Remote access to my home PC

Thinking about setting up VNC server on my home PC for access from work, travelling, etc.

Right now I have a hardware firewall and I assume I would poke a hole for port XX (whatever port VNC needs opened up).

How open does that leave my system to attacks? VNC is password protected, but is that enough?

I am running Win XP Pro...

I'd consider one of the alternate versions of VNC that add some security. You may want to open a different port other than the normal one (5910? I forget), so that anyone probing your firewall won't instantly recognize where it might be going.

Originally Posted by Kaz

I'd consider one of the alternate versions of VNC that add some security. You may want to open a different port other than the normal one (5910? I forget), so that anyone probing your firewall won't instantly recognize where it might be going.

I grabbed UltraVNC due to the price

Changing the port isn't a bad idea but I would assume it would be reasonably easy for someone just probing ports to see that it is there.

I don't have direct experience with it, but I've always wondered pcAnywhere from Symantec





http://www.symantec.com/pcanywhere/Consumer/index.html

Originally Posted by TeamM3

I don't have direct experience with it, but I've always wondered pcAnywhere from Symantec





http://www.symantec.com/pcanywhere/Consumer/index.html

It costs money and needs a client installed.

Originally Posted by Kaz

It costs money and needs a client installed.

doesn't that provide greater security and make it worth the money?

Originally Posted by TeamM3

doesn't that provide greater security and make it worth the money?

Not appreciably

VNC is a quality remote support tool. I have tried using it and it works well. Additionally, you can even consider deploying on premise remote support appliance such as RHUB or Bomgar appliances in order to remotely access computers.

Originally Posted by adamsmike

VNC is a quality remote support tool. I have tried using it and it works well.

Eight year old thread... Just sayin...

(I'm guessing a spammer resurrected the thread and adamsmike responded before a mod deleted the spam post)

Originally Posted by gpburdell

Eight year old thread... Just sayin...

(I'm guessing a spammer resurrected the thread and adamsmike responded before a mod deleted the spam post)

Then why does adamsmike only have one post?

I still use VNC for any remote access outside the firewalls. Otherwise, RDP works just fine.

I have been using logmein.

Originally Posted by ed325i

I have been using logmein.

me too - logmein free works well for access outside my home to my home machines. I looked at realvnc - seemed like extra software that could go wrong to me....

For work - I use logmeinrescue as a tool - we can fire up support session at any time with a customer - 5mb download and a 6-digit pin - we're in and helping them.

If I have a customer who has problems, I leave the "calling card application" on their desktop and they can initiate a request for help again.

I think logmeinrescue costs like $80 per technician per month - but we looked at other systems and still do evaluate them - the ad-hoc nature of supporting our customers means we cannot license on a per customer basis - it is too fluid (and we have many thousands of customers on the antivirus side).