# Apple Remote Desktop and Windows Active Directory



## JMZ316 (Aug 3, 2008)

I need to find a way to have Apple Remote Desktop 3.1 allow the use of Windows Active Directories administrators. I have about 20 MACs that have recently been added to my Domain via ADmitMAC. However I'm puzzled how to allow remote administration through Apple Remote Desktop. I'm required to lock down the machines so there are no local accounts except one, and that one even I'm not allowed to know. However I do have the ability to log into those machines with my user account, however since its not really a local account, it won't allow me to add it to the Apple Remote Desktop allowed users. The ultimate solution would be to somehow get a Windows Active Directory Group to allow users in it, to control the MACs via Apple Remote Desktop. I have searched long and hard and found no solution to this, many have said its just not possible. 

Please Help!!!


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## sinclair_tm (Mar 11, 2005)

It's not. There has to be a user account on the Mac for ARD to log into. Same for WAD. I have found the same for Windows too, to remotely log in, there has to be an account to log into. This is so that you set the permissions that the remote user can have on the local machine.


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## JMZ316 (Aug 3, 2008)

Well in Windows I know that is not the case, as I remote into machines all over our foot print. (1000's) and I don't have accounts on each one. I use Remote Desktop and it builds a fresh account on each machine the first time I log into them. Someone mentioned the possibility of making MAC groups but I'd have to put a MAC server in between the MACs and the Domain Controller.


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## macthorough (Jul 5, 2008)

Well I never have used ARD but this info looks interesting...

Are you sure your windows machines don't have an Administrators account? I have not seen a windows PC without and Administrators account. 

Also I recommend that you get familiar with this site if you are not already:

http://www.apple.com/support/remotedesktop/

Where I found this http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/AppleRemoteDesktop1.0_About.pdf:

Set Access Privileges to Client Computers That Use Mac OS X
Follow the steps in this section to set access privileges for each client computer that uses
Mac OS X.
To make changes on a Mac OS X client, you must have the name and password of a user with
administrative privileges on the computer.
To change privileges on each computer, follow these steps:
1
On the client computer, open System Preferences and click Apple Remote Desktop. If
necessary, enter the user name and password of a user with administrative privileges
on that computer.


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## sinclair_tm (Mar 11, 2005)

Just saw this and thought you could take a look at it to see if it helps with what you need at all.


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## macthorough (Jul 5, 2008)

Nice find, hope it works!!!


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