repeater 2011

[Rudi De Vos]

Changes
web based config
default user=admin
default password=admin
default port= 80

Format config file differ, don't use an existing config file else
web port and passwd could be overwritten be some é"!è§'&è!ç'§&

download:
http://www.uvnc.com:8080

[twagner]

hi rudi,

great idea an work too!!!!
I`ve tested the distributer.exe and want to configure it by the browser
but the settings won`t be applyied. Must i start a unknown service??
How can i see the syntax of the distributer.exe? distributer.exe /h or /? won`t be successfull.

thanks

twagner

[Rudi De Vos]

Beta to test the interface...
Settings are saved (settings.txt), but only used after restart.

The part the allow a egine restart isn't finished.
When finsihed, the gui will show the restart button.

[Rudi De Vos]

You nee to open
http://ip_address_pc_running_distributer.exe
not
the files added in the webpages.zip

[twagner]

after starting the distributer.exe on my work-pc , i`ve used http://127.0.0.1 on the browser, works good and i can admin the repeater.
But if i want to use the repeater on my public repeater-pc (with public ip) (winxp_pro with SP 3, german version, passiv pc with 500 MHz CPU and 256 MB RAM) the distributer.exe don´t want to start.

twagner

[Rudi De Vos]

Any error ?
make sure you don't put it in the folder of an old repeater,
setting.txt is not compatible

[Rudi De Vos]

Update

auto refresh pages
use the actual settings, current 5901 and 5500 where fixed
auto restart engine after setting changes

http://www.uvnc.eu/download/distributerv2011-2.zip

[Rudi De Vos]

Update

auto refresh pages set to 10s
webport settings used after restart
fix buffer error webgui, crashed if size table was to long.

http://www.uvnc.eu/download/distributerv2011-3.zip

[twagner]

hi all together,

rudi the repeater work great, super.

Some points i`ve found:
- don`t use or change the remoteport for the distributor.exe (Webserver) who were used by an other application on the same pc too (like 3389, 5900 or others) then the distributor.exe will not start/work.
- apps who use the port 80 too, block the work / start of the distributor.exe. (for example remotesoftware who use this ports, too)
- some times after finishing a vnc session by closing the vncviewer.exe this don`t be noticed by the distributor.exe (webserver) and don`t would be shown on the distributor.exe - browser window.

And now a very important questions:

Is there a limit for the numbers of connections like the old windows version 1.08 by 20 ??? (because i need it for classroomadministration in a school with more than 200 pc`s)
In this content i must ask too if there is any remote possibility to make a comment/notation on a made connection or waiting servers/viewers in the distributor.exe browser windows??? (i hate post it`s letters )

thanks

twagner

ps: i use the repeater for the chunkvnc solution and it work well, with best wishes to supercoe ....

[Rudi De Vos]

All port of the repeater are listener ports.
You can only have one listener/port.
If app A is using port A, app B can't use the same port.
There is nothing that can done about this.

Limit is still 20, i will change the parameter.

Comment:
The viewer/servers connect to the repeater. On timeout, and with the autoreconnect setting, the server/viewer reconnect. On reconnect, the server/viewer can use another slot.
The comments need to be linked to something, else after each reconnect it's gone.

Slot: not possible, can differ after a reconnect
ip address server/viewer ?
ID ?

[twagner]

If i use teamviewer (port 80 app) i can`t use the distributer.exe. the distributer.exe won`t be run. Because they use the same port. So i ask for.

You want to change the parameter for the limitation. thanks. Why you let it not open???, without any limitation??

I think the comments must be linked o the ID-No.
Because the server-ip can change by dhcp-server networks and the viewer-ip can`t be used because one user with one vncviewer-PC often admin many other vncserver

twagner

[Rudi De Vos]

http://www.uvnc.eu/download/distributerv2011-4.zip

Web server port checked on start, if 80 is used take next free.
Popup tell port nr

250 slots
comment can be added base on ID
one by one via web gui
or
via comment.txt file ( text readable)

[comment]
0=1356:This is some comment
1=0:
2=0:
..
500=0:

[B]

Can we connect by the name in the "comment" field?

[twagner]

checking the port is great an work perfect!!!
the distributer.exe start and works great too.
and thanks that you have implement to show the web gui port.

but i can`t see any comment or the comment line will not be shown in the browser window.
Of course i have modified the comment.txt file on the distributor.exe too. Can it be that you have planed only 4 digits for the id number??
I think for the chunkvnc solution we will need 6 digits (i thinks it is in supercoe`s mind) and by myself i need 8 digits for my modified chunkvnc solution.

twagner

[Rudi De Vos]

The repeater can only connect on number.
Reason:
To make it compatible with vnc we pass the ID as hostname:port ( ID:12345)

comment.txt is placed in memory on start.
gui added comments are added to memory and saved to file.
If you change the comment.txt file while running a restart is needed.
The overhead of reading the file each refresh is to big...
The ID number can 10 digits or more, only don't use : in the comment
":" is a seperate and split ID from text.

[B]

Really, that's why? But isn't UltraVNC about the only client and server that support the UltraVNC repeater? What I mean is that since you're "going your own way" anyway, I would not have thought that VNC backward-compatibility was an issue as far as the Repeater was concerned....

[Rudi De Vos]

The problem is that when you enter ID:123456 is is split
in char ID and number 123456. All vars are numbers....
The same fiels and code behind is also used for host:port ( direct connection)

The only way would be to make a v2 repeater that only works with
10956 or greater.

