keyshawn

hey,
While at college with my ibook [osx 10.4.3], I'm trying to connect to my mom's box back @ home [win xp pro] to help her w/ tech support (I should have assumed that there would be probs before I left ).
After doing some research online, I don't know if I should use a VNC server [tightvnc] with the chicken of the VNC client or Use MS's Remote Desktop Connection on XP and the RDC mac client.
I also plan on migrating some files that were on my windows box and onto on my mac. I'd also like to use my comp back home and possibly use usenet there and transfer the files to my mac

If anyone has used both of these and compare; and could guide me, that would be appreciated.

catcha back on the flipside,
keyshawn.

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Etarip

First, to my knowledge rdc doesn't support filesharing, and only the latest versions of vnc are starting to implement it. You'll most likely have to use something else for that.

Second is that they work differently, vnc will always show you what is currently on the monitor, so if they're working on the computer you'll see their mouse move and everything. Using rdc will force the current user to logoff, you can't both use the computer at the same time, and basically turns your windows box into a one seat terminal server.

Since you mentioned tech support I'd suggest VNC, just because then you can show them what they need to do.

bendsley

VNC definately. At work, I use RDC for the servers, but use VNC for all of the user workstations. If you have RDC on the user's computer and are using it, you run the risk of losing their work as you try to connect, since it will log them off as Etarip said. That is unless you have the machines set so that the user has to allow you to connect, but you don't do that for networks in a business environment.

Anyway, yeah....use VNC, tightVNC or whatever VNC makes you feel good.

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WillyPete

I use terminal services for my remote users and with the terminal services manager plugin, I can connect to any user's terminal servoce session and co-control the desktop, showing them how to do it.

For XP platforms, like keyshawn's mum, I'd have her send a request for help with remote desktop and that will let you share a desktop.

It'll be a little hard with a mac though.

Pragma

Remote Desktop is good for server-administration work, but when you're doing tech support, VNC is the way to go because you can share the screen really well. As for copying files across, you'll just have to e-mail them or put them on a webserver somewhere.

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hrdwareguy

If you want to connect, I would use the RDC. RDC will allow you to connect your local drives to the remote machine so you can copy files from the remote machine to the local machine.

For tech support, as others have said, I would use remote assistance to shadow the users desktop. Yes, it is cumbersome to do this since they have to send you an invite every time, but at least then you don't have a server running listening for traffic all the time either.

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jacquespratt

VNC has an option allowing the remote pc to ask for the users' permission before connecting. As others have said, I think VNC is the way to go because you can both see the screen at the same time. "See this button? Click it."

portwineboy

I've been able to use admin shares across trusted domains to move files via RDC using terminal services.

/that's all I got, but a good thread, like others I use VNC to get to my Mac and Unix boxes at work and RDC to run my own desktop or remote to servers. Let us know which route you go and how it works out for ya.

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Cynthetiq

I use VNC because most locations don't block the VNC ports and I can almost ALWAYS get to my desktop around the world and most locations...

why don't they block the VNC ports? because techies are lazy and it's a tool they use to access their home and office networks... so I do the same.

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MikeSty

UltraVNC for the win!!! I use it for svr maitnence (cheaper than a KVM )