Using VNC through router - OT(ish)

Hi group.

I've just started having a dabble with TightVNC and I can see how this is
the answer to a maidens prayer when I get called by mates. (Being the one
who knows 'a little bit about computers'). Well I do only know a little bit,
and virtually nothing about the black art of networking.

Anyway, it's a little OT but here goes:

TightVNC works great here at home, I can connect to a machine at 192.168.2.x
on my LAN quite happily.
Also, I assume that I can connect to a machine somewhere else if I know
their IP addy and VNC password. No problem there hopefully.
But if they are behind a router, which most are, what general configuration
setting do I need to do to a router such that I can connect to a machine
that is connected to it.

Lets say there are 3 machines on the end of a router at xx.x.xxx.xx - and I
want to connect to one of them? How do I do it when all 3 are at the same IP
address?

Does this make sense? Can somebody help please?

Many thanks.
Steve

--
#Reply address#
steve_at_steveolive_dot_co_dot_uk

On Sat, 18 Dec 2004 11:56:12 -0000, "Steve O" <(E-Mail Removed)> strung
together this:

>Does this make sense? Can somebody help please?
>
You wouldn't have 3 machines behind a firewall with the same IP
addresses otherwise the network wouldn't work.
You need to set up a secure connection between you and the remote
network otherwise everything on both networks is unencrypted and
accessable by anyone.
Google for VPN.
--

SJW
Please reply to group or use 'usenet' in email subject

In article Steve O says...
> Hi group.
>
> I've just started having a dabble with TightVNC and I can see how this is
> the answer to a maidens prayer when I get called by mates. (Being the one
> who knows 'a little bit about computers'). Well I do only know a little bit,
> and virtually nothing about the black art of networking.
>
> Anyway, it's a little OT but here goes:
>
> TightVNC works great here at home, I can connect to a machine at 192.168.2.x
> on my LAN quite happily.
> Also, I assume that I can connect to a machine somewhere else if I know
> their IP addy and VNC password. No problem there hopefully.
> But if they are behind a router, which most are, what general configuration
> setting do I need to do to a router such that I can connect to a machine
> that is connected to it.
>
> Lets say there are 3 machines on the end of a router at xx.x.xxx.xx - and I
> want to connect to one of them? How do I do it when all 3 are at the same IP
> address?
>
> Does this make sense? Can somebody help please?
>
Forward Port 10000 on the router to the IP addy of the machine you want
to use.

--
Conor

A man alone in the forest is talking to himself and no women around to
hear him. Is he still wrong?

On Sat, 18 Dec 2004 11:56:12 -0000, "Steve O" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Hi group.
>
>I've just started having a dabble with TightVNC and I can see how this is
>the answer to a maidens prayer when I get called by mates. (Being the one
>who knows 'a little bit about computers'). Well I do only know a little bit,
>and virtually nothing about the black art of networking.

Yes, I've done this with a friend who only had a software firewall so
when the request came in he 'allowed' the connection.

If you are connecting to someone else who is behind a router they will
have to direct any incoming request for port 5900 (I think this is
the vnc default) to the local IP address of the problem computer.

When I did this with a friend he was on the phone and was able to tell
me his IP address (Hover mouse over VNC server icon).

Geoff Lane

On Sat, 18 Dec 2004 13:16:07 -0000, Conor <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>> I've just started having a dabble with TightVNC

>Forward Port 10000 on the router to the IP addy of the machine you want
>to use.


I thought port 5900 was the default VNC port, I know you can use
others but what made you mention 10000?

Geoff Lane

> >
> You wouldn't have 3 machines behind a firewall with the same IP
> addresses otherwise the network wouldn't work.
> You need to set up a secure connection between you and the remote
> network otherwise everything on both networks is unencrypted and
> accessable by anyone.
> Google for VPN.


But from where the OP is sitting (ie. OUTSIDE that LAN) the three machines
will be indistinguishable behind the same IP address.

I don't use VNC, but you and I both use Radmin so let me illustrate using
that.

I have just such a network at work which I regularly access using Radmin.
The firewall forwards the default port (4899 for Radmin) to one of the three
machines (the one most likely to be left switched on)

If I want to connect to either of the other machines I connect to the same
address bit using the 'connect via host' option of Radmin to specify the
network host name of the machine I want. I don't use the internal IP address
because I cannot guarantee which one will be which, it depends on the order
in which they were booted (DHCP)

To make things even more reliable I call the network by a DynDNS name and
don't even have to keep track of the IP

Does VNC have the equivalent "of connect via host?"



--
Graham.

%Profound_observation%

Sorted now thanks.

On 18 Dec 2004 in uk.comp.home-networking, Geoff Lane wrote:

>I thought port 5900 was the default VNC port, I know you can use
>others but what made you mention 10000?

No clue, but yes, 5900-5909 are the ports I'd use too. However, I have
seen ports 5800,1,2 being tested for, using some software (as VNC can be
accessed using a Java-enabled browser) so I'd make these 3 systems use
screen numbers of 4,5,6 or something similar, and then forward ports
5904 -> IP #1, 5905 -> IP #2, 5906 -> IP #3

(where IP #1 is the IP of the first LAN PC at the other end). If the
"calling party" has a fixed IP, that would add to security by letting
only that IP (and local LAN addresses) through the firewall on the PC

Works fine when I connect to someone's Laptop, Win 98 and Win XP PC
(the first two via wireless link from his Belkin router). Peter M.


--
PlusNet <http://tinyurl.com/3zgqv> - I recommend them and save some cash.