Remote support (was Re: [Techtalk] Anyone here have experience working on a Cobalt Qube?)

[Rasjid Wilcox]

On Sunday 01 May 2005 02:55, Emily Berk wrote:
> I am located about 30 miles from my client and although HE can ftp to the
> Qube and can press the buttons and access it from his web browser, I
> cannot.
>
> I can ping the server, but I cannot connect to it via telnet or ssh or ftp.

I have not used a a Cobalt Qube, but I have used other all-in-one 'turnkey' 
type boxes (SME aka E-Smith in particular), and they are generally set up for 
administration access from the local LAN, but not from 'outside'.  This is, 
in general, a good thing.

My suggestion would be to get your client to install VNC on their machine. 
(I'm assuming your client is running Windows desktops, but there are Linux 
and Mac VNC clients and servers too).  There are several different versions 
of VNC, but they are generally protocol compatible, even if the client and 
server drop back to a common protocol version.

My suggestion is to run VNC in a 'reverse connection' manner, since it much 
easier for the client.  They run a VNC server, you run a VNC client, but they 
initiate the VNC connection to you (but you still end up controlling their 
desktop).

In more detail: You get your client to install and run the VNC server.  The 
most secure way of doing this is a) not to install it as a service (some 
versions of VNC offer to do this by default) and b) when running, only allow 
loopback connections.  But as long as your client is behind a firewall this 
is not a big issue, and can make things easier next time.

On your machine you run a VNC client *in listening mode*.  By default this 
will listen on port 5500, so if you are behind some kind of NAT firewall you 
will need to forward this to the machine you are using.

You will also need to get your IP address, or if you have your own domain you 
can have a subdomain pointing at your home IP, since they will be connecting 
to you.

Anyway, they run the VNC server.  For Windows, they right click on the VNC 
server icon in the system tray, select 'Add new client', type in your IP 
address or host name (assuming you have your own domain and have set up the 
DNS for this), and hey presto, you are looking at their machine on your 
desktop.  Then you can configure the Cobalt Qube as you wish.

The advantage of this is:
a) your client does not have to know or work out their IP address
b) your client does not need to change their firewall (except if they are 
blocking *outgoing* connections on port 5500, which is unlikely in most 
setups)
c) your client does not need to leave a service exposed to the internet

The main disadvantage is:
d) your client has to be there (on site) to initiate the connection to you.

I do support for both business and family and friends this way, and find it 
very effective.

It works best with broadband connections at both ends, but is still useable 
when one or even both ends are dialup.

Feel free to contact me offlist if you have any questions etc.  I'm also 
willing to help test your setup so your first test is not with a paying 
client.  :-)

Cheers,

Rasjid.

-- 
Rasjid Wilcox
Melbourne, Australia (UTC +10 hrs)