Mac OSX: Changing settings remotely

Enabling Remote Dekstop Service from a remote login:

$ sudo /System/Library/CoreServices/RemoteManagement/ARDAgent.app/Contents/\
Resources/kickstart -activate -configure -access -on -restart -agent \
-privs -all

Enabling Remote Desktop sharing (i.e. allowing it through the firewall) from a remote login:

1. You need to edit the file

   /Library/Preferences/com.apple.sharing.firewall.plist

2. plist files are either binary or XML format. If it looks funny in your editor its probably in binary. To convert use “plutil” as follows:

   plutil -convert xml1 com.apple.sharing.firewall.plist

3. Under firewall -> Apple Remote Desktop, you need to change the “enable” key from 0 to 1
4. Then convert back to binary:

   $ plutil -convert binary1 com.apple.sharing.firewall.plist

5. Now restart the firewall:

   $ sudo ipfw disable firewall; ipfw enable firewall