14 DAY TRIAL // Yazsoft has updated ShareTool, an app that allows you to access your home network remotely. ShareTool now supports full Playback integration, has a Hi-res ShareTool icon and adds various internal and UI tweaks, according to the app’s developers.
ShareTool is a useful app that lets you access all of the Bonjour services on your home network (iTunes Music Sharing, Screen Sharing, File Sharing, printing, and more) from anywhere in the world. Developed for Bonjour users looking to access all of their services on their home network from anywhere in the world, ShareTool includes iTunes music sharing, screen sharing, file sharing, etc.
The software automatically configures routers supporting NAT-PMP or UpnP; remote services automatically appear in Finder, iTunes, and other applications; the app enables remote access for any application or service that advertises itself using Bonjour and runs over TCP/IP; all network traffic is strongly encrypted, while access to your services requires your Mac OS X username and password, to name a few key features of this useful piece of software.
Similar to Apple’s Back To My Mac (BTMM) feature, ShareTool still poses some significant differences. For example, BTMM only works with Screen Sharing and File Sharing, whereas ShareTool also works with iTunes, iPhoto, SFTP, and many third-party applications. ShareTool doesn’t require a yearly subscription either – you just buy the app once and you’re set for life.
Another thing ShareTool supports that BTMM doesn’t is Tiger (BTMM requires Leopard). Lastly, BTMM needs to run on each computer you intend to access. You only need to launch ShareTool on one computer at home, while your entire network will be made available. This includes Time Capsules and AirPort Disks.
One ShareTool user license costs $20 to buy. The application is a Universal Binary, good for both Intel and PPC-based Macs. ShareTool requires Mac OS X no higher than 10.3.9 (Panther), but newer OS versions are supported too. A free, demo version can be acquired using the link below.