Easy Remote Access? 99
TinyApps asks: "How do Slashdot readers make remote connections through firewalls and NAT routers when assisting friends/family/customers? Reverse VNC connection are relatively easy to setup, but there is also the free LogMeIn and WebEx's new free service that startstarted, this week. Do you all have any other ideas?"
Im First Wow (Score:1)
ssh (Score:2)
Re:ssh (Score:2)
Re:ssh (Score:2)
Re:ssh (Score:1)
Re:ssh (Score:2)
The old fashioned way... (Score:3, Funny)
A joke ? In some cases, yes (I meant the other user, har har).
Secure ? Depends on the user on the other end too
Re:The old fashioned way... (Score:2)
And it sucks.
Remote assistance (Score:3, Informative)
On other windows platforms i've been able to help people out with Netmeeting as well.
Otherwise VNC works fine..
Re:Remote assistance (Score:5, Informative)
You can activate it by enabling remote desktop from the System Properties dialog and adding whichever users you want to be able to use it. It uses port 3389 so you'll need to open it with whatever firewall you're using. Any windows XP machine has the client by default. Simply go to start, run, and type mstsc. Linux has a client called rdesktop, although its not as great as Microsoft's last I checked. Other Windows versions can run the client off the XP install CD or downloadable from microsoft. I keep a copy on my thumb drive.
Also, netmeeting is still avaible on windows XP by running the program conf.exe. It'll start the netmeeting wizard then launch the program subsequently.
Re:Remote assistance (Score:2, Informative)
So if your friend/family/customer runs Windows XP Professional and you foresee future remote access to the machine will be needed, set up the Terminal Services for them. You don't even have to run it over port 3389 if that's a problem, you can configure it to run on any free port (except i think port 21 didn't work well for some
Re:Remote assistance (Score:2)
Let me tell you, that's a real life saver on occasion.
Though, I'm curious-- does anyone know if Mac OS X supports RDP? Not as a client, I mean, but is there a RDP server built-in? I've been looking at the Mac Mini, and it'd be really nice to
Re:Remote assistance (Score:2)
Unfortunately, there's no RDP server available for the Mac (and I've looked pretty hard for one). I have a G3 that I use as an HD PVR, and I use VNC to access it -- like you, I'd much rather use RDP.
Re:Remote assistance (Score:2)
OS X has built in support for VNC.
Amazing, but true.
Go to Sharing in preferences and enable Apple Remote Desktop
Choose "Access Privledges" and set the VNC may control screen with password.
Then connect with a VNC client.
Re:Remote assistance (Score:1)
isn't this hugely risky though? (Score:2)
Re:Remote assistance (Score:2)
Does Terminal Services allow two separate users to run two separate sessions, or are the local and remote users stuck staring at the same screen?
If the local and remote sessions are different, is the client and server both free, or do you have to pay M$ some $$$?
If the local and remote sessions are the same, what is the cheapest (preferably free) alternative to allow local and remote users to work separately? Does VNC do this (I suspect not
Re:Remote assistance (Score:1)
1. Terminal Server: This requires a server OS (W2K Server, W2K3, NT Server), and a license server. You can have as many sessions as you have licenses. (either per user or per seat).
2. Terminal Services for Administration. This comes with the Server OS. You are limited to the console session and two remote sessions.
3. Remote Desktop. Comes with XP Pro. You can have a remote session if it is the same as the logged in user. Otherwise, the logged in user will
Re:Remote assistance (Score:2)
Does anybody know the cheapest way to accomplish this (preferably free)?
Re:Remote assistance (Score:2)
Option two: Ditch XP, and (free if you don't want Windows Update) grab a copy of Server 2003. Install it on the XP box. Use the other box as a thin client.
Option three: Ditch XP, and use Linux. Unfortunately, you're screwed if you want to use many Windows apps.
Re:Remote assistance (Score:2)
Re:Remote assistance (Score:2)
I am surprised that nobody makes one for $49.99 (plus the free Ginsu knives and bamboo steamer).
Hint: Great business opportunity for one very skilled coder with too much time!
Re:Remote assistance (Score:2)
Re:Remote assistance (Score:3, Informative)
http://sig9.com/articles/concurrent-remote
Get this file:
http://sig9.com/files/termserv.zip
Multiple Users for free on XP Pro!!!
