VNC challenge...

[Guest dreamweavel]

I've got an M2000 and just for fun thought I'd try to get VNC working over my home wireless network to annoy my girlfriend while she hogs the PC ;)

I downloaded the free edition of RealVNC from here and a free version of a PPC VNC viewer from here.

You just copy the PPC client to your device and then install the VNC server on the PC.

No matter what i try I can't get the PPC VNC viewer to do anything...

I've got DHCP running on my wireless router, checked the IP addresses assigned to PC and PPC and added the PPC IP address to the allowed connections on the PC VNC server.

I've enabled the option in the wireless router's HTML setup thingy to allow VNC. I've even set up port forwarding of the chosen port to the PC's IP address.

My stupid initial mistakes caused error messages to flash up quickly on the PPC screen but now I've got to the point where they no longer appear.

In "pocket hack master" on the PPC i can see vncview running as a process.

I can even see in norton internet security detailed stats that I've got winvnc running remotely from the ppc ip address, port automatically assigned and everything - but nothing on the PPC!!

Has anyone got any ideas what i might be doing wrong? Is it simply that the PPC freebie vnc viewer is not compatible or summink? I've definitely downloaded the PPC 2003 version, and even downloaded another version from here with exactly the same results; there are more options on the 2nd PPC vncview d/l though so possibly a newer version - i dunno...

Any clues, or even alternative progs for the PPC, would be gratefully apreciated :roll: Or just to know that anyone else has succeded so i know I'm not just wasting my time...

And then finally i might get to try remote control from "outside" the home network - gulp!! ;)

[Guest dreamweavel]

forgot to say - running XP and no, the firewall isn't interfering cos I'm using Norton instead

[Guest beersoft]

i did get vnc working on the ppc and smartphone

the first thing i would do is stick tightvnc on your pc as it works

then enable loopback connections on the vncserver, so you can test using activesync

other things to look for are the port number the server is running on

and remeber that :1 or :2 is important

there is loads of other stuff, but the ones i have mentioned are the main ones

later

Owen

[Guest dreamweavel]

Cheers - I'll try TightNVC then.

And yeah, the :port number was one of the stupid things i got wrong to start with; pretty sure the PPC is getting some sort of comms going with the PC cos i can see it in norton.

I don't suppose you've got any info on setting up loopbacks have you? Its something I know diddly-squat about doing, and i guess its easier than faffing with 2 devices

[Guest dreamweavel]

Thanks Beersoft - TightVNC works a treat over local network.

Did you manage to get it working past your router i.e. from outside the local net?

[Guest fraser]

It works outside your network, if you forward the port (presumably you'll be using a NAT router). However, I don't recommend it as while the password is sent enrypted over the wild wild web, everything else isn't. If you use it, I'd recommend using a non-default port, something in the high numbers, this way port scanners won't see your server. Also, do not enter/display credit numbers, personal details etc, anyone in-between you and your home can snoop it. THis is especially true if you are using WiFi on the phone at a public hotspot.

You can encrypt VNC using SSH tunnels, which is what I do. It's quite a bit more complicated though!

[Guest dreamweavel]

Cheers Fraser. after loads of faffing about I've decided the safest thing's prob going to be to get a VPN enabled router; Like you say, you're a bit too open running a VPN server on your PC... Its been fun though, and i can still annoy the girlfriend over the home network at the mo ;)

[Guest smeg36]

I tired and tried, and never fully got VNC working. It would work over my home network, but I couldn't get an internet connection setup no matter what I did. I have a dynamic IP because I use satellite internet, and that only complicated matters. I have since started using www.logmein.com to remote access my PC from my PPC. It works great, with no configuring required. It automatically recognized all my firewall settings (I am also using Norton), etc. I haven't had any problems with it in the two months I have been using it.

Edited May 30, 2005 by smeg36