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VNClite Guide

RiCEADDiCTBOY

RiCEADDiCTBOY

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Dec 26, 2007
699
1
Now, many still don't understand how the VNC client works. Myself included. I even looked around various websites - reading...and reading. Seems simple. I downloaded TightVNC and opened my ports...just like I would if I wanted to be able to host anything in an online game.

However, I can't for the life of me to get it to work on my PC. However, several macrumors members decided to take it upon themselves and go out and say that those who ask questions how to use it - are idiots. But, I suppose those individuals didn't ask any questions in their entire life about something they didn't know, maybe have little use for but, wanted some insight and enjoyment to mess around with such information.

For those that don't mind helping others...I applaud you - and I feel confident that others who are still lost on how to properly use this app would appreciate another mature reader helping the community out.

So if anyone would be more than happy to lend some info, screenshot guide or something for the "idiots" that would be fantastic. :cool:
 
Mac setup is very easy:
Goto System Preferences>Sharing
Turn on Screen Sharing
Click Computer Settings and enter a password

on VNClite enter your IP and the password, don't touch the port and you are good to go.

If your IP is not static, you can use a free service like DynDNS to assign a domain name to your Mac, with the expense of running a very lightweight background application.
 
for mac-
-download a vnc server like vine server (it's what i'm using at the moment, it's free)
-go to airport utility, pick the router (this is obviously just for airport routers)
-click manual set up->advanced -> port mapping.
-click the plus button and put port 5900 for all the boxes except for the ip box, in which you put your internal ip, which you can get from the network tab in system preferences (should start with 10.0.1.xxx
-the airport utility should look like this-
21ls9du.png


then open vnc lite and go to edit connections and pick the first one.
under ip add the internal ip (tells you in vine server) and choose port 5900
then go to the second port and under ip choose your external ip (also in vine server, or get it from whatismyip.org), also port 5900.


that should be it
 
physicistjedi said:
If your IP is not static, you can use a free service like DynDNS to assign a domain name to your Mac, with the expense of running a very lightweight background application.
Click to expand...

could you explain this dyndns thing? i dont think my ip is static as it keeps changing...haha
 
it took me a while to get it too but just follow these instructions and you'll figure it out. it's instructions for TouchPad Pro but you can use it for VNC Lite too.
 
firewall.jpg


router.jpg


tightvnc.jpg


...can someone tell me why i still can't connect? i am really trying to figure this out...and i am getting really fustrated but, remaining calm cause i really am hoping someone can help a guy out.
 
RiCEADDiCTBOY said:
:(:confused:can anyone help? :confused:
Click to expand...

I'm kinda new to VNC and networking isn't my strong suit but I can try to offer a couple suggestions... In that last screen shot in the top right section I'd change it from Auto to specifying the ports.. The other thing is what IP address are you entering on the iPhone and are you using the WiFi? If you are WiFi connected to the same network your computer is on you can use that 192.x.x.x address but if you are trying to connect via Edge/3G you need to find your router's external address by going to a site like whatismyip.com or something...
 
i am connecting via wifi..however, i did try auto (which is 5900) and selecting the port itself...however, when i do that - it goes to Display: after i select Ports....
 
I'm able to connect over wifi but once I try connecting over edge it doesn't work..I entered my ip address (obtained from various ip locater websites) and made a DynDNS account but so far nothing seems to work once I disconnect from wifi..
 
physicistjedi said:
Mac setup is very easy:
Goto System Preferences>Sharing
Turn on Screen Sharing
Click Computer Settings and enter a password
Click to expand...

Definitely do this because screen sharing will always be on and makes a great emergency backdoor. I find that it is very difficult to use across an internet connection, though, because of its insistence on full colours.

If you're going to be connecting on anything other than a direct LAN connection, I highly recommend Vine Server. Run it on display 1 (port 5901) and you can then choose which server you prefer (Screen sharing on LAN, Vine across internet). In 8 bit mode Vine Server will give you a great experience, as long as you ignore the dithering for 256 colours...
 
quigleybc said:
and then it just turns off, or crashes...not sure.

i've deleted and uninstalled twice now
Click to expand...

Odd. Any history on your i*? Jailbreaks? Unofficial firmware? Development firmware? Other apps installed?

Any details would help either troubleshoot or identify conflicts.
 
stcanard said:
Odd. Any history on your i*? Jailbreaks? Unofficial firmware? Development firmware? Other apps installed?

Any details would help either troubleshoot or identify conflicts.
Click to expand...

cant anyone help troubleshoot my problem? :(
 
RiCEADDiCTBOY said:
cant anyone help troubleshoot my problem? :(
Click to expand...

Sorry, I missed that you were still in trouble!

Do you have the Windows firewall running (that would be a problem)?

Are you on the same LAN as the computer or are there routers between you and it?

Do you have multiple monitors? (my work computer fails to allow a connection; I suspect this is the reason)

It sounds like a network / connectivity issue -- any idea on physical location or network topology would help.
 
Is it possible to do this over an Ad-Hoc network? I don't connect to the internet via wi-fi at home, so if I create a network connection between my mac and my iphone like what I would do to use Apple's Remote app, would that be possible for using this application?
 