Re:Remote assistance (Score:1)
Re:Remote assistance (Score:2)
A few of my users work from home when they're on call. Roaming profiles + terminal services means they get the exact same desktop/icons/email settings/bookmarks/etc at home that they do at work. Each user gets their own screen that cannot be viewed by any other remote user or even from the server itself. They can even print to their printer at home fro
Re:Remote assistance (Score:1)
Re:VNC (Score:2, Insightful)
If you don't like the story, why comment? (Score:2, Insightful)
Do these people complain about having to read the supermarket tabloids just because they are there?
Trust (Score:4, Insightful)
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Trust (Score:2, Informative)
Since we're being picky... (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
Re:Since we're being picky... (Score:3, Informative)
'Well' is grammatically correct in that sentence. Good is not.
Re:Since we're being picky... (Score:2)
English grammar (Score:1)
good: adjective, ie, the kind of word that modifies a noun. E.g.: She is a good friend. Spanish: "buen", "bueno", "buena"; "ella es una buena amiga".
Ok?
Re:Since we're being picky... (Score:2)
(We need a new mod: -1 language nitpicking. Though maybe "offtopic" covers it.)
Re:Since we're being picky... (Score:2)
Re:Since we're being picky... (Score:2)
Re:Trust (Score:2)
Oh, torrents... I see... as in... raping my bandwidth...
Yeah move along...
tightVNC is cool, and you can access it from a pocketPC vnc client also.
Re:Trust (Score:1)
Re:Trust (Score:2)
Re:Trust (Score:2, Informative)
The password is encrypted in the registry, but the problem is the key is always constant - you can simply do a google search and find the source.
Browse to the key, type it into the program, and it spits the VNC password out.
I don't think versions for other OSes have this issue, but i have tested it both with tightVNC and the latest VNC that you pay for.
All i need is read access to the registry and i got you. When your sitting down at the machine in question (and
Re:Trust (Score:2)
Run VNC over a VPN. (Acronyms!) (Score:4, Informative)
Set up a VPN, which you need anyway to automate the transfer of files and do automated registry maintenance on Windows computers.
Then run VNC, such as TightVNC or UltraVNC over the VPN. If the VPN is secure, and remote network is not suspect, then VNC over the VPN is secure.
Beware, however, of Netgear's VPN routers. In my experience they are quirky and the technical support is very, very poor.
I have questions myself. What is the best way to form a VPN? What is the best VNC?
TightVNC 1.3dev6 development version works fine. (Score:3, Interesting)
The article referenced by the Slashdot article, Reverse VNC connection [tinyapps.org], recommends TightVNC version 1.2.9. However, the TightVNC 1.3dev6 development version [tightvnc.com] is a release candidate, and in my experience works fine.
Read the TightVNC Windows Documentation [tightvnc.com].
MS Remote Desktop does not allow logging out? (Score:3, Informative)
Another point: I understand that Microsoft's Remote Desktop does not allow you to log in as another user. Logging out breaks the RD connection. So, you can't log in as administrator, but must ask someone at the remote computer to do that, meaning they must sit there in boredom while you work.
VNC does not have that limitation.
Re:MS Remote Desktop does not allow logging out? (Score:2)
Also, you have heard of runas, right?
Runas gets tiring... (Score:2)
Runas gets tiring when you have a lot of work to do.
Re:Runas gets tiring... (Score:2)
c:\>start iexplore
Now you've got a command prompt and an explorer shell both with admin priveleges. The only thing you've lost versus actually logging in is the Start menu.
Thanks. (Score:2)
Re:MS Remote Desktop does not allow logging out? (Score:2)
And contrary to what you say, if someone at the console logs in, it logs your remote session out, and vice-versa.
The best alternative for support is the "remote help" functionality of remote desktop. The user requests help, IMs/emails you a file/link that lets you (on an XP workstation) connect remotely and view their session, and they
Re:Run VNC over a VPN. (Acronyms!) (Score:2)
Re:Run VNC over a VPN. (Acronyms!) (Score:1)
Best VPN? OpenVPN (Score:2)
MS makes their own PPTP VPN fairly easy to work with. But it isn't well-supported on other platforms (things like poptop work OK) & the encryption they use has known weaknesses (though, I don't think there are any exploits out there). I would never use it.
