RealVNC has been around for awhile now and provides a simple remote server and viewer package for any desktop PC. The VNC project is particularly popular in the Linux community for providing remote access to Linux desktops. RealVNC is a nice alternative to Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) in Windows as it provides “overlay” access to the machine. What this means is that users can see your mouse movements and actions on-screen. This makes RealVNC a great tool for desktop support and remote troubleshooting. I use it to help friends with PC issues across the Internet and when used with a VPN connection RealVNC is an excellent secure remote access solution. I’ve included a brief description from their website.

VNC stands for Virtual Network Computing. It is remote control software which allows you to view and fully interact with one computer desktop (the “VNC server”) using a simple program (the “VNC viewer”) on another computer desktop anywhere on the Internet. The two computers don’t even have to be the same type, so for example you can use VNC to view a Windows Vista desktop at the office on a Linux or Mac computer at home. For ultimate simplicity, there is even a Java viewer, so that any desktop can be controlled remotely from within a browser without having to install software.

dixlinx: REALVNC.COM

Tags: RDP, Remote Access, remote desktop, VNC