VNC^® Enterprise Edition User Guide

Working with VNC Server

This section explains basic VNC Server features and operations.

Using the VNC Server icon

While VNC Server is running, a VNC Server icon is displayed:

•  Under Windows, in the Notification area:

(Windows XP)

•  Under most versions of UNIX or Linux, for VNC Server in User Mode, in the Notification Area:

(Ubuntu 8.10 Linux)

Note: A VNC Server icon cannot be displayed for VNC Server in User Mode under some versions of UNIX, and for VNC Server in Virtual Mode under all versions of UNIX or Linux. To see how to work with VNC Server in Virtual Mode, read Working with VNC Server in Virtual Mode (UNIX or Linux only).

•  Under Mac OS X, in the Status bar:

(Mac OS X 10.5)

The VNC Server icon:

•  Provides visual confirmation that VNC Server is running on the host computer. If the icon is not visible (and not hidden by other icons), then VNC Server is not running.

•  Provides visual confirmation that VNC Server is configured correctly on the host computer. If not, a red error glyph appears:

Open the VNC Server Status dialog to begin diagnosing the problem. For more information, see Using the VNC Server Status dialog.

•  Confirms whether users are connected or not. When the first user connects, the icon is shaded black:

When the last user disconnects, the icon reverts color again.

•  Provides convenient notification of the host computer’s network address. Hover the mouse cursor over the icon:

(Windows XP)

•  Has a shortcut menu that performs useful operations, such as opening the VNC Server Status dialog. For more information, see Using the VNC Server shortcut menu.

Note: When a user connects, the VNC Server icon is displayed in the VNC Viewer window, as are all desktop artifacts. The connected user can open the VNC Server Status dialog, but cannot normally configure VNC Server. For more information, see Using the VNC Server Status dialog.

Using the VNC Server shortcut menu

VNC Server has a shortcut menu to facilitate common operations. To show it, right-click (click under Mac OS X) the VNC Server icon:

(Windows XP. VNC Server is in User Mode.)

The following table explains the effect of selecting each VNC Server shortcut menu option.

Shortcut menu option	Explanation
Status	Opens the VNC Server Status dialog. For more information, see Using the VNC Server Status dialog.
Connect to Listening VNC Viewer	Establishes a reverse connection to a client computer. For more information, see Establishing a reverse connection.
Disconnect VNC Viewers	Disconnects all users (including web browser users). Note that, by default, they can immediately reconnect.
Guest Login	When turned on, and providing VNC Server is configured correctly, allows a Guest to connect, bypassing VNC Server’s authentication mechanism. For more information, see Allowing a Guest to connect.
Chat	Opens a dialog where you can chat with connected VNC Viewer users (though not with web browser users). For more information, see Communicating securely using VNC Chat.
Send Files to VNC Viewers	Opens a dialog where you (or a connected VNC Viewer user) can browse to the location of host computer files to send to client computers. Note this option is disabled until a VNC Viewer user connects. For more information, see Transferring files between client and host computers. This menu option is not available for VNC Server in Service Mode under Windows. This feature is not available to connected web browser users.
Fetch Files from VNC Viewers	This option is only available if at least one client computer has made files available for the host computer to fetch. A dialog opens where you (or a connected VNC Viewer user) can browse to a location to put shared client computer files. For more information, see Transferring files between client and host computers. This menu option is not available for VNC Server in Service Mode under Windows. This feature is not available to connected web browser users.
Stop VNC Server	Stops VNC Server, disconnecting all users. You may be required to confirm this operation. For more information, see Stopping VNC Server.

Using the VNC Server Status dialog

The VNC Server Status dialog is the gateway to VNC Server, and the first port of call for connection information and problem diagnosis. It also provides access to the VNC Server Properties dialog, enabling you to configure VNC Server.

Note: A connected user can open the VNC Server Status dialog but cannot configure VNC Server unless logged on as a host computer user with administrative privileges. For more information on privileges, see Authenticating connections to VNC Server.

(Windows XP)

To open the VNC Server Status dialog:

•  Under Windows, right-click the VNC Server icon and, from the shortcut menu, select Status. (You can also just double-click the VNC Server icon.)

•  Under UNIX or Linux, for VNC Server in User Mode, click the VNC Server icon.

•  Under Mac OS X, click the VNC Server icon and, from the shortcut menu, select Status.

Note: Under UNIX or Linux, for VNC Server in Virtual Mode, no VNC Server Status dialog can be displayed. To see how to work with VNC Server in this mode, read Working with VNC Server in Virtual Mode (UNIX or Linux only).

