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#1 2004-10-20 16:32:04

phrakture
Arch Overlord
From: behind you
Registered: 2003-10-29
Posts: 7,879
Website

linux to windows - VNC?

Ok all, I need some advice.  From work I currently have cygwin installed and can ssh to home and forward X calls - but thats not the problem.

From home, I am looking for a good way to VPN in and connect to my windows box.  I know there's a bunch of VNC apps out there, and rdesktop, and FreeNX - does anyone have experience with any of these?  I'm looking for recommendations

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#2 2004-10-20 18:06:31

cactus
Taco Eater
From: t͈̫̹ͨa͖͕͎̱͈ͨ͆ć̥̖̝o̫̫̼s͈̭̱̞͍̃!̰
Registered: 2004-05-25
Posts: 4,622
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Re: linux to windows - VNC?

Well, FreeNX basicallly connects to rdesktop, but in a roundabout way.
A client connects to a FreeNX server, the FreeNX server connects to the windows computer you want access to. The FreeNX server then becomes a go-between for the client and the windows computers (like an arbitrator).
You cannot directly connect from client to windows computer. You can have the client and FreeNX on the same machine (if it is Linux or Solaris--no winderz FreeNX server).

As for VNC, not much experience with it for me. I have used rdesktop occasionally, and it seems decent enough. I don't really know much about the protocol (never that interested), so I cannot make any claims about its security...


"Be conservative in what you send; be liberal in what you accept." -- Postel's Law
"tacos" -- Cactus' Law
"t̥͍͎̪̪͗a̴̻̩͈͚ͨc̠o̩̙͈ͫͅs͙͎̙͊ ͔͇̫̜t͎̳̀a̜̞̗ͩc̗͍͚o̲̯̿s̖̣̤̙͌ ̖̜̈ț̰̫͓ạ̪͖̳c̲͎͕̰̯̃̈o͉ͅs̪ͪ ̜̻̖̜͕" -- -̖͚̫̙̓-̺̠͇ͤ̃ ̜̪̜ͯZ͔̗̭̞ͪA̝͈̙͖̩L͉̠̺͓G̙̞̦͖O̳̗͍

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#3 2004-10-20 18:56:44

lanrat
Member
From: Poland
Registered: 2003-10-28
Posts: 1,274

Re: linux to windows - VNC?

AFAIK to use rdestkop (+ eventually some gui configuration tool) you need win xp professional. Rdesktop needs terminal services enabled. Also while you use rdesktop you can't work at the same time on your windows box (but that might not be a problem in your case). Rdesktop advantage is simplicity. It's very easy to set it up and connect.

I don't have experience with vnc but from what I've heard tightvnc is preffered by most people.
There is also http://xf4vnc.sourceforge.net/ that is based on tightvnc and adds some features (currently not present in turs or official repos).

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#4 2004-10-21 01:34:45

cbozic
Member
From: Morgantown, WV, USA
Registered: 2004-01-31
Posts: 77

Re: linux to windows - VNC?

I'm not sure what your setup is but here's my recomendation:

If your server is a windows box, use rdesktop (terminal services) if you have the option.  If you don't, the best windows vnc server in terms of performance and features is Ultr@Vnc.

If your server is a linux box and you want to share your current X desktop using vnc, x11vnc is the best way to go in terms of performance.  Both Gnome and KDE have built in desktop sharing apps but x11vnc out preforms them all in my opinion.  If your linux box is headless, tightvnc or realvnc seem to do about the same job in my opinion. 

As far as viewers go, they're all about the same.  Ultr@Vnc has some special features you can use if you have windows on both client and server.  At the same time, it always works great with linux viewers.  Kde's krdc viewer is pretty nice because it has a drop down list that remembers your most recently viewed servers.  Also, krdc has the ability to view both rdesktop and vnc connections.  if you don't want kde features installed on your box, there's always the reliable but vanilla vncviewer that comes packaged with the vnc implementations available by pacman. 

Hope that's helpful.

