Port Forwarding / VNC issues

[lindsayanng]

From what I understand, remotely accessing your computer is actually not that hard with osx - AWESOME.. but i am finding that it seems like its "too easy to be true?

From what i read, all you have to do is go into your system preferences on the server computer and enable sharing and then download "Chicken of the VNC" app (or something like it) and you can access your computer at home?!

What about a static IP. Is a static IP required? Or is there a different path to take directly to your computer?

Also, when you are accessing your computer remotely, can you actually use sme of the more complex programs? For instance, i have an iMac at home with Adobe CS4 on it and lots of big photography files on it. Can you actually open and edit those files on your home computer from a different one?

Its all so weird that it seems TOO easy.

 

[FourCandles]

Set up on the home Mac is pretty much as easy as you say (although it's Remote Desktop you need to activate, not sharing).

Chicken of the VNC is good. Vine Viewer is better IMO (but not free), it allows allows you to scale the remote window to fit whatever screen you're working on, amongst other things.

I've not used it with a dynamic IP, but I don't see why it shouldn't work - you'd obviously be leaving the home machine online when you go out, so it's just a matter of checking what IP has been assigned this time. Obviously if your home machine reboots (e.g. power failure) then you won't know what IP has been assigned.

In addition, you'll need to set up port forwarding on your router so that it directs the connection to your iMac, and possibly set up a tunnel through the firewall. Instructions for both will depend on your make & model.

AFAIK there's no technical limitation as to what software you can run remotely. The application running on your home machine performs exactly the same tasks as if you were sitting at your desk at home. So, say, rotating a 100MB image in PS will take your iMac exactly the same time, once you've clicked the OK button. The bottleneck is the connection to the remote machine, and that will show itself more in screen refresh - e.g. watching a DVD.

I'd suggest downloading Chicken of the VNC for free, and trying it out within your network at home to get familiar with how it all works before trying it remotely and/or going for Vine Viewer.

 

[live4ever]

I'd say the biggest limitation is your home's internet connection upload speed - this is where the screen refresh comes into play.

 

[lindsayanng]

thanks so much for the detailed info. We specifically bought an internet package that has high upload speeds because we do a lot of FTPing through our home internet connection, so it probably wont be much of a bottle neck..

As for setting up the router, THAT is the part that i was missing.. THAT was the more techincal part that I didnt know i HAD to do. I will do some research on my router's make and model. Its one from the cable company.. so i MIGHT just be able to call them

 

[LtRammstein]

You planning on VNCing Mac to Mac or PC to Mac?

If you do PC to Mac, you should get Vine Server (free), and then on the PC use RealVNC to connect to it.

Heck, that's what I'm doing right now.

 

[lindsayanng]

No it will be MAC to MAC.. we have a mini at the office and an iMac at home.. the iMac has CS4 which we would like to have available to us at the office.. but buying another lisence isnt in the budget

 

[lindsayanng]

holy freakin crap that was EASY!!! I just had the wrong IP.. the ip address on whatsmyip.org is NOT the correct internal ip. You need to get the ip from your system preferences network settings .

 

[lindsayanng]

alrighty... chicken of the VNC is NOT working for me. I have tried searching everywhere for an answer, and all i get is HOW TO info, which i followed EXACTLY>

Basically it asks you to put in the server's computer IP address, which i did, and then the password and display (if you have multiple displays)

So since i WAS able to connect through Mocha VNC on my phone, i made 100% sure that everything matches when i put in the ip and all. The only thing chicken doesnt as for is the PORT, but i set up the port forwarding so it should be just fine, the router should put all traffic through 5900 correct??

So what the hell is going on?

Is it possible that the connection at the office (where the remote computer is) is denying something like this from happening? I did not configure the wifi there, and its all a cluster F*#^k. I tried to get into the router's settings, but i couldnt.. ijust dont know.

Is it POSSIBLE that the wifi network that the remote computer is on is stopping this from happening?

 

[SHIFTLife]

When you set up port forwarding on your router, did you enable it for TCP or UDP packets? I believe it should be set up as TCP.

Also, make sure you have port forwarding set up correctly. For example, let's assume your external IP address is 24.20.20.20, and the internal IP address is 192.168.1.100.