IPSec is probably the "standard." Most hardware implementations use this. There are client/servers on all platforms & encryption doesn't have the same weaknesses. Depending on the im
Re:Run VNC over a VPN. (Acronyms!) (Score:1)
ssh -L {localport}:{remote machine name/ip address inside netowork}:{remote port} username@firewall's.internet.name
ssh -L 5700:192.168.0.2:5900 sshuser@sshhost.com
It then opens a terminal session on the host running sshd. Keep the window open. Open your vncviewer software client and connect to localhost at port 5700. Viola!.
After the session is finished. Close vncviewer, then type 'exit' in the terminal session.
This gives
How to do it (Score:1, Informative)
RADMIN always works (Score:3, Interesting)
Myself and some other IT workers (different companies) use it constantly. One of the nice features is you can connect through one computer with the open port and bounce to the others in the local lan.
If you haven't tried it you should at least download and install it. It has a 30 day trial and is $35 per 2 computers. You can even install the serial number remotely... when expired it prompts you to enter the install key.
It is so popular it has been featured in worms to make zombies. So when it asks for a password... you better use one! famatech.com [famatech.com]
Radmin doubts (Score:2)
I bought 5 copies of Radmin and used them for a while. However, I got nervous because Radmin would leave icons in the system tray when it was not supposed to be running.
Famatech is a Russian company, apparently. What would keep them from installing a back door? Granted, Russians haven't been killing Iraqis, but Russia is a relatively unlawful country.
A back door might be justified by management as a way of insuring that you are using legal copies. A back door might mean that Famatech had access to any
Not many posts yet... (Score:2, Insightful)
I'll try to make this as easy to understand as possible. Imagine this scenario...
Your |insert computer illiterate relation| needs help fixing something that VNC'ing into their box would easily fix. However, because you recommended that they put their windows box behind a firewall, which oddly enough they did, leaves you without the ability to easily connect to their machine without yet another couple steps, mainly setting up their firewall to allow you to conn
Re:Not many posts yet... (Score:2, Funny)
+1 Funny, insightful (Score:1)
Re:Not many posts yet... (Score:1)
The level of these ask slashdot questions seem to be dubmed down more and more every week.....
Re:Not many posts yet... (Score:2)
What this lacks is security over the Internet. Adding an SS
Re:Not many posts yet... (Score:1)
0. Configure TCP/5500 on your firewall to forward to your machine
1. Setup a DynDNS account (or equiv.) to resolve your dynamic IP
2. Walk them through installing RealVNC (just click Next on everything)
3. Manually have them do a reverse VNC connection
4. Once you are connected, create a batch file called "Connect to " on their desktop (right next to the VNC Server icon)
$PATH\winvnc4.exe -connect yourhostname.dyndns.org
5. Now, anytime
Re:Not many posts yet... (Score:2)
Re:Not many posts yet... (Score:1)
> that VNC'ing into their box would easily fix. However, because you
> recommended that they put their windows box behind a firewall, which
> oddly enough they did, leaves you without the ability to easily connect
> to their machine without yet another couple steps, mainly setting up
> their firewall to allow you to connect to their machine.
Oooh, let me answer this one. This one's easy:
Since the firewall is an old Penti
SSHTunnel (Score:2)
SSH is your friend (Score:2, Informative)
NXClient will do remote X (with or without a remote desktop), RDP, VNC all wit hvery good performance (as long as the latency of the link is low enough).
NX is your friend! (Score:2)
However, when I'm behind a bunch of firewalls at work, 20 minutes away, I have a difficult time getting the connection going - So I have a few reservations about fully recommending it for everyone. As soon as I figure out WTH I can do about it, I think it should quickly conquer the world.
GoToMyPC (Score:3, Informative)
LogMeIn and GoToMyPC only need an outgoing connection.
I use GoToMyPC, and with a keyphrase plus a one time password automatically generated.
Re:GoToMyPC (Score:3, Insightful)
Which they use to create the same result - a way an incoming connection can be established to your PC.
