vnc setup like gotomypc.com?

[Sean Kamath]

On Aug 5, 2007, at 7:39 AM, Shobuz99 wrote:

> Sean,
> What if one of Bruce's family members also has a router?

Doesn't matter.  Think of routers as diodes: They let traffic *out*,  
but not in.  When you *initiate* the connection, that forces the  
direction of the connection.  So if the family member's have a  
router, but they *initiate* the session, no issues.

It's basically easier to set up a receiver if you have control of  
your own router, and ignore other people's routers when you make them  
a sender.

> If they do, then their port forwarding needs to be setup
> so that Bruce can connect to whichever machine on their router.

See, my point was that Bruce doesn't do the connecting.  He does the  
receiving. :-)

> I use a wireless Linksys WRT54GS at home, and I use a wired  
> Linksys  BEFSR81 at work.
> I had to configure both routers port-forwarding so that I can  
> communicate between them,
> depending where I am.. in the office or at home. Basically so they  
> can both be servers.
> when necessary.
> Does your solution accommodate that situation?

No.  See above.

A better solution for work is to allow SSH into work, then tunnel the  
VNC connection or initiate the connection back through the work F/W  
to your house.

> Have I misunderstood your answer to Bruce?

I think so. :-)

Sean

> Rick (Shobuz99)
>
> On Aug 4, 2007, at 7:31 AM, Bruce Pennypacker wrote:
>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> As the techie in my extended family I end up fielding a lot of
>> support calls
>> from different family members.  I was thinking it'd be nice to be
>> able to
>> remotely access their machines from home if the need arises and in
>> general
>> VNC would be perfect for this. My only concern is poking holes
>> necessary to
>> enable this since it would involve dealing with different routers &
>> firewalls, DHCP, etc.  I was thinking that a service similar to
>> gotomypc.comwould make more sense.  Both they and I would connect to
>  a
>> proxy server of
>> some sort that would establish the vnc connection from my machine
>> to their
>> machine.  I have a linux box with a static IP that I can set up as
>> a proxy
>> but I'm not familiar with any tools to do what I envision.  Are
>> there any
>> tools available like this?  Some sort of app that I can install on
>> a linux
>> server that one person could log in as a "server" and one as a
>> "client" to
>> establish a vnc connection between the two?
>>
>> I know how to set up NAT routes, dynamic hostnames, etc. but I
>> really don't
>> want to go that way.  I'm specifically interested in whether or not
>> such an
>> application as I described exists.
>
> Open a port on *your* router, then forward that port to your machine
> you use VNC to control their machines.  Have them start vnc and
> connect to a "listening client" and point to your machine (if
> necessary, a dyndns hostname).
>
> Then you never need to configure their routers/nat/firewall, and it
> always "just works".
>
> For a while, I dropped shortcuts or whatever they're called on PCs
> (pifs?), that did winvnc4.exe -connect "my ipaddr", labeled them "get
> help" and would tell my mother "click on get help". :-)
>
> Sean
>
>
> ---------------------------------
> Park yourself in front of a world of choices in alternative vehicles.
> Visit the Yahoo! Auto Green Center.
> _______________________________________________
> VNC-List mailing list
> VNC-List "at" realvnc.com
> To remove yourself from the list visit:
> http://www.realvnc.com/mailman/listinfo/vnc-list