Remote Control Pc On Home Wireless Network

[regedit]

I've got PC1 and PC2 connecting to internet via wireless router - works fine. Infrastructure mode I guess.

I'd like to be able to 'remote' control PC2 from PC1, and transfer files between PC1 to PC2, over wifi. Assume I can do this without software ?

Anybody know any guides on how to do this ? Been googling but can't find what I'm looking for.

Thanks.

[niller74]

I've got PC1 and PC2 connecting to internet via wireless router - works fine. Infrastructure mode I guess.

I'd like to be able to 'remote' control PC2 from PC1, and transfer files between PC1 to PC2, over wifi. Assume I can do this without software ?

Anybody know any guides on how to do this ? Been googling but can't find what I'm looking for.

Thanks.

Copying files is fairly simple. Choose the drives on one or both of the computers you want to share and access them.

There are several ways of remote controlling and it really depends on the operating system you are running.

I believe both XP and Vista include software do to this.

But before anyone can really help you further you need to specify the operating system of both machines and what it is that you want to achieve.

[Guest Reimar]

In Windows just open the Explorer, right click on the drive you like to share and click Sharing. Not forget to adjust the Permission so you can read, write, edit and copy the files you need.

The way is slightly different in XP and Vista.

Cheers.

[phazey]

Enable Remote Desktop Sharing in the system preferences on the PC you wish to remote control.

Then on the other PC, start->programs->accessories->communications->remote desktop and enter the target machines IP.

[regedit]

PC1 running Vista x64, PC2 running XP Home.

Thanks for the comments... will try and figure it out.

[NanLaew]

I hope you have time and patience. You will probably need to google for the clues to allow XP and Vista machines to even see each other. That takes a bit of fiddling about; you need to download and install a utility on the XP machine from Microsoft. If you have updated to XP SP3, it claims the utility is already included but wasn't my experience.

However, once you have a shared directory on each machine and you can see the other machines shared directory from each machine, file transfer between machines should work.

Next week you can concentrate on getting the 'remote control' aspect working.

Just noted you have XP Home as well as Vista 64. Maybe 2 weeks to get those chatting happily with each other?

Edited September 20, 2008 by NanLaew

[Tywais]

You might take a look at UltraVNC which is free (GPL License).

[NanLaew]

^ Good product! I used it on a client installation in Russia so I could view Linux system displays on a Server 2003 network desktop. I also plan on using it to do maintenance and troubleshoot on my dads PC in Scotland from wherever I am at in the world.

[Tywais]

^ Good product!

Agreed. I use it at the laboratory due to cross platforms and it's a breeze to setup and use.

[JetsetBkk]

You might take a look at UltraVNC which is free (GPL License).

I was about to reply that I use it, but just realised that I am using "TightVNC".

Any opinions as to which is better?

[Tywais]

I was about to reply that I use it, but just realised that I am using "TightVNC".

Any opinions as to which is better?

There are several VNC client/server apps out including commercial versions. UltraVNC is the one I see getting recommended the most (free versions). Have not heard of TightVNC. My experience with UltraVNC has been all positive in terms of resource usage, performance, flexibility and ease of use.

//edit - just looked at the TightVNC site and appears the software has not been updated for sometime and no mention of Vista support.

[stumonster]

I was about to reply that I use it, but just realised that I am using "TightVNC".

Any opinions as to which is better?

There are several VNC client/server apps out including commercial versions. UltraVNC is the one I see getting recommended the most (free versions). Have not heard of TightVNC. My experience with UltraVNC has been all positive in terms of resource usage, performance, flexibility and ease of use.

//edit - just looked at the TightVNC site and appears the software has not been updated for sometime and no mention of Vista support.

I use RealVNC as that is what I started with , but it is not compatible with vista so I have moved to UltraVNC server for those machines - the VNC clients will talk to the other comps running different VNC servers without a problem.

[JetsetBkk]

Thanks Tywais and Stumonster - I'll be giving UltraVNC a try now.

[regedit]

Discovered that you can't remote control XP Home using just Windows...

I did happen across UVNC and despite the rather technical support documentation I managed to get it working in a few hours. Seems to be a great little program.

[JetsetBkk]

Discovered that you can't remote control XP Home using just Windows...

I did happen across UVNC and despite the rather technical support documentation I managed to get it working in a few hours. Seems to be a great little program.

Took me a while to get it going too - hopping from one PC/room to the other, checking what each firewall was complaining about and making adjustments! Eventually got it all sorted.

UltraVNC seems to use quite a bit more CPU power than TightVNC though, and the old PC - about 6 years old - can't really spare it, so I may switch back to TightVNC. I tried reducing a couple of the parameters (bandwidth? and no. of colours), but still 20-40% CPU on the old PC while being monitored by my new PC (which didn't have any problems with CPU power).

[tigerbeer]

LogMeIn did it for me extremely easy. but if you want file sharing, then you have to go LogMeIn Pro.

[Crushdepth]

Have a look in the computer networking/faq section. There's a faq on this. If you want to set up remote control then an easy way is to just use the remote desktop feature built into windows, but run it over a VPN (such as Hamachi, which is also offered by Logmein, its excellent and dead simple to use).

[Tywais]

Have a look in the computer networking/faq section. There's a faq on this. If you want to set up remote control then an easy way is to just use the remote desktop feature built into windows, but run it over a VPN (such as Hamachi, which is also offered by Logmein, its excellent and dead simple to use).

The problem is the OP has XP Home edition on one computer which doesn't support Remote Desktop. BTW, I'm curious about Hamachi. I was helping someone at work today who was having screen problems (ended up being a card seating issue) and saw that (Hamachi) on his desktop. Neither of us knew what it was.

[Guest Reimar]

I using RAdmin which isn't free but very safe to use. Don't need any other driver pp to run. Need to open one port only and viola there you go.

Go to : http://www.radmin.com/ and take a look at the prog. Hamachi is crap!

Cheers.

[Crushdepth]

There's a nice podcast on what Hamachi is and how it works available from GRC, which is well worth a listen:

Low quality MP3 (4MB)

High quality MP3 (16MB)

There's another one covering Hamachi, iPig and Open VPN.

Personally I like Hamachi because its a) free and the most idiot proof bit of software I can think of. You can install it and set it up in less than 2 minutes with next to no thought at all, set up multiple VPNs with different sets of colleagues/friends anytime you feel like it and it can cross NAT firewalls without any mucking about.