# Remote Desktop Help

## SpiroPoulos89

Hello

I use the gnome desktop and am trying to connect to my friends windows vista computer.

Using "vinagre" I have been able to connect to my local windows 2000 computer after installing tightvnc on the 2000 computer.

My friend has tightvnc installed and setup the same as my 2000 computer.

I am wondering if "vinagre" is only for local computers or if I can use it to connect to non local computers.

Assuming it is only for local computers I installed tight vnc on my gentoo box. using the vnc viewer I tried to connect to my friends nonlocal vista computer but the after typing his IP Address and pressing enter the viewer just freezes.

So the question is, does vinagre allow for nonlocal remote controll and if not how can I connect to my friends Vista machine?

Thanks for any help.

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## SpiroPoulos89

Hey.......I have heard a bit about vpn. I believe if he setup a vpn server and I connect to it I should be able to see his computer as local and connect to it....right??

If so.....can someone help me help him set up a vpn server on his vista machine.

Thanks for any help.

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## Hu

VNC can connect to non-local machines, if the target machine is listening, routable, and not behind a firewall.  Setting up a VPN for this purpose is overkill.  My first guess would be that your friend is behind a "home router" or similar such low end networking gear that is disrupting his ability to act as a server.  My second guess would be that his VNC server is blocked by the Windows firewall.  Why do you need to connect to his machine?  Does it need to be VNC, or would any remote viewing protocol work?

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## SpiroPoulos89

Hu,

Thanks for the reply.

I do not have to use vnc, if there is any other way or better way I will give a try. 

I also wanted to know if vinagre even supported nonlocal connections. I know vnc does but am not sure if that means vinagre can.

Also I enabled remote connections of my machine through vino and he easily was able to connect to my computer. So why cant I connect to his.

The reason I want to connect is because he a lot of times has some problems with his computer and I though the best way i could help is to connect to his computer.

I have connected to his computer before from a windows computer with tightvnc viewer but now I no longer use windows.

Any suggestions?

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## Hu

Some ISPs push their customers to use NAT devices, to conserve IPv4 address space issued to the ISP.  By default, most NAT devices have no DMZ, so anyone hidden behind them cannot act as a server.  The proper fix is to get real end-to-end connectivity, but you can solve the immediate problem if his home router forwards your VNC connection to his Vista system.

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## SpiroPoulos89

Yes......His can connect to mine. And when I used windows I easily connected to him.

Just to make sure I'm doing it right can you explain how you would connect to a nonlocal machine. Maybe there is something I'm missing.

And I'm still not clear on if vinagre even supports nonlocal connections.

Thanks

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