The title bar of the VNC Server Status dialog confirms which mode VNC Server is running in. For more information on modes, see Running multiple instances of VNC Server.

The VNC Server Status dialog provides access to the VNC Server Properties dialog, enabling you to configure VNC Server. To open it, click the Configure button. You may be required to confirm this operation. For more information, start with Using the VNC Server Properties dialog.

Diagnosing problems

The VNC Server Status dialog displays a green tick if VNC Server is configured correctly and the host computer is connected to a network:

This should mean users can immediately connect.

If an amber warning or red error is shown instead, click the [details] link that appears in the Details area to begin diagnosing the problem:

For more information, start with Configuring network communications.

Identifying the host computer

The VNC Server Status dialog confirms:

•  The network address of the host computer, and a port number if VNC Server is listening for connection requests on a port other than the registered default, 5900:

In the example above, VNC Server is running on host computer 192.168.2.133 and listening on port 5901. Users need this information in order to connect to VNC Server running on a host computer within a private network (click the [copy] link to copy it to the Clipboard, and paste to an email or similar). If the host computer is protected by a router, users connecting over the Internet must enter the router’s network address instead. To find out what this might be, click the [test] link. For more information on these issues, see Step 3: Identify VNC Server on the host computer.

The host computer may have more than one network address (for example, it may have an IPv4 and an IPv6 address). Users can enter any valid network address in order to connect to VNC Server. To see all the network addresses, click the [show all] link. Note that IPv6 addresses are unavailable for the host computer if the [IPv6 info] link is visible; see Preventing connections from particular client computers for more information.

•  The URL of the host computer and the port number on which VNC Server is listening for VNC Viewer for Java download requests:

In this example, VNC Server is running on host computer 192.168.2.133 and listening on port 5800. Web browser users need this information in order to download VNC Viewer for Java from VNC Server. For more information, see Downloading VNC Viewer for Java.

Note that VNC Server must listen on a unique port, and that port conflicts disable VNC Server. For more information, see Configuring network communications.

Confirming the number of connected users

The VNC Server Status dialog confirms the number of currently connected users:

Click the [details] link to manage connected users. The Active Connections dialog opens:

(Windows XP)

In this example, the connected user at client computer 192.168.2.187:

•  Authenticated to VNC Server using the credentials of johndoe. This is likely to be a host computer user but, depending on VNC Server’s authentication mechanism, this text could alternatively read Admin or Guest, or be left blank. For more information on authentication, start with Authenticating connections to VNC Server.

•  Has a Full set of VNC permissions, permitting unrestricted access to VNC Enterprise Edition functionality while the connection is in progress. For more information, see Restricting functionality for particular connected users.

Click the Disconnect button to disconnect the selected user. Note there is no way of distinguishing between VNC Viewer and web browser users.

A host computer user is informed when a user connects by a connection prompt that appears temporarily in the bottom right hand corner of the desktop (top right under Mac OS X):

(Windows XP)

You can configure VNC Server so that this prompt enables the host computer user to reject particular connection requests. For more information, see Preventing particular users connecting.

Displaying the VNC Server signature

The VNC Server Status dialog displays a signature uniquely identifying VNC Server:

When a user connects to VNC Server for the first time, they are asked to verify this signature. For more information on this security feature, see Uniquely identifying VNC Server.

Warning of trial license expiry

The VNC Server Status dialog confirms the number of days left if VNC Enterprise Edition was unlocked using a time-limited trial license key:

Click the [details] link to begin upgrading to a full, permanent license.

Using the VNC Server Properties dialog

The VNC Server Properties dialog enables you to configure VNC Server:

(Windows XP. In this example, the dialog is in Advanced mode.)

To open the VNC Server Properties dialog, click the Configure button in the VNC Server Status dialog. For more information on this dialog, see Using the VNC Server Status dialog. Under UNIX or Linux, you must further select the Options menu option. You may be required to confirm this operation.

Note: Under UNIX or Linux, for VNC Server in Virtual Mode, no VNC Server Properties dialog can be displayed. To see how to work with VNC Server in this mode, read Working with VNC Server in Virtual Mode (UNIX or Linux only).

The first time you open this dialog, it opens in Basic mode, and only one tab is available, containing the most common properties. Click the Advanced button in the bottom left corner to switch to Advanced mode and see all the tabs in the example above. Note that the Expert tab is recommended for expert users only.

For information on most of the properties in this dialog, see the subsequent sections in this chapter, starting with Configuring network communications. For more information on the properties in the Security area of the Connections tab, and security in general, see Chapter 7, Security.

Note that configuring a property affects all future connections. Unless otherwise stated in the sections that follow, configuring a property affects currently connected users as well.