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#5 2004-10-21 05:43:26

cactus
Taco Eater
From: t͈̫̹ͨa͖͕͎̱͈ͨ͆ć̥̖̝o̫̫̼s͈̭̱̞͍̃!̰
Registered: 2004-05-25
Posts: 4,622
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Re: linux to windows - VNC?

cbozic wrote:

If your server is a linux box and you want to share your current X desktop using vnc, x11vnc is the best way to go in terms of performance.  ...  If your linux box is headless, tightvnc or realvnc seem to do about the same job in my opinion.

From what I have seen, FreeNX beats the pants off just about everything for remote X (ala vnc-ish style) that I have yet seen. Simply awesom compression they have.


"Be conservative in what you send; be liberal in what you accept." -- Postel's Law
"tacos" -- Cactus' Law
"t̥͍͎̪̪͗a̴̻̩͈͚ͨc̠o̩̙͈ͫͅs͙͎̙͊ ͔͇̫̜t͎̳̀a̜̞̗ͩc̗͍͚o̲̯̿s̖̣̤̙͌ ̖̜̈ț̰̫͓ạ̪͖̳c̲͎͕̰̯̃̈o͉ͅs̪ͪ ̜̻̖̜͕" -- -̖͚̫̙̓-̺̠͇ͤ̃ ̜̪̜ͯZ͔̗̭̞ͪA̝͈̙͖̩L͉̠̺͓G̙̞̦͖O̳̗͍

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#6 2004-10-21 14:09:16

phrakture
Arch Overlord
From: behind you
Registered: 2003-10-29
Posts: 7,879
Website

Re: linux to windows - VNC?

well, the setup is that I'll cram whatever server I need on the windows box and connect to it from home (linux).  I must admit I have no clue how this works.  Can't use rdesktop due to missing terminal services, and I want to use an existing session when logging into my box (if I leave a window open, I want to be able to go home and log in and use the same window).

The other way around is already setup.  I have my router redirecting the ssh port to my linux box, only allowed one host (work) and enabled X forwarding.  Cygwin is installed on the windows machien so I can easilly run X apps on my windows machine.

from windows (work) -> linux (home) works fine
from linux (home) -> windows (work) I still need advice on.  I'll look into ultra vnc.
If anyone has any client (viewer?) recommendations, let me know... from what i hear, tight vnc is pretty decent

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#7 2004-11-05 21:24:24

standsolid
Member
From: Carlsbad, CA
Registered: 2004-05-23
Posts: 54
Website

Re: linux to windows - VNC?

Windows XP Pro comes with the ability to have remote desktop connections.


ewwwwww Arch is all gooey

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#8 2004-11-06 03:22:40

afu
Member
From: Tuscalooser, Alabummer
Registered: 2004-02-19
Posts: 155

Re: linux to windows - VNC?

I work in an environment of roughly 25 servers (or desktops acting as). Rdesktop is the way to go in this situation. It's not perfect, but this is MS we are talking about.

Leaving computers logged on when you are not around is a security issue. You should be a tight ass security dude and log off. (Yep, you guessed it - no gui on our Linux servers).

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#9 2004-11-06 06:31:47

android
Member
From: San Diego
Registered: 2003-04-18
Posts: 160

Re: linux to windows - VNC?

Just to provide some input on the VNC solution, I have been using the freely downloadable real vnc server on several w2k boxes:

http://www.realvnc.com/

and the vncviewer client app from the vnc package on archlinux with much success.

In fact I use this as a way to run a windoze desktop from within my arch workstation as a sort of uber-wine setup for applications that I just can't get on linux (e.g. 8-bit embedded microcontroller development tools).

I originally intended to use rdesktop, and this seems more integrated with windoze (read as m$'s effort to put the vnc crowd out of business). However it wasn't readily available on the w2k machines I needed to administer.

So I tried vnc and I haven't looked back since.

I use it primarily across my private network, but I do occasionally administer a few machines across the internet with it. In this case I have the remote user start the server just at times when I intend to log in, as I agree leaving it running all the time seems a security breach.

rdesktop may be better, but if it isn't just right for you I can report that the vnc solution as a very viable alternative.

Good Luck!

John E. A.

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