[Rudi De Vos]

I think i can make a change without impact on older versions

ID:12345678 and also ID-XXXXXXXX:12345678

The only problem would be that you can't use dns named that start with
"id-"

*more combintaion
*Add small info as XXXXX

When the combinations are unlimited this would allow us to setup some
offical repeater server.
Anybody know some cheap flatrate dedicated servers, 100MB or up ?

[twagner]

this would be great that a new version can made without impact older versions
can i use the repeater for singleclick solutions too???
and for my part, i don`t need a dns based comment or name.
i only need a possible solution to comment a connection
when the combinations are unlimited, what repeater-pc performance would i need for 200 combinations or more???

[Rudi De Vos]

The repeater doesn't do any calculation, some table lookup to make the connection and after connection a lot of memory copy.

I guess 1 GB free memory, 1 GB network and some dual core wil do.

But it all depend if the 200 people gonna make a connection at the same time. To have 200 people waiting and make 10 connection it also should run on an old PIV.

[Rudi De Vos]

Another option would be to add some extra security

server send ID:123456789
viewer send ID-ABCDEFGH:123456789

The repeater keep a list of allowed viewer connections
123456789:ABCDEFGH
123456:GHYFD
564:LKJUHGFTR76

This would still require encryption, but al least people scanning the
numbers would be blocked.

This way, we only need to make a little change on the viewer site.
SC and older winvnc would not require any change.

I don't what's the best ?

[Rudi De Vos]

Implemented as viewer check.
-NO server or Viewer changes are needed ( works with all old version)

sample:
comment.txt
123456:KLOPZ

Server
ID:123456

Viewer
ID-KLOPZ:123456 Access to repeater OK
ID:123456 Access refused
ID-ABCDEFGHIK:123456 Access refused

The option need to be activated, else comment is just comment
and "ID-ABCDEF" is ignored.

This allow you to project your repeater usage and add some extra sceurity.

Names are converted to capitals, only caps in comment.txt
Max Size 64 chars

[twagner]

what do you mean?
the option to note a comment or to definate a property-rule for access?
i think the ID:12345678:ABCDEFGHIJKLM would be a good solution.

twagner

[Rudi De Vos]

Use comment to check viewer access [v] is an option.

ID:12345678:ABCDEFGHIJKLM
Not possible, a hostname can't contain a ":"
The most important is that is works without the need to change a bit on server or viewer.

The trick is to send
hostname=ID-ABCDEF
port=12345678
and let the repeater strip "ID-" from hostname to get the checkcode.
"ABCDEF"

If "Use comment to check viewer access" is checked, the value from the
comment.txt need to be the same to get viewer access.
In this case
12345678:ABCDEF
else ID-ABCDEF is handled as ID

[Rudi De Vos]

Forgot link
Also fix null point crash when saving an empty comment.

http://www.uvnc.eu/download/distributerv2011-5.zip

[Rudi De Vos]

Please comment on this new option.

Once implemented and relaese for v2, we can't change it anymore
without breaking it.

[B]

Can we get some feedback from supercoe and rat? They've probably worked the most with the repeater lately...

[supercoe]

I really like the idea here but I must be tired because can't get it to work.


Here is what I've done:

1) Ran distributerv2011-5\distributer.exe and it created comment.txt and settings.txt on 192.168.1.50

Why is comment.txt prefiled with numbers?

Code: Select all

[comment]
0=0:
1=0:
2=0:
3=0:
4=0:
5=0:
etc...

2) Tried to log into 192.168.1.50:80 with web browser:
Google Chrome - FAIL - Asks for username and password but will not accept admin/admin.
IE8 - Works
Firefox - Works

3) Changed settings:
Disabled "Mode I"
Enabled "Use comment to check viewer access:"

4) Clicked save settings.

5) The repeater restarted and the log stated:

Code: Select all

socket() initialized
bind() succeded to port 5500
listen() succeded
socket() initialized
bind() succeded to port 5901
listen() succeded

6) Clicked "edit comment" typed 1234 for "ID:" and TEST for "comment".

7) Clicked "save comment" and it bring me to the stats page.

What happend to the comment? What are the comments?

Looked at the comments.txt file to find:

Code: Select all

[comment]
0=0:TEST

I don't understand?

No matter what number I type in for ID while using "edit comment" it will always edit this first line "0=0:whatever you type in".

Could you explain further the proper syntax for the Viewer and Server to connect?


Also, I have a server sitting in the USA that is just waiting for a good repeater. 512mb Ram, lots of CPU and 10TB of bandwidth per month on a Gigabit connection.
The only catch is that it's a Linux server.
I guess I could run this repeater in WINE but I was really hoping to see this kind of development done to the Perl Repeater because of user demand with ChunkVNC (don't get me wrong I love repeater development no matter what! ).

Thanks for all the hard work Rudi, this is a great expansion for the Repeater and it looks like a lot of development has been done since the last test version.

Sorry that I can't get this to work, maybe I'm just tired but if someone could explain a bit more how this works that would be great.

[twagner]

sorry same result than supercoe

twagner

[Rudi De Vos]

ID-TEST:12345

[comment]
0=12345:TEST

edit comment
[12345] [TEST]

I need to verify the edit part.
It should save 0=12345:TEST and not 0=0:12345
Added extra checks against NULL crash in that part, looks like i made
some error.

You still can manual edit the comment.txt for testing.

password/user
repeater on server 2008
firefox: OK
iex: FAIL