VNC and OSX

[Farabomb]

Let's go back in time folks. I'm running 10.6.8 and I want to connect to a NT box running real VNC. Right now I have it where I remote into the windows server, VNC from there to the NT box and I have control. I want to remove the remote into the win server part.

I read you can use screen sharing but all I get is endless contacting. I know there is chicken of the VNC and others but I'd rather not install anything if there is already a built-in service.

[Joe]

Let's go back in time folks. I'm running 10.6.8 and I want to connect to a NT box running real VNC. Right now I have it where I remote into the windows server, VNC from there to the NT box and I have control. I want to remove the remote into the win server part.

I read you can use screen sharing but all I get is endless contacting. I know there is chicken of the VNC and others but I'd rather not install anything if there is already a built-in service.

Screen sharing only works from a Mac to a Mac. You can VNC into a Mac from a PC via screen sharing but not the other way unless you use an actual VNC client like Chicken to a VNC server on the Windows box. You could use something like TeamViewer if they have a version for NT which is doubtful.

[Farabomb]

For some reason I really don't like team viewer. We bought go to my PC and it doesn't suck but it's one control of one computer. That's partly why I want to do this, so I can have control of every box here from the mac desktop. What I'm doing works in a round about way but I'm bored today and want to see if there is a better way.

[Nick Burns]

Joe, actually you can use Screen Sharing on Mac to connect with PC, it's just another VNC client like all the rest. It can be finicky depending on which flavor VNC server your running.

Farabomb, Teamviewer is ridiculously expensive, hard to get your head around at first, once you do, it's a dream to use and far superior to it's competitors (I've used them all). I use the free version, make sure to pick NOT BUSINESS or it's goes into 30 day demo, records your NIC's mac address, and when it times out you can never get even the free version to work again. I have it running on: home machines, work machine, management's home machines, relative's machines. You can save bookmarks in folders and it works flawlessly on my iPhone too. When I sign into my account from anyone else's machines I can see all of the bookmarks.

RDP (Mac or PC) is the most responsive, faster than VNC or TeamViewer, but it whacks your icons if screens are different resolutions, and if you're trying to help someone it blanks the screen.

Mac to PC use free RealVNC client, connect and top of window let's you save bookmarks

Mac to Mac use Screen Sharing, in Safari type (but don't enter) vnc://ip.ad.dr.es then drag this bookmark to save

PC to Mac I have used TightVNC, RealVNC, UltraVNC, newer Mac OS broke these, I probably just need to update my PC VNC clients

PC to PC use TightVNC connect and top of window let's you save bookmarks

UltraVNC has poor instructions and mirror drivers can be pain to work with on PC, it does work well but I prefer TightVNC

RealVNC is a pain now because they switched the free version where you get 3 licenses for server, client is still unrestricted, these guys are the inventors of VNC.

Chicken won't let you save bookmarks

What you really are wanting is a VPN at work. When you connect to it from home, your home machine joins the local network at work and you could securely hop from machine to machine in a singular fashion. I used to use iVPN software on an old G3 and it worked great. If your work has something like a Sophos UTM then it will have a VPN already inside and just needs to be turned on.

Hope this helps.

[Joe]

Joe, actually you can use Screen Sharing on Mac to connect with PC, it's just another VNC client like all the rest. It can be finicky depending on which flavor VNC server your running.

Hmmmm...I guess I haven't really tried it. I don't think the screen sharing documentation mentions being able to it.

[mwc]

JollysFastVNC client for the mac is a favorite viewer around the shop here - https://www.jinx.de/JollysFastVNC.html

....Also, RealVNC has a App for the Chrome browser that is a neat-o little option for the tool box.....
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/vnc%C2%AE-viewer-for-google-ch/iabmpiboiopbgfabjmgeedhcmjenhbla/related

[Nick Burns]

I tried JollysFastVNC trial a few years back, I just wasn't compelled enough at the time to plunk down $30 to "get your jollys" (not that there's anything wrong with that).

On the iPhone I've used iTeleport for years and it works very nicely as well, I did buy that one because it worked MUCH better than any of the others I tried.