Remote desktop/VNC guide

[creedo]

Originally this post had some questions but it turns out I just had the wrong VNC client cab. mabbot posted a good one and it's working great.

So instead of the original questions I'm just gonna edit this to show how to get VNC/RDP working on wm6.5 (probably other versions too) to connect to Windows 7 (or other versions).

Differences between VNC and remote desktop:

· VNC requires you to run an app/service on the desktop, while remote desktop is built into windows (you just need to enable it).

· VNC presents your desktop on the phone at full resolution EXACTLY as it is on your monitor. Meaning if your computer is running at a high resolution, you probably need to zoom in and out to make it easier to click things and read text. Remote desktop presents your desktop on the phone as if you had changed your computer's resolution settings to match your phone. So it's easier to click on icons and read but it will feel very cramped and you must scroll around on every app. Some apps may not run at all because they require a minimum resolution (so far I only ran into this issue with Handbrake).

· VNC looks a little better because you see your desktop with full aero effects and wallpaper. Remote desktop turns these things off. Also you can't change display options while running remote desktop. VNC also smoothly transitions into rotated view. RDP, if you connect in portrait mode it stays that way even if you rotate the screen. Also, RDP seems to crash running videos and certain games (you can re-run them ok once connected).

· Remote desktop, on the other hand, can send sound. VNC can't.

· Remote desktop also can (optionally) show your phone as an extra drive. This makes transferring files from the PC to the phone easy - just copy/paste to the drive. With VNC would have to email them to yourself or something. It's not perfect though, you get permissions errors if you try to look at subfolders on your phone (including the storage card). This effectively limits the size of the file you can transfer to however much you have left in main storage. And you can't navigate to files on the phone and send them to the PC easily. Occasionally just viewing this drive gives a permissions error. I'd be interested if anyone knows of a fix.

· Remote desktop feels a little snappier and the screen seems to update more quickly. This is due to the lowered resolution and it might be that remote desktop runs in a more efficient way. For example you can run a movie remotely and while it won't be really watchable (only 1-2 fps depending on your phone's internet speed) the sound comes through ok.

· Remote desktop logs you into the PC as a windows user and locks the screen, so users sitting in front of the desktop won't see anything but the windows logon screen. With VNC, both the phone user and someone in front of the desktop see the same thing (and they can both control it... probably useful for remotely fixing someone's computer).

To Run VNC:

1. Download and install a VNC server on your computer like RealVNC.
RealVNC - VNC® feature comparison and download selector

2. Run the server. You have two ways of doing this - either run it as a windows service (always runs in the background, not visible under processes, must be manually stopped and started under windows services) or in 'user mode' (runs like any other app, can be closed by clicking the X, doesn't automatically start up). Click 'configure' to set a password. I think you're required to, but if you aren't I strongly recommend it.

3. Install and run the attached cab to connect. Just input your external IP address (the one you get when you visit What Is My IP Address - Shows Your IP Address ) and set the options (recommend upping the color depth). Click OK and you're good to go.

To Run Remote Desktop:

1. On the PC, click start, type remote in the search box, and choose the option that says allow remote access to your pc. Of the three options in the middle, choose the one that says allow connections from any version of remote desktop. Note: To change this settings you need to enable windows firewall. You may have made a habit of disabling it (it used to be a nuisance in XP)... to re-enable, click start --> type services.msc in the search box and click on the result. Go to the w's for windows firewall. Double click it, change the startup type to manual and click apply (unless it already is) then click start. OK to close.

2. If you normally login to windows with a blank password, (maybe skip the login process entirely) click start, type gpedit.msc, click the result, navigate to computer config - windows settings - security settings - local policies - security options and find the entry near the top: Limit local use of blank passwords etc. ...double click that and change it to disabled.

3. Not sure if it's strictly necessary, and some may balk at the idea, but you might choose to shut down the firewall once that settings in step one is changed. Same steps, except you click stop instead of start.

4. On the phone, start the client and type in your IP in the first blank. Make sure it's your external IP, i.e. the one you get when you visit this site: http://whatismyip.com . For the user name blank, use your windows user name. If you need to double check it (i.e. you automatically login and forgot) click start on your PC. It'll be at the top right.

5. On the phone, go to settings --> all settings --> connections --> connections and then go to the advanced tab, then select networks --> change both dropdown boxes to your phone's internet connection (in my case, Sprint. Possibly "My ISP" could work?)

6. Here's the dumb part that had me bashing my head against the wall. The phone's connection to the internet needs to be 'goosed' before remote desktop can work. You need to open your web browser and browse to any site. Possibly some other internet-using app would work. Once you load any site, you can exit the browser and finally... FINALLY connect.

7. Fire up remote desktop, change the options to your liking, click connect.

Screenshots -

[brent281]

they have a RDP client for windows mobile. VNC works also. I use both

Your home router must allow the correct ports to be opened (5900=VNC, RDP=3389) There are many articles out there on how to do this per your specific router.

[creedo]

Howdy - can you tell me the exact cab or .exe you use with VNC? I've tried two and both didn't work. I don't think it's a port/router issue. I can vnc from another PC and I'm not using a router. Or maybe tell me which client you're using? I've been using realvnc. Maybe I need ultravnc or something?

[mabbott]

vnc-E4_2_7b5-arm_pocketpc_viewer.CAB is what I've been using for VNC on my WinMo for the last couple years. Not sure if there's an updated version out or not, but I can guarantee you this one works 100%!

It even works great when I have my cell phone connected in via VPN (OpenVPN).

[creedo]

Thanks thanks thanks mabbot. This worked perfectly. That's exactly what I needed. Cheers.

[mabbott]

Glad I could help!

I do a lot of Remote connection work for various IT clients, and having the ability to do so via my cell phone makes my life and job much easier.

[one80oneday]

Nice guide. Tried GRemote and a few other apps to control Windows Media Center a couple months ago but it killed my battery so I gave it up and just bought a remote for my pc.

[horndoctor]

Wirelessly posted (htc Pocket PC: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 8.12; MSIEMobile6.0) Sprint T7380)

Interesting stuff.