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Remote administration from windows computers


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I have an old Compaq Server running Mandrake 10.2 Limited Edition 2005 that I would like to administer from a remote desktop from two different Windows computers. One is running Windows 98 and the other is running ME. I have them hooked up in a P2P network via a Dlink DL604 router. Does anyone know how I can configure this to work?

 

 

Thanks Steve

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Scarecrow, I've installed TightVNC Server and client on the Windows boxes. Both were configured to run the server on startup. I also installed only the Server on the Mandrake 10.2 Linux server. I have set the "vncserver to start on boot. I verified it is indeed running.

 

I am able to remote control each Windows computer from the other but neither one is able to start a session with the Linux server. Any ideas what to check or install? (I am able to go through the Network Neighborhood and access shares on the Linux server without any problems. My Linux server is unable to connect to the Windows boxes though.)

 

Thanks again. Once I get this issue fixed I shouldn't be needing anymore help.

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Fissy, yes it does. Here are the settings:

 

NOT CHECKED Everything

NOT CHECKED Web Server

NOT CHECKED Domain Name Server

CHECKED SSH Server

CHECKED FTP Server

CHECKED Mail Server

NOT CHECKED POP and IMAP Server

CHECKED Windows Files Sharing (SMB)

NOT CHECKED Echo request (ping)

 

When I click on the Advanced tab, there are no other ports listed.

 

Steve

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Things might have changed since I last used mandrake's shorewall (firewall) configurator.

I think if you click on advanced an empty text box should pop up. If you put 5900 in there, that will hopefully do the job.

 

A good test to see if the firewall is the problem would be to access the mandrake vnc server from the mandrake box itself. open a terminal in your favourite desktop and enter vncviewer localhost, then press enter. Hopefully, some sort of authentication pop ups should let you in. If that doesn't work, I'd think something other than the firewall is amiss.

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OK. I set the advanced tab on the firewall to allow 5900/tcp and the Windows boxes almost immediately tell me it "failed to connect to the server" - before it took about 30 seconds before the message returned (timed out I guess). So it looks like it see the Linux box now since it responds so quickly.

 

I opened a Konsole on the Mandrake box and typed in "vncviewer localhost". It returned this message

 

vncviewer: ConnectToTcpAddr: connect: Connection refused

Unable to connect to VNC Server

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Hmm, maybe it isn't running on that port after all.

As root try this:

 

netstat -a --program

 

That should give you a list of ports being listened to and the program that is doing the listening. Find something with vnc in the program name and see which port :)

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Well I didn't see anything in the list of programs with VNC in it. Nor did I see port 5900. I double checked and the vncserver is running and is set to start on boot.

 

Also on the Windows boxes the TightVNC viewer "Connection details" window mentions that the default is display 0 or port 5900.

 

Do you think their might be a conflict with an item in the Mandrakelinux Control Center? Under the Online Administration there is a place to configure remote control of another machine (linux/unix, windows) that has a selection of "Allow control of my machine (linux sever) where you set a password and then click "Launch Server". I know I've tried that a couple of times too.

 

Also from the Program Menu, I am able to find and locate a shortcut to launch a Shell for TightVNC. When I run it, it displays an input box that says VNC server:

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It sounds a bit odd. Unless display0 is occupied by another running process, I fail to see the reason.

Please try login via ssh and performing a "/etc/init.d/vncserver restart".

Running the VNC server at bootup is a slight security risk- you can always use ssh and do an "/etc/init.d vncserver start" for as long as you need it.

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I think those are two different VNC services. The one you're starting at boot runs Xvnc which creates new screens for people logging in via vnc. The take control of my computer option allows control of the session you're in at that point. There shouldn't be a conflict between the two, but maybe i've got it all wrong.

 

Controlling the existing session is probably easier to use and set up than the Xvnc service, especially if it is just for one user. You might like to use kde's option to set this up:

 

http://docs.kde.org/development/en/kdenetw...figuration.html

 

You should be able to find a screen like that from the KDE kontrol centre

 

Well I didn't see anything in the list of programs with VNC in it.  Nor did I see port 5900.  I double checked and the vncserver is running and is set to start on boot.

 

Also on the Windows boxes the TightVNC viewer "Connection details" window mentions that the default is display 0 or port 5900.

 

Do you think their might be a conflict with an item in the Mandrakelinux Control Center?  Under the Online Administration there is a place to configure remote control of another machine (linux/unix, windows) that has a selection of "Allow control of my machine (linux sever) where you set a password and then click "Launch Server".  I know I've tried that a couple of times too.

 

Also from the Program Menu, I am able to find and locate a shortcut to launch a Shell for TightVNC.  When I run it, it displays an input box that says VNC server:

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Well I was looking around some more to see if anything else might be causing a conflict and I might have found something. On my program menu there is a Virtual Network Connection that launches Rfbdrake 1.0. I launched it, it opened up in a small shell window showing an RFB icon with :0 too. I was able to connect from one of my windows boxes while it was up. It is very slow even the lowest resolution of Best Connection (recommended for dial up). Do you think this might be caused by using 2 different remote applications? I also hovered over the shell window icon, on the Linux server, and a tool tip showed...."x0rfbserver listening on display :0". I am guessing this is causing the problem that keeps TightVNC from running?????

 

I don't have any idea what service is related to Rfbdrake 1.0....... I see xfs and xinetd running on boot in the Mandrake control panel.

 

While connected from the Windows TightVNC to the Linux Rfbdrake, it is very slow in creating the image

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If you have gnome installed, try logging in and configuring vino, it should be somewhere in the gnome preferences called 'Remote Desktop.' It's VNC, but i've found it to work as well as RDP works between windows machines. On slow network connections i've found it smooth althought it has managed that by degrading to 256 colours. Should work on that 5900 port so long as you don't have another VNC server already running (RFB drake for example).

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