If I have two Windows users, one needing to use VNC to view the desktop of another through various firewalls etc, what can I set up on a publically accessible (Linux) box to allow them to connect?
Assume very little technical knowledge at each Windows end so I need to do something as simple as possible for them.
The outbound connection from the vncserver end (the desktop that needs to be "seen" by the other end) will probably need to use some common port like 80 to get through the firewall, which will be fun as all my Internet servers have web servers on them, but I'll fall off that bridge when I come to it. The viewer end is marginally more technically capable (ie they'll follow instructions more carefully) than the server end.
What has been used at work ( not by me ) is TeamViewer http://www.teamviewer.com/index.aspx The program is run on one, and a "number" is created and the user enters a password. The program is run on the other windows machine and a "connect to" is done and a password number entered. The second PC then has full screen access to the first, with the user on the first seeing what is happening.
-----Original Message----- From: main-bounces@lists.alug.org.uk [mailto:main-bounces@lists.alug.org.uk] On Behalf Of Mark Rogers Sent: 09 October 2008 09:45 To: ALUG - mailing list Subject: [ALUG] VNC Repeater
If I have two Windows users, one needing to use VNC to view the desktop of another through various firewalls etc, what can I set up on a publically accessible (Linux) box to allow them to connect?
Assume very little technical knowledge at each Windows end so I need to do something as simple as possible for them.
The outbound connection from the vncserver end (the desktop that needs to be "seen" by the other end) will probably need to use some common port like 80 to get through the firewall, which will be fun as all my Internet servers have web servers on them, but I'll fall off that bridge when I come to it. The viewer end is marginally more technically capable (ie they'll follow instructions more carefully) than the server end.
keith.jamieson@bt.com wrote:
What has been used at work ( not by me ) is TeamViewer http://www.teamviewer.com/index.aspx
Thanks, I'll take a look (also I was thinking logmein.com would work too).
Notably neither of these are fully Linux compatible. Are there any remote support type options that have Linux versions? In particular linux clients (logmein is java based and works on Linux, just no server option; I've not tried TeamViewer). TeamViewer has a Mac option, though.
If you like VNC, have you looked at UltraVNC SC? http://www.uvnc.com/addons/singleclick.html I don't know successful this would be through a firewall, but as far as I remember your configuration of the Server (the executable created by SC) references a host and port on which you run a VNC Viewer in Listening mode so their may be potential to do something around that perhaps?
Since all my family run on windows boxes at the moment, I have them registered with logmein and support them from linux but I've had success with the SC stuff in the past.
Jim
----- Original Message ----- From: "Mark Rogers" mark@quarella.co.uk To: main@lists.alug.org.uk Sent: Thursday, 9 October, 2008 12:15:14 PM GMT +00:00 GMT Britain, Ireland, Portugal Subject: Re: [ALUG] VNC Repeater
keith.jamieson@bt.com wrote:
What has been used at work ( not by me ) is TeamViewer http://www.teamviewer.com/index.aspx
Thanks, I'll take a look (also I was thinking logmein.com would work too).
Notably neither of these are fully Linux compatible. Are there any remote support type options that have Linux versions? In particular linux clients (logmein is java based and works on Linux, just no server option; I've not tried TeamViewer). TeamViewer has a Mac option, though.
Jim Rippon wrote:
If you like VNC, have you looked at UltraVNC SC? http://www.uvnc.com/addons/singleclick.html I don't know successful this would be through a firewall, but as far as I remember your configuration of the Server (the executable created by SC) references a host and port on which you run a VNC Viewer in Listening mode so their may be potential to do something around that perhaps?
SC is what we were using (and failing with) which prompted the search for alternatives.
Great suggestion though - I would have expected it to work.
On Thu, 2008-10-09 at 12:15 +0100, Mark Rogers wrote:
Thanks, I'll take a look (also I was thinking logmein.com would work too).
I note that the original subject is pretty much moot now however my view on logmein is that it should be avoided unless there really is no other alternative.
I have serious issues with the security of a remote desktop service where a central site out of my administrative control authenticates sessions.
On Thu, 2008-10-09 at 09:45 +0100, Mark Rogers wrote:
If I have two Windows users, one needing to use VNC to view the desktop of another through various firewalls etc, what can I set up on a publically accessible (Linux) box to allow them to connect?
Given the port 80 limitation on the viewee end I would suggest SSH tunnels to a linux box, with port forwarding of whatever TCP port VNC uses these days (or RDP/terminal server if they prefer):
viewee: vncserver <port> viewee: ssh -p 80 -R<port>:localhost:<port> <user>@<linux box> viewer: ssh -L<port>:localhost:<port> <user>@<linux box> viewer: vnc localhost:<port>
You thus need to enable SSH on port 80 (as well as or instead of 22), and port forwarding in your sshd_config, then supply a win32 implementation of ssh (PuTTY/Plink would do nicely) and a batch file or two.
P
Phil Ashby wrote:
You thus need to enable SSH on port 80 (as well as or instead of 22), and port forwarding in your sshd_config, then supply a win32 implementation of ssh (PuTTY/Plink would do nicely) and a batch file or two.
The mapping to port 80 looks useful, I'll play with that when I get chance.
But what I was trying to get to was an outbound connection at each end via some kind of intermediary (my Linux box) in the middle. The end with the most problems (the viewee) has no control over their firewall.
The "powers that be" have now decided to send someone to site, though, so this is largely academic. (Site is in Hungary so avoiding that would have been worth a bit more effort, but there you go.)
Thanks for the suggestions.
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Jim Rippon -
keith.jamieson＠bt.com -
Mark Rogers -
Phil Ashby -
Wayne Stallwood