Can someone help please.

I require remote access software for my small business.

I am considering using the Free edition but I am not sure if it will offer
the two features that I am interested in, these are:

1)The abilitiy to remote access a customers PC and offer them technical
support remotely. This I understand is available

2)I require customers to be able to be able to view my PC screen so I can
demonstrate software or offer tuition remotely.

Can you please advise if this is possible with the Free software.


Yes, and I'm looking at doing the same myself, so I'm aware of some of the issues involved.

1) Yes, provided that your customers have installed a VNC Server. You can distribute the Free version to your customers if you want, provided you follow the rules set out in the GPL.

2) Yes, all your client requires is a Java enabled browser, but can also use a VNC viewer. First set up your VNC server, and configure it so that incoming connections cannot control your PC, but only view it. In RealVNC under Windows, you do this by going to the Options dialogue, going to the Inputs page and unticking everything on that page. While you're there look at the Sharing page if you want to allow more than one potential customer to view your screen at a time. Select the "Always treat new connections as shared" option and untick the "Non-shared connections replace existing ones" box. However, be aware that using sharing can tend to slow things down a bit.

You may need to check whether you are behind a router, and configure that router to forward port 5800 (and port 5900 for standard VNC connections) to your PC.

Then your client types the following in their web-brower:
http://your.external.address:5800
replacing "your.external.address" with either the ip address or external name of your computer, and then enters the password needed to connect (if you set one).

NB Some of your potential customers may have firewalls which block outgoing connections higher port numbers like this of this type, which some of your clients might have. In that case, you can change the port on which you serve the java/http server in VNC from 5800 to one that is more likely to be let through (e.g. 80), and have your clients connect to:
http://your.external.address:80
instead. (If you choose 80, then the ":80" bit can be removed, but if you choose any other number then you need to keep the ":number" in there). The port number can be changed by going to Options -> Connections -> Serve Java viewer via HTTP on port: ____. It defaults to 100 less than what you set the standard port to, but can be changed to anything you wish.


HTH (and hope I'm not teaching you to suck eggs either) and sorry for the delay in replying.

Stewart _______________________________________________
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