Get your credentials
When your Mac is provisioned, MacStadium sends you an install ticket containing the server’s IP address, username, and password. Use these credentials for all of the connection methods below. You can also find your server’s IP address in My Cloud in the MacStadium Portal. Each server entry includes a Launch VNC shortcut and a Copy SSH Address shortcut with a ready-to-pastessh command.
If you can’t locate your install ticket or credentials, contact MacStadium Support.
Connection methods
All Mac mini subscriptions are pre-configured to connect using the following methods:Screen Sharing is not exposed to the Internet. Inbound traffic to the default Screen Sharing port (TCP 5900) is blocked at the MacStadium network edge for all hosted Macs (see CVE-2026-65400). Reach Screen Sharing through an SSH tunnel (recommended below) or a private network / VPN. SSH itself is unaffected and works directly.
Connect over SSH
SSH gives you console access and is the foundation for the Screen Sharing tunnel in the next section. From a terminal on your local machine:Connect to Screen Sharing over an SSH tunnel (recommended)
The suggested way to use Screen Sharing is through an SSH tunnel. The tunnel carries Screen Sharing traffic inside your encrypted SSH connection, so Screen Sharing is never exposed to the Internet and works even though inbound port 5900 is blocked.- Screen Sharing is disabled by default after your Mac is provisioned. Enable it over SSH:
- On your local computer, open an SSH tunnel and leave the session running:
45900 to the Mac’s Screen Sharing port over SSH.
- Connect your Screen Sharing or VNC client to the local end of the tunnel:
Cmd+K, and enter vnc://localhost:45900. On other operating systems, point your VNC client (such as TigerVNC) at localhost:45900. When prompted, use the administrator credentials from your ticket.
As long as the SSH session in step 2 stays open, your Screen Sharing session runs through it. Close the SSH session to close the tunnel.
Alternative: private network or VPN
If you have a MacStadium firewall, VPN, or other private connectivity, you can reach Screen Sharing directly over that private connection without a tunnel. This is a good option for persistent remote access. Restrict Screen Sharing so it is reachable only from trusted networks.What we do not recommend
Do not expose Screen Sharing directly to the Internet, including by moving it to a non-standard public port. That is not a meaningful security control, an attacker can discover services on non-standard ports. Use an SSH tunnel or a private network / VPN instead.Related
- CVE-2026-65400: full detail on the Screen Sharing vulnerability, how to check whether your Mac may have been exposed, and remediation guidance.