mac Mini Vault offers fully managed solutions that integrate with your servers. View available managed firewalls here.
4. Connecting Using Acronis Cyber Protect Connect
- Acronis has a known issue when connecting to Mac minis if the login password contains uppercase letters.
- If your randomly generated password includes capital letters and you experience connection issues with Acronis, please contact us at support@cyberlynk.net.
- Make sure to email us from the address associated with your account and mention that you’re trying to connect using Acronis.