VNC, IT Class 1, Installation

I know this post is something like a week late, but I'm not going to apologize. Mainly because I have found that if you keep making apologies and excuses every little time you’re late or something like that you will spend you time making excuses all your life and won't be able focus on the task at hand.

Well enough of my philosophies,  on to the review/tutorial.

So I have done some thinking about how I am going to run this internet related software training course and like all other things that have a beginning, it will be a bumpy yet I hope in the end an information filled and helpful experience.

So now, if you haven't read my introduction to this course and what it will be about in my last post, you should. It explains just what we are going to be doing throughout the course.

To summarize it all here; we will first learn how to control all your computers with keyboard and visual screen feedback from anywhere in the world. Even if you are not traveling you can easily access and control the desktop downstairs with your laptop or any other computer on your local network if you are admin of that computer. We will be working mainly with LAN or Local area network applications for the start of this IT Course. 

Later, we will get into how you access things like personal file servers, IP-cams, remote login from outside your home, web servers and more. 

Now why VNC is such, I think an interesting topic, is because there are so many ways to go about it. If one way doesn't work, for instance, the other will. VNC will work on virtually everything Windows, Mac, and Linux. There is even a VNC viewer and controller for iOS devices! This however I don think is free, people have to make a living you know :p

So no matter what OS you’re on, your still in luck.

I think I can write this tutorial, so that any user on any OS will be able to follow it. Certain things that differ between Mac and Windows for example, I will point out.

Getting started, what you will need:

• - At least 2 computers, preferably same OS but if not its ok.
• - An Internet connection with some bandwidth (to download the programs and..... DUH!)
• - 25, maybe 30 minutes of time if you follow this tutorial
• - 6 hours of time if you want to do all the research and experimentation yourself :p 
• - Basic knowledge of general program installation for your OS

Next, programs you need to download:

A complete VNC remote control system is comprised of..... you MAY have guessed it, a server and a client or viewer. The VNC server will run on the computer that you want to view and/or control. 

The VNC client or viewer will run on the computer that you want to view and/or control from.

There are many clients and servers out there for all OS's both free and commercial. The programs I will refer here will be free,  however, if you enjoy this tutorial and its outcome, or want to use VNC on a larger scale for school, work, or play, there is no reason you shouldn't buy the good stuff from the creators.

Because I am on a Mac, and posting this from a Mac, Mac OS will be my forte, but I have done VNC on Mac, Windows, and Linux. 

For Mac, go ahead and download these programs:

• Vine Server (SourceForge page) (Direct download from SourceForge)
• Chicken of the VNC - Viewer (SourceForge page) (Direct download from SourceForge)

For Windows

• RealVNC Free addition (Download page, server and viewer available from here)

I won't go into Linux unless specially requested by a member's comment

Program Installation:

For Mac,

Vine Server installation

The Installation is pretty straightforward. In the end you should end up with an app, which can be run from anywhere

Chicken of the VNC

This program is also in the form of a .dmg, just drag the .app to you applications folder.

You would probably be best off to install both the server and viewing on both computers. That way they can act as both if you need them to.

For Windows, 

If I remember correctly there was nothing complicated about the installation of the server and viewer on Windows.

Also install the Server and viewer on both machines.

Note: A Windows VNC server will work on a Mac VNC viewer and vice versa.

Seeing as this post is getting quite long, I will break it up into three parts; Installation, Configuration and troubleshooting/options, two of which I will write at a later time. The Configuration post I think will be the most fun.

Stay tuned, or rather subscribed for my next post on the configuration (the fun part, where we'll actually get something done :)