Trouble connecting my two computers via VNC, Russell Cook

[Josh Moore]

> From: "Russell G. Cook" <rgcook0513 "at" comcast.net>
> To: <vnc-list "at" realvnc.com>
> Subject: Trouble connecting my two computers via VNC
> Date: Sun, 12 Dec 2004 16:57:15 -0500
> ...  I am on a home network (there are a total of four computers in
> the house), so each computer is connected through a router (Linksys WRT54G).
> I have no trouble using Window's Remote Desktop to connect my laptop to my
> desktop when I am in my home, yet I am unable to connect when I am offsite
> (such as at school, where I have a wireless connection available).  I am
> planning a trip for later this month, and would really like to be able to
> access my desktop at home.  So, let me ask you a couple of questions.
>  
> For the purpose of connecting my laptop to my desktop, which is the server
> and which is the viewer?  I am assuming the server is my desktop and the
> viewer is the laptop.  If this is true, how do I configure each one?
> ...
> My desktop's IP address is 192.168.1.100.  When I open the viewer on my
> laptop, is this what I put in the dialog box?  I tired it and got a "timed
> out msg"  Remember, I am doing this at home.  I haven't tried to test it
> offsite.
>  
> My router's IP address is 192.168.1.1 and my laptop's is 192.168.1.103.
> Must I input those IP addresses anywhere during set up?
> ...
> Russell G. Cook
> rgcook0513 "at" comcast.net
> 
> --__--__--

Your server is the computer being 'viewed', the one you're connecting to. When 
you're on your trip, the client would be you in some faraway place, and your 
server would be at home.

Your router (Linksys WRT54G) will need some setup changes. Your router does 
something like:

Internet
|
|
| external ip: x.x.x.x
router
| internal ip: 192.168.1.1
|
| ip: 192.168.1.100
desktop

Your router needs to then forward any traffic coming in on port 5900 on its 
external IP x.x.x.x to the same port (5900) on 192.168.1.100. (It would be wise 
to use a static IP for your desktop, e.g. 192.168.1.50, and have it not 
configured to DHCP, but if it works without doing this, it will be easier for 
you.) Your router should have a way to set this up. Try going to your router's 
web interface,
http://192.168.1.1
Your router's setup manual (ftp://ftp.linksys.com/pdf/wrt54g_ug.pdf) says the 
login username field is to be left blank, and the password is "admin". According 
to the manual, and it doesn't give a lot of details I could find, the feature 
you want is called Port Forwarding and is under Advanced.

When you connect, then, you will connect to your router's external ip, which you 
can find in the web interface for your router. (Your router's external IP could 
change on comcast's whim, too, so that's another thing that could go wrong, 
since you probably do not pay them to have a static, that is, a non-changing, 
IP.) The connection will encounter your router, which will receive the 
connection to port 5900 on x.x.x.x and look up the entry you put in your Port 
Forwarding section to tell it to go to 192.168.1.100 port 5900. Your desktop 
should be listening, and the connection should be completed.

Josh Moore
university student