Enhance Query functionality for WinVNC server

Bavan · Post by **Bavan** » 2005-09-28 06:26

For WinVNC "Query on incoming connection" is a nice feature to avoid anyone taking over control remotely without approval of the owner. Once connection gets lost the owner needs to approve again incoming calls to continue the remote assistance. This means the owner needs to stay in front of the PC all the time to watch if the connection is not lost. Wouldn't it be possible, just like Remote Assistance for Windows XP, to set a time schedule or a timer to grant access for remote assistance. I.e. someone needs assistance, a friend connects to WinVNC and the owner accepts the query on incoming connection, during acceptance the owner allows a reconnect for 2 hours to his friend's IP address so if the connection is lost his friend can reconnect without having to approve access again. Just an idea but a usefull one.

OhMyGoat · Post by **OhMyGoat** » 2005-09-28 09:34

That would be interesting but I think it will take a long time to implement, because there would be the need of managing an internal list of the authorized clients with expiration times etc.

I think that a simpler implementation, that just allows temporary disabilitation of the approval dialog would be better (something like mirc dcc ignores, once disabled they turn on again after 5-10 minutes). That one would be simple to implement and should do the same in your case, and also that won't require an extra settings option: the winvnc settings dialog is already overcrowded.

Maybe the developers will be interested into adding that feature.

Or if they they won't be interested then you could still ask your friends to shut down the vnc server or re-enable connection approval after they're done

Bavan · Post by **Bavan** » 2005-10-12 13:17

Interresting proposal, maybe it would do as a temporary solution but it's not very secure. The purpose behind this request comes from a dummy perspective. I.e. I want to help out some family remotely and they live more than 1000 km away from me. I need to set up and install UVNC the first time remotely as they don't have any idea how to install programs or modify settings in XP in general. All they do is work with it and nothing else (real dummies, with all respect...). In general I can succeed by talking them through the installation procedure by phone and take over remotely afterwards. Setting up and enabling encryption remotely to have a secure environment is not that easy so in practice I would like not to enable it to have a full secured environment. I've enabled access to UVNC server with a password, not the XP user credentials which I do not want to know, and can then access remotely. The problem now is that if anyone find out the password I'm using online without encryption, they might get access to that PC and if I want access I don't know if I disturbe the users Yes or NO. They will not know what is happening, when I take over remotely to work on a problem, as the mouse for them starts living it's own life when I play around. Neither do they feel comfortable as I can take over whenever I want without their permission or at a moment it's not convenient for them. That's why I'm looking for a solution to control access keeping in mind I have to restart their PC after some modifications or loose the connection from time to time having to log in again afterwards with their permission and presence in front of the PC to make it work. By the way, using the phone in Europe for long distance int'l calls is very expensive, so UVNC is the soltuion!!! Good job so far. Any suggestion is welcome.

[mod=494,1129169860]removed full quote of previous post[/mod]

Bavan · Post by **Bavan** » 2005-10-12 13:43

And the problem is they don't want to sit in front of the PC all the time to give me access each time I need it when working on that PC. They will give me access the first time I log in to let me work on the problem for a certain time (maybe 2 to 24 hours to 1 week) Once this timer is expired no one should get access again without their specific approval via the Qeury window.

[mod=494,1129170011]removed full double quote of previous post[/mod]

OhMyGoat · Post by **OhMyGoat** » 2005-10-13 03:20

you can try installing vnc central (you find it in the vnc-related software section of this forum) and then using the chat plugin to ask them if they're doing something or you can start a remote session and then if they're not doing anything start the session without their intervention (just request a server-initiated session with vnc central).