Author Topic: Remote PC access  (Read 17364 times)

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Offline gadget_guy

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Re: Remote PC access
« Reply #25 on: July 04, 2011, 09:21:20 AM »
I forgot about Dropbox.  I'm going to give that a try
 

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Offline C5250

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Re: Remote PC access
« Reply #26 on: July 05, 2011, 09:33:56 PM »
For many years, I used PCAnywhere. But, for some reason, I can no longer create an install package. So started using RealVNC and I like it. Unlike PCAnywhere, copying text from the clipboard doesn't require special steps. It can not transfer files though (maybe a paid version can). But I can do that via FTP.

DDNS comes with my domain, so it was a simple matter to setup a name that always points to my home router. Even though my IP rarely changes.

As for powering, first of all, do not configure to run the UPS down. Often when the power comes back on, it will not come back clean. I've ran it this before. The power comes back on, the system starts booting, and then power goes out again. If you don't get a BSOD the next time the system boots, you're lucky.

It's better to config the system so that it'll shutdown when the UPS hits, say 50%, and then power off the UPS. And then config the UPS not to restore power until the battery is charged to, say 75%. You could use lower numbers, but frankly, if the power is out for more than a few minutes, it not likely to be restored soon. This assumes that the system is configured to start up when power is restored and keeps the system from starting until the power has been restored for a long enough period of time that it is not likely to go out again in less time than it takes the system to boot.

Now, if you really planned things out, your server motherboard also supports an IPMI card (mine does) and you can power it on/off and otherwise remotely control the system independent of the state of the OS.


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Offline xykotik

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Re: Remote PC access
« Reply #27 on: July 05, 2011, 11:36:25 PM »
Right now, my "high-end" server is an old rescued laptop (Dell Latitude D410) running XPpro, WeatherLink and very little else.  Nothing too fancy.  I don't have it controlled by the 550VA UPS, although it does have an RJ11 jack for serial, and there is probably a driver CD somewhere.  The laptop is powered through the filter/surge only, not the battery/inverter, because the laptop battery alone with the lid closed (3+ hours) will outlast the UPS battery with the modem, router, 8-port switch, 2TB HDD (USB to router) and USBexpress (2 hours).  I don't need to kill the UPS (and network hardware) sooner by charging the laptop battery.  The UPS gives 2 beeps in a second once/minute when on batteries and beeps constantly for a consistent (roughly) two-minutes before shutting down, so I believe it is not running to zero.  I have windows power mgt set to shut down the laptop completely when batteries hit 5%.  I can only find BIOS settings for power-up either at a specific time or with LAN, not with line or anything else.  I wish I knew how to fool or flash the BIOS for more power features.  My Vue console has no power-failure backup other than its own batteries which should last months I'm told.


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Offline Garth Bock

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Re: Remote PC access
« Reply #28 on: July 06, 2011, 09:43:53 AM »
Teamviewer all the way here. Nice thing is...once you set up an account you can use their web app to remote your machines. For example...you are away on vacation and didn't pack your laptop and you need to remote and the hotel has guest computers in the lobby. You go to https://wa103.teamviewer.com (just Google for Teamviewer web), sign-in and you can remote any of your computers through the web portal. I like it because you dont have to open up ports in your router and that kind of stuff. It supports dual monitors, video chatting with the other end, file transfers and more than I need.

Offline xykotik

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Re: Remote PC access
« Reply #29 on: July 07, 2011, 11:00:18 AM »
From the looks of things, Winblows Remote Desktop doesn't seem to quite as popular among my fellow wx-geeks as logmein and teamviewer.

I've done some playing with all three in the past week.  Here are some brief observations...

Windows Remote Desktop.  Not happening.  Might be fine over a solid VPN or VLAN, but way too clunky for my needs.

LogMeIn.  Extremely simple to setup.  The free version doesn't do everything, but it does enough for quick remote fixes of stuff.  There are workarounds for the features that the free version doesn't have (like file xfer) and the web-based UI is quite fast.  It saves time by moving only the outline of active windows (and then updating when dropped) rather than the entire graphical window.  One drawback I have found is that it blows away my desktop wallpaper when I access remotely, and I have to put it back when I am in front of the box.  (It's just a stupid little graphic centered in the screen, so I can remember which computer I am logged into).  Access from my laptop over 802.11 at various public hotspots is acceptable for speed and display.  My 1920x1080 display with small icons is still usable and viewable when accessed (using full-screen mode) from my 1024x768 laptop, even with the downscale binning.  When connected, your keyboard and mouse are controlling the remote pc, unless you escape out, and that is nice for when you use keyboard shortcuts.  Since you get the feeling you are in front of that PC, it would be really easy to use windows-key shortcuts and maybe mess up something on your local box thinking you were conrolling the remote box, so that is a great feature.

TeamViewer.  Quick download of the "full" package and quick installation using their wizrd.  The client software is great because you get a full-screen mode with scaling, and a file-xfer api which work very well.  I think I will install this on my mother's computer.  That will make things a lot easier to fix when she calls for tech suppport, because now she just waits with a broken computer for me to visit, because it is a bit much for her to talk tech with anyone, especially with a heavy accent and little patience for an 80-y/o technophobe.  I'm not as impressed with their web-based access, although it is great that it is available, since I may need access sometimes (most of the time) from a PC that doesn't have the TVr client app installed.  It cuts the colors way down and there are some strange artifacts as well.  This is probably because they update the full-screen when moving a window around, not just a frame, like with logmein.  LMI finds the bandwidth by eliminating wallpaper and dragging frames, and TV does it by crunching your colors.  That's the tradeoff I see.  The TVr web app doesn't have full-screen or file xfer modes.  Teamviewer doesn't lock the keyboard to the remote app.  You have to add control-keys and/or enable checkboxes to simulate hotkey combos on the remote pc.

Overall, I'd grade them about the same.  It comes down to preference at this point.  I think I will leave them both on my main home-pc and my wx-laptop for more extensive testing during our big summer trip.


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Springtime in Seattle...  March comes in like a lion and out like a wet lion.

Offline Flag

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Re: Remote PC access
« Reply #30 on: July 15, 2011, 05:54:22 AM »
There has got to be a better option than sticking a PC on the end of a remote access system. This would be the weakest link in the system.

Offline Bushman

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Re: Remote PC access
« Reply #31 on: July 15, 2011, 09:20:49 AM »
There has got to be a better option than sticking a PC on the end of a remote access system. This would be the weakest link in the system.

Huh?  What would you accomplish without a PC on the end?
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Offline Flag

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Re: Remote PC access
« Reply #32 on: July 15, 2011, 05:38:33 PM »
There has got to be a better option than sticking a PC on the end of a remote access system. This would be the weakest link in the system.

Huh?  What would you accomplish without a PC on the end?

"without a PC on the end" we are talking about the remote end, the unmanned end and yes being able to remove a PC (as such) from the remote end that might not be accessible for long periods of time has to reduce the chances of downtime and improve availability, if not then there wouldn't be all this talk about having to get the system back up and running remotely.

 

Offline Bushman

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Re: Remote PC access
« Reply #33 on: July 15, 2011, 06:57:36 PM »
I guess I can't see what you are after unless you are saying you want TCP/IP access to a weather station like you can get into a remote web-based PLC device.
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