remote support software

fkryszon · n00b Joined: 01 Nov 2004 Posts: 64 Location: Belgium

I'm currently looking for an alternative to software like netview.net or pcvisit.de

situation:
I need to get a remote machine (where a Windows users is having problems) to alow easily share the desktop concurrently, meaning both users can see and interact with the OS
the remote is running M$ Windows, the user doen't know anything about installing, configuring etc.

requirements:
similar to the links above, the user should be able to allow a remote control to a linux desktop (mine) without the trouble of installing software (e.g. VNC) or configuring firewall (e.g. opening ports like 3389)
netviewer for example is a small tool ~500k the user can download and execute, then connect to a session by filling in a sessionid.

wether he connects to a foreign server (e.g. netviewer.net) or having this central on my linux doesn't really matter atm. would be nice to have it on mine though.

Any ideas about a software/solution for this are greatly appreciated

fkryszon · n00b Joined: 01 Nov 2004 Posts: 64 Location: Belgium

am I really the only one who'd like to see such a program ??

Zepp · Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 5:04 pm Post subject:

You can't configure the vnc server for them? or setup up remote desktop if its xp or later. Anyway I can't think of any piece of software for linux that matches your description exactly

danm · n00b Joined: 26 Aug 2003 Posts: 14

I don't know if it will do exactly what you want, but this is the most full-featured vnc implementation I've seen: http://ultravnc.sourceforge.net/

It supposedly has an over the web java viewer, although I've never had reason to use it.

fkryszon · n00b Joined: 01 Nov 2004 Posts: 64 Location: Belgium

VNC requires open ports on firewall, I can't ask LAN users to configure e.g. a 'company-firewall' for VNC
also, VNC requires installation of VNC Server on their side, ergo. they'd have to have admin permissions on their local machine...

so VNC is no solution...

thorak · n00b Joined: 14 Jul 2005 Posts: 9

I guess you really won't be able to do much without admin rights on the local machine.

AFAIK you dont need to install VNC to make it work, so theoretically you could bundle a
VNC server and putty or plink executable in a folder, and make a bat file that starts the VNC-
server and forwards the VNC ports over say port 80 to your own server, but it all depends on wether
that shitty an highly annoying firewall incorporated in windows would allow the programs to start.

If that works, all the other person would have to do would be to download, uncompress the folder and
doubleclick the bat-file

think4urs11 · Posted: Thu May 04, 2006 1:58 pm Post subject:

you can use VNC for this.

Its as simple as
- on customers client start VNC
- on your PC start vncviewer in listen mode

Now if/when a customer needs administrational support from you, they can connect to your listening workstation (which then gives you their desktop in a vnc window).

You only need to tell your customer when they call you which ip address:port they shall connect to.
Then they use 'right mous click' on their task tray vnc symbol, choose 'add new client'.

'perfect' would be when you use (on your side) a dyndns account, so your customers always can connect to e.g. big-boss-help-me-out-of-rouble.dyndns.org.

HTH
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mortar · Tux's lil' helper Joined: 03 Feb 2005 Posts: 131