Control a Windows machine from Arch?

riwa · 2006-07-03 12:11:52

I want to be able to control a Windows XP machine as if I was sitting next to it. Preferably, entering it like another uses "startx" to have a separate session for the windows machine. I'm looking at rdesktop right now but it doesn't appear to do the job. I can get "real-life" access to it if necessary and connects to it through ssh (for the moment). It's in my neighborhood and we both got fast connections so speed won't be an issue. Is there a way of doing this?

tomk · 2006-07-03 12:31:59

Try VNC or NX.

battra · 2006-07-03 14:32:58

pacman -S tightvnc

... is what I've used.

ralvez · 2006-07-03 15:30:10

There are a few things you need to do to make it work.
1. A VNC ( I tried NTP but was convoluted to set up and finally I gave up ) server running on the Windows machine, so that you will be able to connect to it.
2. Set up (on the Win box) an account that will be used to remote control the machine.
3. Install VNC in the linux box (or if you prefer use KRDC or whatever you like that supports VNC connections) and connect to the Windows box.

I did it this way and it was a snap.

Hope this helps.

nifan · 2006-07-03 20:45:20

Well you dont need VNC to control a windows machine, just try rdesktop, and use the RDP that comes with windows XP.

ralvez · 2006-07-03 21:01:06

nifan, I am not an expert at this but it is my understanding that RDP is less secure than VNC. In an article I was reading not log ago this is what was said:

... this kind of connection (referring to RTP) does not provide authentication for the terminal server. You may want to make sure that your terminal server is correctly authenticated before you connect to it. To do this, configure your terminal server to use Transport Layer Security (TLS) to authenticate the terminal server and to encrypt the data that is sent between the terminal server and the client computer."

All things being equal it seems to me that VNC is better.

riwa · 2006-07-07 17:28:41

I don't want mere "control" of it. I want to use it like I was sitting next to it. Be able to use everything on it.

tomk · 2006-07-07 21:09:15

riwa, at this stage we know what you want, and we also know that you don't think rdesktop is the right app. I have two questions:
- did you actually try rdesktop?
- have you attempted VNC or NX, the alternative suggestions given here?

thomas23 · 2006-07-08 20:12:33

do you actually want to access the bios of the PC and see all the booting stuff live ? this would be really like if you were sitting next to it... What you seem to need is some kind of hardware, a network card with a remote desktop server built-in (a modified VNC usually) or a switch box (KVM) with remote desktop capabilities built-in. Otherwise, TightVNC is the closess thing to yourself sitting next to the PC...

Lone_Wolf · 2006-07-08 20:43:47

KVM over ip is the usual term i think.

Most of these use a simple browser interface, that allows you to take over the remote machine.

One caveat : they are pretty expensive. a kvm over ip switch for will probably cost over a 1000 $.

jaboua · 2006-07-09 00:25:18

I've used VNC to do that. VNC is slow however - even though it was over a LAN... I tried XDMCP to ubuntu on that same box, a lot faster - I think that would be the best alternative if there is an XDMCP server for windows... I've never tried NX though, so I can't comment on that.

briancurtin · 2006-07-09 03:51:09

its not free, but NetOp will do what you want and it works great

iphitus · 2006-07-09 09:07:21

NX is pretty awesome, it's much faster than VNC. Somehow I managed to use the opengl based google earth with software rendering over NX over my 802.11b (11mbit) wireless to my laptop. VNC sometimes chokes on firefox on that wireless.

James

riwa · 2006-07-09 09:52:48

Why don't download the google-earth beta for linux ;P

iphitus · 2006-07-09 10:11:22

riwa wrote:

Why don't download the google-earth beta for linux ;P

this was on my linux desktop via nx, and I couldnt be bothered switchin outta my NX session and installing it on my laptop

insane · 2006-07-09 10:28:40

Is there any NX server for windows?

Arch Linux

#1 2006-07-03 12:11:52

Control a Windows machine from Arch?

#2 2006-07-03 12:31:59

Re: Control a Windows machine from Arch?

#3 2006-07-03 14:32:58

Re: Control a Windows machine from Arch?

#4 2006-07-03 15:30:10

Re: Control a Windows machine from Arch?

#5 2006-07-03 20:45:20

Re: Control a Windows machine from Arch?

#6 2006-07-03 21:01:06

Re: Control a Windows machine from Arch?

#7 2006-07-07 17:28:41

Re: Control a Windows machine from Arch?

#8 2006-07-07 21:09:15

Re: Control a Windows machine from Arch?

#9 2006-07-08 20:12:33

Re: Control a Windows machine from Arch?

#10 2006-07-08 20:43:47

Re: Control a Windows machine from Arch?

#11 2006-07-09 00:25:18

Re: Control a Windows machine from Arch?

#12 2006-07-09 03:51:09

Re: Control a Windows machine from Arch?

#13 2006-07-09 09:07:21

Re: Control a Windows machine from Arch?

#14 2006-07-09 09:52:48

Re: Control a Windows machine from Arch?

#15 2006-07-09 10:11:22

Re: Control a Windows machine from Arch?

#16 2006-07-09 10:28:40

Re: Control a Windows machine from Arch?

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