Works great with my Mac at home when I'm on my local network, but can't seem to get it to work on my Windows Vista computer at work.

I've got the public ip address (69.xxx.xx.xxx, not really x but I'm not telling you lot!) and got port 5900 open up in the router's firewall (the PC itself does not have the firewall turned on, only the router does) and when I try to connect, it tries but then VNClite comes up with a message saying "Cannot connect to 69.xxx.xx.xxx, port 5900". So it's seeing it, and I got the correct password in I think (the router's password?)

Not sure what more to do.
 
RiCEADDiCTBOY said:
i am connecting via wifi..however, i did try auto (which is 5900) and selecting the port itself...however, when i do that - it goes to Display: after i select Ports....
Click to expand...

Make sure when you turn Auto off that Port is selected and has 5900, it might try to default to Display or something when you turn Auto off but make sure you Port is selected again before you click Apply/OK...
 
SlapMonkey said:
Works great with my Mac at home when I'm on my local network, but can't seem to get it to work on my Windows Vista computer at work.

I've got the public ip address (69.xxx.xx.xxx, not really x but I'm not telling you lot!) and got port 5900 open up in the router's firewall (the PC itself does not have the firewall turned on, only the router does) and when I try to connect, it tries but then VNClite comes up with a message saying "Cannot connect to 69.xxx.xx.xxx, port 5900". So it's seeing it, and I got the correct password in I think (the router's password?)

Not sure what more to do.
Click to expand...

Kinda confused about what you are trying to do here.. You mention a Mac at home and a Vista PC at work... Are you having trouble connecting to your work PC?

Here are some suggestions based on possible scenarios...
connect iPhone to home Mac while on home WiFi:
You need to use the IP given to your Mac by your home router and the pw you set in your Mac preferences on your iPhone

connect iPhone to home Mac while on 3G/Edge:
Find your Mac's public IP, set your router to forward requests to port 5900 to the IP the router has given your Mac, use the public IP and the pw you set in your Mac preferences on your iPhone

connect iPhone to work Vista PC:
This can be tricky depending on how they have your work network configured... First off you would need VNC server software on your work PC, Mac's have it built into Leopard but most PC's use Microsoft's Remote Desktop app rather than VNC. Next if your work provides WiFi access, you might be able to use your PC's IP address and the pw you set in the VNC software on the iPhone. They might keep the WiFi network separate from the normal network though for security so you might need VPN in order to establish a connection to the same area of the network your PC is on. If you want to connect to your work PC over 3G/Edge I'm almost positive you would need VPN to connect to your work network first as most places have a firewall that I doubt they let users configure port forwarding on...
 
jwflutterby said:
Kinda confused about what you are trying to do here.. You mention a Mac at home and a Vista PC at work... Are you having trouble connecting to your work PC?

Here are some suggestions based on possible scenarios...
connect iPhone to home Mac while on home WiFi:
You need to use the IP given to your Mac by your home router and the pw you set in your Mac preferences on your iPhone

connect iPhone to home Mac while on 3G/Edge:
Find your Mac's public IP, set your router to forward requests to port 5900 to the IP the router has given your Mac, use the public IP and the pw you set in your Mac preferences on your iPhone

connect iPhone to work Vista PC:
This can be tricky depending on how they have your work network configured... First off you would need VNC server software on your work PC, Mac's have it built into Leopard but most PC's use Microsoft's Remote Desktop app rather than VNC. Next if your work provides WiFi access, you might be able to use your PC's IP address and the pw you set in the VNC software on the iPhone. They might keep the WiFi network separate from the normal network though for security so you might need VPN in order to establish a connection to the same area of the network your PC is on. If you want to connect to your work PC over 3G/Edge I'm almost positive you would need VPN to connect to your work network first as most places have a firewall that I doubt they let users configure port forwarding on...
Click to expand...

Confused? Don't have any issues with my Mac at home. Just haven't been able to connect to my work PC from the outside, but I guess it's because I don't have a VNC server on the vista machine (and we are prevented from installing programs on our work computers) so I guess that would explain it.

Like I had mentioned though, I DO have access to the work's router and firewall and have already open the port.

Thanks for the response though, just sucks that the whole VNC thing isn't built into Windows like it is on the Mac.
 
I am able to get this working on wifi no problem. I have my time capsule set up to forward port 5900 to my macbook pros local ip. Then I have my external ip set up in vnc lite with the password. Just sits there trying to connect and never does. There is no firewall on. Anybody else having this problem?
 
SlapMonkey said:
Confused? Don't have any issues with my Mac at home. Just haven't been able to connect to my work PC from the outside, but I guess it's because I don't have a VNC server on the vista machine (and we are prevented from installing programs on our work computers) so I guess that would explain it.

Like I had mentioned though, I DO have access to the work's router and firewall and have already open the port.

Thanks for the response though, just sucks that the whole VNC thing isn't built into Windows like it is on the Mac.
Click to expand...

Wow, they let you open ports on the router and firewall but you can't install software on your PC?? That seems silly... We technically have a policy saying no installing anything even for those of us that are admin types but they realize that there are just some tools we need to have... Do you have a good work justification for wanting to get to your PC remotely? If you asked would they let you install VNC if you have a good reason?
 
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