putting it all together

[tedpenner]

I have tried to use this product and it's single-click add-on at http://www.uvnc.com/addons/singleclick.html to create a single-click option for my customers to connect to me. I have my own reasons for wanting to use it instead of other tools.

I have been able to load VNC and connect to the tester initially to confirm that it would all work at least "without" the single-click option.

Now that I am ready to create the single-click option, I am following the path.

1. Enter the correct parameters into the helpdesk.txt file here http://www.uvnc.com/pchelpware/sc/helpdesk.html
2. Zip it up into a zip file and pass it through this tool http://www.uvnc.com/pchelpware/sc/creator.html to generate the singleclick.exe file the customer will use to connect.

When the customer clicks the EXE (which now contains my IP as derived from the helpdesk.txt file), they get a little task bar icon that says listening and that's it.

Note that my email is tedpenner at gmail dot com if anyone that knows what they are doing would like to help me test this. I would very much like some help and can offer anyone that can get it working a web page with your own exe file on it.

I thank you for any help you can provide.

[B]

Keep in mind that, unless you were specifically doing reverse DNS connections, all of your VNC testing is exactly the <b>opposite</b> of how SC behaves. Rather than you initiating the connection to the customer, he or she is initiating a connection to you.

First, if the test setup is still in place, uninstall VNC from those machines.

Second, make sure you are forwarding your viewer's listening port appropriately at your router, and that you are running VNCViewer in listening mode on your machine.

Or are you already doing all that?

[tedpenner]

Thanks for the tip about how it's backward and about the port. So that is to say that the "server" part of VNC is not needed to make this work, correct? Only the "viewer" in listening mode needs to be installed on my machine.

I am unsure how to tell if I am in listening mode or not. Double clicking the viewer doesn't really tell me. I'm still looking. If you can get to gmail chat, I sure would be grateful to you.

[B]

Thanks for the tip about how it's backward and about the port. So that is to say that the "server" part of VNC is not needed to make this work, correct? Only the "viewer" in listening mode needs to be installed on my machine.

I am unsure how to tell if I am in listening mode or not. Double clicking the viewer doesn't really tell me. I'm still looking. If you can get to gmail chat, I sure would be grateful to you.

Sorry, I don't do GMail much.

Yes, you've got it more or less correct. The SC executable that gets created <b>contains</b> a version of the VNC "server". It gets temporarily installed when the end user runs it.

I find the easiest way to run my administrative viewer is by using the command line, in the VNC directory, and entering "vncviewer -listen". You can create an icon for it on your desktop. And don't forget to port-forward.

Just found this tutorial (here, but via Google!) http://www.uvnc.com/general/sc_stepbystep.html


But please note, many of us have stopped using the original SC project in favor of single-click VNC alternatives including SCPrompt and ChunkVNC, which are both discussed a lot in these forums. ChunkVNC has a very simple installation instruction page, and you won't have to deal with the vncviewer command line. (But the repeater is a little trickier.)

[tedpenner]

But please note, many of us have stopped using the original SC project in favor of single-click VNC alternatives including SCPrompt and ChunkVNC, which are both discussed a lot in these forums. ChunkVNC has a very simple installation instruction page, and you won't have to deal with the vncviewer command line. (But the repeater is a little trickier.)

Ah, OK, then I should go an entirely different direction.
What would be the advantage of SCPrompt over ChunkVNC? Where can I get those products? When would you need or not need the repeater? There is no telling what my customer would have. The goal is to make it as easy for them as possible. I of'course have a NAT router.

[B]

ChunkVNC has its own subforum here at http://forum.ultravnc.info/viewforum.php?f=50

The official SCPrompt sticky thread here is at [topic=14809][/topic]

SCPrompt is more like the older SC in that multiple connection setups can be "hard coded" to particular destinations on your network. It's got a rather developed method of customizing dialogs and connections.

ChunkVNC is more intended, I think, towards random temporary ad hoc connections, as the locations of BOTH customers and mobile support viewers change. Your remote customer needs to tell you what repeater ID string they are using.

While both projects support the UltraVNC repeater (making dual mobility and dual firewall penetration possible), ChunkVNC bundles the repeater as an inherent part of the project.

I like both, for different reasons. Thankfully, neither depend on remote servers to generate the client packages. (The only downside is that the generated EXE is typically unsigned, unlike what SC Creator produces, so virus scanners may flag them more often.)

Both are under active development to varying degrees, both work under Windows 7, and both can optionally run as a full time service.

You'd "need the repeater" only when you, as the administrator/support person/viewer, need to physically roam and allow clients to connect to you when you're at more than one location. If you're always controlling from a fixed location, I don't think it's necessary, as you can just forward the listening port and they connect to you directly.

I have thought about just using dynamic DNS to be able to repoint my viewing location on demand, as an alternative to using the repeater. This would only work when you have access to the router/public IP address of wherever it is you'll be.

As a perhaps-large caveat, I typically end up using the commercial LogMeIn service instead, since I've never really gotten any of these VNC variants working to my liking. Still, SCPrompt just issued a new update, and the new release of ChunkVNC is forthcoming, so I have lots of hope.