CHAPTER 34 ACCESSING COMPUTERS REMOTELY (Web hosting service) Note As
CHAPTER 34 ACCESSING COMPUTERS REMOTELY Note As with Ubuntu s Remote Desktop feature, when logging in via RDP, you will be literally sharing the same desktop as anyone who might be standing in front of the computer. Because of this, for privacy and security, the desktop on the remote computer will be blanked when you log in. Connecting to Other Windows Computers You can download a VNC server for just about any operating system. Windows and Linux are supported, as is Macintosh OS X. In fact, a VNC server will run on any Windows computer, from 95 upwards. Once it s installed, you can then use the Terminal Server Client program within Ubuntu to connect to that computer s remote desktop. Note In fact, any computer that s running the VNC Viewer program can access a computer running a VNC server (including the one set up by Ubuntu s Remote Desktop feature). Various VNC Viewer programs are available for Linux, Windows, Macintosh OS X, and other operating systems, including the likes of PocketPC. Just search the Web using VNC Viewer as a search string to find viewer programs. Of course, you ll have the same insecurities and lack of desktop blanking that plague VNC connections to a Ubuntu desktop, as described previously. But if you re prepared to accept this, you ll be pleased to hear that setting up the VNC server on the Windows machine is easy. TightVNC, available from www.tightvnc.com, is one of the best variations of VNC around. You should download the Self-Installing Package for Windows. During installation, you ll be asked if you want to register TightVNC as a system service. Click the check box alongside this option. This will activate the VNC server every time the computer starts. Once the program has installed, the server configuration program will appear. You should change the password by overtyping the default in the Password field. Connecting to the remote Windows machine is also a piece of cake. On the Ubuntu system, open Terminal Server Client (Applications . Internet) and type the remote computer s IP address into the Computer field. In the Protocol drop-down list, select VNC. Then click Connect. You ll be prompted for the remote computer s VNC server password and, once you enter this, the remote desktop will appear in a window. Figure 34-5 shows an example of connecting to a Windows 98 computer.