The only difference is that instead of opening a port on your firewall that you can pick (allowing you to use a non-standard port to raise the bar above the heads of the script kiddies), you use somebody else's computer
Tradeoffs (Score:2)
I agree that setting up your own remote access infrastructure, as you describe, is the most secure method -- if you have the expertise to do it right. (Using the method you describe, or something similar.) Yo
Blocking GoToMyPC (Score:2)
Althoug
Other GoTo products better suited (Score:2)
The software allows you to pass screen sharing, keyboard/mouse control, etc. from participant to participant. For our customers, it's a quick download that unins
Not free, but... (Score:3, Interesting)
It is highly configurable and full of "geekiness" that should please most Windows-based
Also, it only works with one host per license, which can be expensive if you manage multiple hosts, but if you are looking for a remote access solution, this is a solid one. It's certainly not a cheap solution, but if you want rock-solid and secure access, Remotely Anywhere is worth a look.
Not affiliated with the company, just using Remotely Anywhere and certaily enjoying it.
Re:Not free, but... (Score:2)
My advice is that
How about dial-up? (Score:2)
I know text mode like SSH, telnet (insecured), etc. is fine, but how about GUI based?
tunneling throught two NATs? (Score:1)
From my rudimantary understanding of tcp/ip, I am wondering if the following would work too:
A and B are behind a NAT or a firewall that blocks all incomming connections.
Asuming A and B have some (inefficient) way to communicate, like email:
- A and B agree on a TCP sequence number and a time per mail.
- Both A and B send a SYN with that number at the defined t
Re:tunneling throught two NATs? (Score:1)
I prefer to set up a shortcut on the start menu for my rels where the command is:
"c:\program files\ultravnc\winvnc.exe" -connect my.dyndns.hostname
My firewall port-forwards TCP/5500 to my desktop PC, where UltraVNC view is running in "Listen mode".
The rel just clicks on "start", then "remote control - bern". Works every time.
Also, I have a few clients/rels where I have an TCP-based OpenVPN tunnel (manual server at my end, service-bas
Re:tunneling throught two NATs? (Score:1)
into the firewall on system B's end, then from there do whatever you need to
do over the LAN to system B. Alternatively, if you're sitting at system A,
shell into your own firewall and temporarily forward a port back to yourself,
which system B can use to connect to you. This can be reasonably secure if
you 1: use a nonstandard port to ward off automated attacks, script kiddies,
and worms, 2: use ssl or somesuch so the traffic is hard
Re:tunneling throught two NATs? (Score:1)
Say, A is you at work, or at a public access point that only offers nat, and B is the person you want to help who has no idea how to configure his router.
Re:tunneling throught two NATs? (Score:2)
Re:tunneling throught two NATs? (Score:1)
The following ACK from B should not get blocked, since B'S firewall does not block outgoing packets (Assuming standard nat, and no additional blocks), and A's firewall will see it as the response to the previous SYN from A.
At least that is how i figure it.
UltraVNC - SC (Score:2, Informative)
http://gotovnc.dynalias.com/
Totally recommended. Rudi there has made a package of UltraVNC that is a single exe, no-install system.
Basically, you download a zip file with some configs and bitmaps in, and customise them.
I got a free dyndns alias to use for this purpose.
Then you upload the files, and you get back a 160KB
They run it, and it establishes a reverse-vnc connection to the
That is someone's personal scheme. (Score:2)
That is someone's personal scheme. It is not connected with Sourcforge, although there is a link to Sourceforge. It is not connected with UltraVNC, apparently.
In this scheme, you give away the password to your UltraVNC sessions, and send the password over the Internet. If you change your IP address, you must go back to that website and disclose again how you plan to connect.
SSH Tunnel how-to (Score:2)
http://www.linuxlogin.com/linux/admin/sshtunnels. p hp [linuxlogin.com]
I then use a cron script to check the tunnel at home, if it's down it reconnects so I can always get back into my network at home. I use ssh-keys with ssh-agent to keep my passphrase. The box can then login without a password.
You can foward as many ports as you like and don't need to change your firewall r
Free remote admin tools (Score:5, Funny)
SD
SSH, VPN, VNC, Remote Desktop, and FreeNX oh my! (Score:2)
That being said, many have to remotely administer machines for OTHER reasons. Oftentimes, a shell is all that is needed & having OpenSSH [openssh.com] is good enough. It is available for win32 [sourceforge.net] too. This can also be used
I use TightVNC... (Score:1)
In order to connect, you would need to know the
Remote-Anything from TWD Industries (Score:1)
Re: (Score:1)
By keeping their systems unpatched (Score:1)