Guide: How to use a MacMini as your Xamarin.iOS Build Host

The page explains how to use a MacMini as a Xamarin.iOS build host while continuing to develop on a Windows PC. It says this setup can be a cheaper alternative to buying a MacBook Pro, and it works even when you travel if the machines stay connected.

Reading notes

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• Install Xamarin on both the Windows PC and the MacMini, which automatically installs Xamarin.iOS Build Host on the MacMini.
• Keep the Windows PC and MacMini on the same network so Visual Studio can find the build host.
• Use a VPN tool such as Hamachi to make both machines join the same network from different locations.
• In some cases, restart Visual Studio after connecting for the first time to keep the connection stable.
• Use remote access when you are not near the MacMini, because debugging may run in the simulator on the MacMini or on a device connected to it.
• The author tried TeamViewer and UltraVNC and preferred UltraVNC for simplicity.
• Enable remote access on the MacMini, since macOS already includes a VNC server.
• Keep the MacMini awake with an app such as Stay Awake, and set Xamarin.iOS to start automatically.
• Configure the MacMini to auto login during startup so it stays available after a reboot.
• The author notes that the connection can become unavailable on some company guest networks and some mobile networks.