The computer you are going to connect to will have to be at least Windows XP (OK, Win2K, there's a way, but you should be off that OS for sure) and you'll need the professional or business lines (or server, but NOT HOME editions).
For Windows XP, run:
mstsc /console
For Vista/7, run:
mstsc /admin
For Mac OS X, download:
Remote Desktop Connection Client for Mac v2
Note: if you happen to be using v1 currently, v2 lost the ability to hold down the Command key (a.k.a. apple key) when clicking the Connect button (in order to connect to the console of the target machine); so, you'll need to do something similar to Windows now: run the app, and type in your hostname, but add " /console" to the end of the address.
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The machines you are going to connect to should be at least Mac OS 10.4 or the current stable version of your flavor of linux (i.e. still supported e.g. Debian).
For Mac OS 10.3 and earlier, you might not want this feature; it's not built-in and your computer will be sluggish (albeit VNC is sluggish even for the newest computers, I'm talking about wicked lag); i.e. won't be fun. If you still want to use this (on your older Mac), then you'll need to install a "vnc server" (e.g. search for "vine" on download.com).
For Mac OS 10.4 and later:
Go to the Apple menu and select System Preferences, then select Sharing and then check the box next to "Apple Remote Desktop" and then the Options button on the right and check the box next to "Allow VNC users…" and then type in a password (8 character max). Note: Apple changed the service to "Remote Management" and the button on the right to "Computer Settings…" for the newest OS.
For Linux (e.g. Debian v5 with xfce), run:
sudo apt-get install vnc4server
Note: you'll want to run "vnc4server" to start it (with default settings), at which time, it will prompt you for a password (where running "vn4passwd" will change it later); and, if you want it to always startup (i.e. not just on demand):
From you home directory, run "pico .vnc/xstartup", then comment everything (i.e. "#" each line), but make sure if a line wraps, that you backspace it back into place (i.e. back onto one line), then uncomment (i.e. remove the "#") both "unset SESSION_MANAGER" and "exec /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc", and add "exec /usr/bin/xfce4-session &" (to the end), and Ctrl + "x" to exit, "y" to save, and Enter to keep the same name. Then run "sudo chmod 755 /etc/X11/xomot/xinitrc", "sudo mkdir /usr/X11R6/lib", "sudo mkdir /usr/X11R6/lib/X11", "sudo ln -s /usr/share/fonts/X11 /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts", and "sudo pico /etc/init.d/vnc4server". Then type the following (including the "#" symbols):
#! /bin/sh
# http://wiki.debian.org/LSBInitScripts
### BEGIN INIT INFO
# provides: vnc4server
# required-start: $network $remote_fs $syslog
# required-stop: $network $remote_fs $syslog
# default-start: 2 3 4 5
# default-stop: 0 1 6
### END INIT INFO
test -f /usr/bin/vnc4server || exit 0
username=YOUR_USERNAME_HERE
case "$1" in
start)
echo "Starting vnc4server."
su $username -c "/usr/bin/vnc4server"
;;
stop)
echo "Stopping vnc4server."
/usr/bin/vnc4server -kill :1
;;
restart|force-reload)
echo "Restarting vnc4server."
$0 stop && $0 start
;;
status)
if [ ! -f /home/USERNAME/.vnc/db1:1.pid ]
then
echo "Status: vnc4server is NOT running for USERNAME."
else
echo "Status: vnc4server is running for USERNAME."
;;
*)
echo "Usage: /etc/init.d/vnc4server {start|stop|restart|force-reload|status}"
exit 1
;;
esac
exit 0
and then Ctrl and "x" to exit, "y" to save. and Enter to keep the same name. Then run "sudo chmod 755 /etc/init.d/vnc4server" and "sudo update-rc.d vnc4server defaults" (and note: to undo the references created above (i.e. not have the vncserver startup automatically), just run "sudo update-rc.d -f vnc4server remove").
NOTE: for any host machine (i.e. the machine you are connecting to), you will need to add a firewall exception: For Windows, just allow all to TCP port 3389 in your Windows Firewall Control Panel, and for Mac or Linux, no firewall by default, so I you know how to turn it on, then you should know how to make an exception to TCP port 5900 or 5901 (or I prefer tunneling over 22; e.g. "ssh -L 3740:localhost:5901 db2.neurobio.pitt.edu" and then "vnc://localhost:3740")
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