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The remote desktop app when enabled doesn't work with computers outside your network. Can you set it to let you do such? If so how? Is there a separate app that will let me do such a thing?

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  • I would like something semi-secure please. Anything possible to be like that? Aug 1, 2011 at 5:35
  • And how exactly do you go about this SSH thing. Keep in mind that I am viewing from a windows computer my AMAZING ubuntu computer. Aug 1, 2011 at 5:38
  • Also I would like it to be free preferably. ;) There are reasons beyond awesomeness why we use linux. Aug 1, 2011 at 5:41

3 Answers 3

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That has nothing to do with the application. You have forward a port on the router to make the computer accessible from the internet. That aside, allowing VNC access outside the local network is a bad idea security wise.

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    It is not less secure than any other remote access if you tunnel it through SSH.
    – Takkat
    Jul 31, 2011 at 14:13
  • Indeed. SSH would be a better option. Jul 31, 2011 at 16:11
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Assuming you have already installed vnc-viewer (e.g. from tightvncviewer Install tightvncviewer) you can connect to a remote outside your local network via an SSH connection by using the option -via

vncviewer -via user@remote localhost:0

The display at localhost:<display<> depends on your local settings (usually 0).

Of course you need to know the IP of the remote machine you want to connect to. If you have no static IP you need to use a dynamic DNS service (e.g. DynDNS) and run a client on the remote side that provides the IP to the service, e.g. in the router (recommended) or by running ddclient Install ddclient.

Also an SSH server needs to run on the remote machine (install openssh-server Install openssh-server on the remote machine).

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  • I think you misunderstood the question. He was asking how to make it possible to connect into his network, not out of it. The solution, as mikewhatever says, is to forward ports in your router. Jul 31, 2011 at 13:26
  • Exactly, you need an established SSH connection (as I said in the fist sentence od my reply) that implies port forwarding, of course. Remote and local is relative to where you sit ;)
    – Takkat
    Jul 31, 2011 at 14:07
  • And the possibility of a free DNS service I could run on my ubuntu computer. (The one I am wishing to access from a windows) or would I need yet another computer outsid e of my network? Also I prefer this stay free. Is that possible? Aug 1, 2011 at 5:48
  • @Sam Mercier: DynDNS offer a free service. If you router can't do this you may run ddclient on the Ubuntu box. Also you need the openssh-server for secure SSH tunneling, an port forwarding for SSH on the router for the Ubuntu box. On the Windows side you may run a service like e.g. tightvnc that also provides SSH tunneling. As an alternative you may consider running TeamViewer, closed source but free for Windows and Ubuntu.
    – Takkat
    Aug 1, 2011 at 6:53
  • Okay so I can simply run TeamViewer and it will function? Aug 1, 2011 at 18:09
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I think the easiest way to do this is teamviewer ( http://www.teamviewer.com/ ). This is what I started to use.

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