Your port forwarding should be set up to direct all packets from port 5900 outside to 192.168.1.100, port 5900. Then, you'd use Chicken of the VNC to connect to 24.20.20.20, display 0. It would be port 5900.

One important consideration is DHCP. Most cable and DSL providers utilize dynamic IP addresses for cable connections. If you have a router, this isn't as much an issue, because your router will keep the connection open as long as it's powered on, so your IP address won't change as often. Internally, however, it's very possible that your computer may be assigned a different IP each time it connects to the wireless network, especially if you have more than one computer using that network. If the internal IP address changes, your port forward setup will have to be changed as well.

 

[gr8tfly]

For Mac to Mac, you can use the Leopard sharing. Use the Finder "Connect to Server...", with "vnc://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx". It works better/faster than Chicken-VNC.

 

[lindsayanng]

ok.. I think i need to clarify.. My intitial question is no longer a question.> i have a new one, and i figured it would be best if i posted in my own thread..

but here goes.

I can connect to my computer via VNC using MOCHA VNC on my phone, however when i try to connect to the SAME computer using MOCHA VNC but at my WORK, it will not connect.. I also can not connect to the same computer using CHICKEN OF THE VNC.. So since i CAN connect while on my home's network using mocha, but can not connect using my work's wireless using the SAME software and using chicken, does this mean that there is some type of issue with the wifi at my office???

The port forwarding is correct, the IP address is correct, otherwise i would not be able to see the computer with my iphone using mocha.

THAT is what has me completely confused

 

[mkrishnan]

The port forwarding is correct, the IP address is correct, otherwise i would not be able to see the computer with my iphone using mocha.

How was the phone connected to the internet when you did the test? If it was connected to wifi (i.e. to the internet via the router), then it was also connected to the intranet via the router, and it had access to the Mac via the intranet, and that doesn't mean that your port forwarding is set up correctly.

 

[lindsayanng]

I disabled wifi and just used 3G when I was trying it from my phone in the same house. I thought of that ahead of time and wanted to rule out that possibility.

 

[lindsayanng]

ok. I take that back.. Its not working now with the wifi off.. it DID work last time..

I can NOT catch i break, i was GOING to take a screen shot for yor to see my port settings but this is what i have

enable description inbound port type private ip outbound port
[checked] destopshare 5900-5900 TCP 192.168.... 5900-5900


I have tried with type with TCP and BOTH (left off the last of the ip just because)

now i have to restart becuse my screen shots not working

 

[lindsayanng]

Port Forwarding / VNC issues

I am still having some issues with setting up my VNC. I thought it was going to be easy.. But apparently its not.

I am trying use my imac at home as the server computer. I want to connect to it from my mac mini at work (which has chicken of the VNC), or my iphones using mocha

When I am at home with the server computer, using my iphone on the same wifi, I can access the desktop just fine.. HOWEVER if i am at my work, or I disable wifi and use just 3G to connect, it will not connect.

I get a TIMED OUT ON PORT 5900

I have my setting on my Belkin F5D9230-4 set to share ports 5900-5900 and have used both my server computer's IP address AND the wireless router's ip address just incase.

I have also set the DMZ settings to open up the server computer just incase there was something blocking it. I even turned off the firewalls to test it.

NOTHING!!

Any suggestions as to WHY this is happening?

 

[plinden]

I have my setting on my Belkin F5D9230-4 set to share ports 5900-5900 and have used both my server computer's IP address AND the wireless router's ip address just incase.

What IP address are you using? Is it the same as you get from http://whatismyipaddress.com/?

Saying you used both your Mac's and your router's addresses make me think you're using the internal network addresses assigned by your router. Is that right?

 

[lindsayanng]

Yes, the internal IP for the computer . We have 3 computers on the same network, so i would assume that you would NEED the individual interior IP to access each computer separately.

 

[plinden]

Let's be clear about what you've done. I'm not familiar with your router, but it appears to support port-forwarding.

You need to enter the internal IP address of the Mac server and configure the external port 5900 to go to port 5900. Then from your workplace, go to the external IP address port 5900.

You can test this out at home using Terminal. Set up port forwarding, then open Terminal and type:
telnet <external IP address determined from whatsmyipaddress.com> 5900

Eg:
telnet 99.64.75.156 5900

You should get back a valid response like:
Trying 99.64.75.156...
Connected to 99.64.75.156.
Escape character is '^]'.
RFB 003.889

 

[dazzer21]

If I may join in...

