VNC and logging into a remote host
If you host your web site on a computer that does not have a screen or
is in a cupboard or if you simply want to access it from another computer
within your own network or on the internet then you can use VNC – Virtual
Network Computing.
This allows you to use a remote computer and see its Desktop just as if
you were currently using that computer.
It can even be used to mix Operating Systems,
you could use a VNC client on your Linux computer to access and use a Windows
computer.
I use UltraVNC one of the several available
implementations. Has fast optimised
connection, file transfer capability, and secure connection via a module.
http://ultravnc.sourceforge.net/
There is also RealVNC which can be found at:
http://www.realvnc.com/
Install the VNC server (the software on the Web Host) as a Windows
Service. This will ensure that you can
access the server at any time the computer is on.
Install the VNC viewer on any computer that you want to use to connect
to your server. If you choose to use UltraVNC, I would recommend the following options on the
command line or shortcut:
-noauto -encoding hextile
For me, under win2k, this minimises my screen redraw issues.
On your router ensure that you open up the port (sometimes called a
pinhole) that you use for VNC. The
default port for VNC is 5900.
If you have a domain name that is pointing to your Web Host (which is
highly desirable :-), then you can use your domain name instead of the IP
address when trying to connect from outside your own network.
VNC also has the advantage that you can assign different point numbers
for different computers. Hence, you
could access any computer on your local network from outside your network just
my specifying a different port number after the domain name.
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