Help with remote connectivity (desktop sharing)

[duruttye]

Hey there!

I installed ubuntu 10.04 on my parents pc, and I need help to help them.

They are really normal users, but they have no knowledge about anything regarding the pc, so, in most cases, just to watch a movie we talk for hours to get VLC installed, or just to make a spreadsheet of somekind.

My question is, how can I make them (on the) phone to allow access to me via Remote Desktop, and what other information do I have to know about the Remote Desktop application.

The idea is, to make them click a few things and to send me a link where I will be able to access their pc, or any ideas.

I have never used the Remote Desktop before, so I can't even identify any problems with them on the phone

Thank you very much

[acreech]

I have found this is the easiest way to remote connect.

http://www.teamviewer.com/index.aspx

it has to be installed on both computers and then an account set up on both computers. The application needs to be running and it gives you a user name/password to share with who you want to connect with. Then you can get into their computer.


acreech

[Jazzy_Jeff]

I have found this is the easiest way to remote connect.

http://www.teamviewer.com/index.aspx

it has to be installed on both computers and then an account set up on both computers. The application needs to be running and it gives you a user name/password to share with who you want to connect with. Then you can get into their computer.


acreech

Looks a little expensive to me.

[BobVila]

Teamviewer is free for personal use...

[Jazzy_Jeff]

Teamviewer is free for personal use...

Cool, glad to hear it.

[sydbat]

I have found this is the easiest way to remote connect.

http://www.teamviewer.com/index.aspx

it has to be installed on both computers and then an account set up on both computers. The application needs to be running and it gives you a user name/password to share with who you want to connect with. Then you can get into their computer.


acreech

Or, the OP could simply go to Applications > Internet > Remote Desktop Viewer on his box, and tell his parents (over the phone) to go to System > Preferences > Remote Desktop and configure it. The only thing his parents have to do then, is open a Terminal and type in ifconfig to get the IP address so he can connect.

No visiting untrusted websites to download unknown software. This isn't Windows.

[pricetech]

Have them install Open SSH Server; System - Administration - Synaptic Package Manager. Search for openssh server and install it. Then have them reboot.

Configuring Port Forwarding in their router is another story. How you do that depends upon the router. I would not attempt to have them set a fixed IP on the computer, but rather have them set up a reserved IP in the router while their configuring it, assuming of course their router supports such a thing.

Once you have SSH and Port Forwarding set up, the rest should be easy.

Have fun.

[acreech]

Or, the OP could simply go to Applications > Internet > Remote Desktop Viewer on his box, and tell his parents (over the phone) to go to System > Preferences > Remote Desktop and configure it. The only thing his parents have to do then, is open a Terminal and type in ifconfig to get the IP address so he can connect.

No visiting untrusted websites to download unknown software. This isn't Windows.

I have tried to use remote desktop several times and have had no luck at it. I can connect in a local network, but not to an external IP.

When you open up the remote viewer you can use VNC or SSH protocal. Is Host where you put the IP? On SSH there is a username at the bottom.

I know there is a way to make this work, but I have never figured it out.

[sydbat]

I have tried to use remote desktop several times and have had no luck at it. I can connect in a local network, but not to an external IP.

When you open up the remote viewer you can use VNC or SSH protocal. Is Host where you put the IP? On SSH there is a username at the bottom.

I know there is a way to make this work, but I have never figured it out.

Yes, "Host" is where you put the IP. I use this all the time to connect remotely to client boxen. And VNC gives you their desktop, while SSH gives you their file system via terminal.

[duruttye]

Okay, thank you all for your replies.

I think I can make them start the Remote Desktop application and make the pc be shared and I can make them find out their IP address, but they are behind a modem, which I think has another IP address, the pc will be something like: 192.168.0.X and the modem will be something else.

In case I can find out both of them, what do I have to do to see their desktop?

Will it be something like 192.168.0.X@modemIP and where do I put that??

Another thing: my remote dessktop application says that my desktop is only reachable over the local network. If their will says the same, what then?

Thank you