CyberDruid

This might be some handy info to know if you are starting up a Folding Farm or just have alot of PCs.

How to: monitor multiple PCs from a single monitor and keyboard

Although an inexpensive KVM switch http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817107953 is a handy hardware solution that allows multiple PCs to be connected to a single keyboard, mouse and monitor, this piece of SW http://g.msn.com/9SE/1?http://www.re...=7&CS=AWP&SR=7 will allow you to monitor a large number of PCs remotely, is easy to install and configure and it is Free!

Download and install the free version of this SW on each PC you need to link--any of the machines can act as a server or client with this method--meaning no matter which PC you are currently stationed at, your best PC is at your fingertips. While installing the SW you will be prompted to configure it to run as a service at start up--select yes. You will be given the option to configure a password for each install--this I highly reccomend using to avoid compromising your system security.

In order to prevent conflicting IP addresses you will need to manually configure the IP of every PC on your network--which can be done in a few seconds by following this step by step guide: http://www.overclock.net/faqs/93129-...ress-step.html

You will also need to disable the Windows Firewall in most cases. It's not my fault! Blame all those security updates that keep resetting your PC! Despite every effort to configure the Windows Firewall to allow VNC to operate properly unless it is turned off I have had mixed results. You can try adding VNC to the list of exceptions. But this seems to have no real effect on the outcome.

My personal solution is to download AVG http://www.majorgeeks.com/AVG_Free_Edition_d886.html from MajorGeeks.com (a trusted site) and to allow it to do the job for you. By upgrading to the Professional version you gain an excellent low resouce Firewall that controls Windows Firewall more intelligently. If you do not want to use that method, I can personally attest that I have run with my Firewall down since install either using Zone Alarm or nothing, trusting the excellent Sophos SBE Antivirus http://www.sophos.com/products/sb/savsbe/ or AVG Antivirus to protect my machine--they have not yet been compromised.

The next step is quite simple--open VNC viewer from the shorcut on the desktop andtype in the IP address of the PC you want to use. If successful, the server will respond with a password box you must fill in order to reach the Desktop. That's it--depending on your network speed and connection strength it can be like sitting right in front of the PC--with hardwire running gigabit LAN VNC is a reasonable alternative to KVMs with long cable runs.

Hope that works for you!

CYberDruid

Note: it is possible to restart and log on with VNC--but entering BIOS still takes a diresct hookup.

Chozart

Nice one! Well done. This will be helpful for those multiple rig folding maniacs

CyberDruid

That's amazing--this FAQ posted in less than 24 hours..a new record! thanks!

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Current Project: CalligaCab: TV stand/bookshelf/PC-case

lonnie5000

Wow, very cool! Good FAQ. :D I have four computers in my house and it would be cool to keep tabs on them all right from my main rig. I gotta try it! :D

CyberDruid

It's addictive...I find myself popping in on them to see if the temps are okay and if the WU are proceeding correctly...FAHmon can only show you so much...if a core gets stuck retrying or waiting for the server or some other error the easiest way is to restart the core...which you need VNC to do remotely.

I also found that by opening up a VNC viewer on each successive rig there is no loss in quality of pcture and not much lag--but if you end up opening a viewer back to the original desktop a crazy feed back loop gets started that can only be broken by shutting down the PC you are at...like pointing a video camera at a TV screen while hooked up and live.

VNC has some other features in the commercial versions that make it easy to run an enterprise with VMC or the link PCs that are all running different OS...which can be very handy.

Retrospekt

The only thing that stinks is that the computer being monitored loses internet connection. At least for meit does.

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danm

Nice FAQ. :)

CyberDruid

That is not the case for me...I am not sure if that is related to RealVNC or not...

At this point I have one PC monitoring 7 Folding Rigs--everything is working fine. I have all the Windows Firewalls deactivated and am using AVG on 6 of the 8 rigs and Norton on 2 rigs. No security issues to report.

Hope you can figure out the issue that is keeping you off the net...