Overview
LiveDesktop relies on Apple's native Remote Management framework for macOS to remotely establish screen sharing sessions with devices. Windows endpoints are also supported with LiveDesktop, but this article covers macOS-specific issues only.
LiveDesktop issues can be ambiguous to diagnose. This article covers the most common problems along with general steps for troubleshooting further.
Problem: "Connection Failed. Screen Sharing is not permitted on 'tunnel.addigy.com'..."
This error usually means Remote Management isn't currently accessible on the device you're connecting to — most often because it's disabled, though this error can also occur when it's enabled.
- First, try disabling and re-enabling Remote Desktop (Remote Management) through Addigy. This requires MDM.
- To do this, navigate to the Devices page, open GoLive on the affected device, select Device Commands, then choose Disable/Enable Remote Desktop. The label shown depends on the setting's current state.
Note: Disabling and enabling Remote Desktop requires the device to have Addigy's MDM approved and enabled. Without MDM approved and enabled, Remote Management can't be turned on, which will prevent LiveDesktop connections.
Problem: "Connection failed to 'tunnel.addigy.com'. The software on the remote computer appears to be incompatible with this version of Screen Sharing"
This is the most ambiguous error Screen Sharing throws, and it can have several causes.
Network Interference
VPNs, proxies, and firewalls can interfere with the connection and block it outright.
- Whitelist Addigy's domains and ports for LiveDesktop on both the endpoint and the admin device (the device you're connecting from).
- If you're using a VPN, it may be interfering with IP assignment. When a LiveDesktop connection is initiated in Addigy, the admin's public IP is captured at that moment. When you reach the Screen Sharing app, that IP is re-authenticated against the one that initiated the session — if a VPN changes your IP in between, the connection is refused. For example: your VPN provides IP 12345 when the session starts in Addigy, but gives IP 54321 by the time Screen Sharing authenticates. Since the IPs differ, the connection fails.
Application Interference
Antivirus and antimalware tools can also interfere, particularly ones with firewall or network filtering capabilities. Check what your specific security tool is capable of, and try temporarily disabling it to see if that resolves the issue.
Local Settings
Disabling "Limit IP address tracking" on the admin device has been known to improve this behavior. Find it under System Settings > WiFi > the ⋯ menu > Network Settings > Limit IP address tracking.
If none of these steps help, continue to the General Troubleshooting/Diagnostics Checklist below.
Problem: "Network Error"
This error occurs within the Addigy web portal. Log out of Addigy and log back in. If that doesn't help, try connecting from a different web browser.
General Troubleshooting/Diagnostics Checklist
Use these general steps to narrow down the cause of a LiveDesktop issue.
If you can connect, but the session keeps dropping
A consistently dropping connection usually means something is disabling Remote Management while you're connected. Two Addigy features are known to do this:
- Compliance (specifically the "Disable Remote Management" rule)
- Monitoring items, if configured to disable Remote Management
Outside of Remote Management being disabled, a session will automatically expire after 10 minutes if it's still waiting on permission to connect — this timeout is set by Apple and isn't something Addigy can control.
If the session never connects
If the connection hangs and then errors out: this typically means the connection is failing to reach the endpoint device. Try the following, in order:
- Place the endpoint on a hotspot or other neutral network.
- If that doesn't help, place your own device on a hotspot.
- Try connecting to the endpoint from a different admin device.
If the connection fails immediately in Screen Sharing: this typically means the connection is being refused by something. See the "incompatible with this version of Screen Sharing" section above for details.
Still Need Help?
If these steps didn't resolve your issue, create a support ticket and include the following details so our team can investigate faster:
- Where is the issue happening — in Addigy, or in the Screen Sharing app?
- If there's an error, a screenshot of it.
- The exact behavior when connecting — does it hang, or error out immediately?
- Whether people outside your network are able to connect to this device.
- Whether you can connect to other devices, or this happens with every device.
- Whether your device or the endpoint is running anything that could block LiveDesktop — a VPN, proxy, firewall, antivirus, or antimalware tool.
Frequently Asked Questions
My connection keeps dropping after a few minutes — is that the 10-minute timeout?
Only if the session was still waiting for permission to connect. Once connected, a dropped session is more likely caused by Compliance's "Disable Remote Management" rule or a Monitoring item disabling Remote Management — not the 10-minute timeout, which only applies before a connection is approved.
Do I need MDM to use LiveDesktop?
You need Addigy's MDM approved and enabled in order to toggle Remote Management through Addigy. Without it, Remote Management can't be enabled, which blocks LiveDesktop connections.
Should I whitelist domains on just the endpoint, or my admin device too?
Both. Whitelist Addigy's LiveDesktop domains and ports on the endpoint and the admin device you're connecting from.