I've just done the terminal commend using port 5900 and it sees the outside world perfectly well. My problem is that, using Jollysfast VNC, from home to work works beautifully. The other way around, it connects but all I get is a black screen. I've forwarded ports 5500, 5800, 5900, 22 (for SSH) and 21 (for FTP). The routers both ends have identical forwarding setups and, as far as I can tell, all settings either end are identical. Would there be a reason for this that is so simple I've overlooked it...?

 

[lindsayanng]

Pliden, yes i am working with the internal server IP addresses, NOT the router address.

I went to a website that checks if the ports are open, canyouseeme.org and it sees that port 5900 IS OPEN.

I was on the phone with 2nd tier belkin support and even they can not figure it out.


dazzer, do you think you can open your own thread so mine doesnt get confused as to who they are answering?

 

[SHIFTLife]

Do you still have two entries, one using the internal (server) IP and one using the external (router)? If so, remove the one for the router, that could be causing a routing loop that would cause the problem.

I don't have the same router as you, but this page looks pretty helpful: http://www.pcwintech.com/node/258

You should use 5900-5900 for your inbound ports, and 5900-5900 for the "private ports".

 

[plinden]

Pliden, yes i am working with the internal server IP addresses, NOT the router address.

That doesn't really answer what I've been asking. Are you working only with the internal IP address? Please answer the following questions separately.

1. Are you using your Mac's internal IP address in port-forwarding setup?

2. Are you using your network's external IP address when connecting from work?

3. Did you try: telnet <external IP address> 5900 ?

I went to a website that checks if the ports are open, canyouseeme.org and it sees that port 5900 IS OPEN.

If canyouseeme.org shows port 5900 as open, then port-forwarding is likely ok, although I'm not sure if you're router's 5900 port is open but not forwarding to the Mac, what the response would be. Trying the telnet is the best way of testing this since you would actually get a "RFB 003.889" response if it's set up right.

Edit: once you get this set up, I would suggest not keeping 5900 open. I've done this myself, but opened only ssh (on a non-standard port) and use ssh tunnelling to connect my work machine's 5900 port to the remote 5900 port.

Edit 2: on second thoughts, if all this is too complicated, just try logmein.

 

[lindsayanng]

I really do not understand why this is so complicated.. I am not a "non technical person" I am VERY computer literate and even do some coding. I guess i am having a serious blond moment or something

1. Are you using your Mac's internal IP address in port-forwarding setup?

yes. Here is a picture of what my port forwarding looks like

2. Are you using your network's external IP address when connecting from work?

To try and connect, i have tried using both the external and internal ip. From what you have been saying, it SOUNDS like you are saying that I should be typing in the external (or router) ip address into my VNC viewing program like Mocha or Chicken. This makes no sense to me. Either way, I HAVE tried using that IP to connect, it has not worked, still.

3. Did you try: telnet <external IP address> 5900 ?

Not sure what you are asking.. Are you saying i should run a traceroute or a something else in the terminal?

 

[lindsayanng]

So i have port 5900 forwarding all connections from my external router ip from the website (canyouseeme.org) to my internal ip.

HOWEVER, now when i go to canyouseeme.org, instead of getting the OPEN PORT message, i get this:

Error: I could not see your service on 24.2.***.*** on port (5900)
Reason: Connection timed out

 

[plinden]

To try and connect, i have tried using both the external and internal ip. From what you have been saying, it SOUNDS like you are saying that I should be typing in the external (or router) ip address into my VNC viewing program like Mocha or Chicken. This makes no sense to me. Either way, I HAVE tried using that IP to connect, it has not worked, still.

Sorry for not coming back to this earlier.

What exactly do you mean by your router address? Your router has both an internal address (generally something like 10.1.0.1 or 192.168.0.1) and an external IP address (the one the internet sees, ie. the one you see on http://whatsmyipaddress.com/). You MUST use the external IP address (to reiterate, what you get with http://whatsmyipaddress.com/) since the other IP address is not visible on the internet side of the router.

Not sure what you are asking.. Are you saying i should run a traceroute or a something else in the terminal?

No. Open a web browser. Go to http://whatismyipaddress.com and copy the IP address you see there.

No open Terminal. Type:
telnet <paste IP address> 5900