newbie questions that didn't seem to be answered elsewhere

[punomatic]

I have used VNC before, but never installed/configured it.

I want to control a WinXP desktop PC from a Win98SE desktop PC. The 98 box hangs off a switch with a DHCP address from a Linksys BEFW11S4, which is fed a DHCP address from Time-Warner Cable. The XP box also hangs off a switch with a DHCP address from a Linksys WRT54G, which is fed a DHCP address from Cox Cable, in a different state. Both PCs are 2GHz or better, with 512MB or better, and cable modem and router firmware is up to date on both ends.

The Win98SE end would be the server, right?

Does VNC care about the OS difference? Even if not, are there OS-difference-related issues that need to be allowed for?

Do I need DDNS and port forwarding enabled on both ends, or just one?

Could I also control a Win2K wireless laptop (which has a DHCP address issued by the WRT54G) on the XP end from the 98 end?

How can I tell whether or not the UltraVNC video driver download is needed?

Thanks in advance.

John

[yleclerc]

...
I want to control a WinXP desktop PC from a Win98SE desktop PC.
...
The Win98SE end would be the server, right?
...
Does VNC care about the OS difference? Even if not, are there OS-difference-related issues that need to be allowed for?
...
Do I need DDNS and port forwarding enabled on both ends, or just one?
...

The VNC server needs to always be the desktop that you need to control. In your case, it will be the WinXP desktop.

UltraVNC should work fine with either Windows 98SE or XP.

As for DDNS (Dynamic DNS), if the VNC server access is part of a dynamic IP address range (DHCP or PPPoE), then it will be useful to set up a DDNS entry for accessing this server. It will be a lot easier to locate the server by 'vncserver.dyndns.org' than trying to locate the correct IP address that the server is currently using.

Since you are also using Linksys routers, you will need to se up port-forwarding rules at the server end for IPs 5900, 5800 and 5500. Then, just increase the IP ports by one for every other server you set up (and create the equalvent port-forwarding rules.)

ex:

WinXP : vnc.dyndns.org


Windows 98 -- vncviewer:

vnc.dyndns.org:5900 ---> goes to Windows XP above.
vnc.dyndns.org:5901 ---> goes to "same" network as above but directs the VNC request to the second VNC server (on the Win2000 laptop wireless network card.)

As a "rule," the VNC video driver "should" always be downloaded and installed. The documentation is wrong by stating that the driver is part of the UltraVNC 1.0.1 Setup download. It is not and you need to download it separately.