remote access software is software that lets the user control or observe a computer in another location via a network connection.the software need to be installed at both ends and a network connection needs to be established between the two (or more) computers. it is possible to do this over the internet, however satellite connections and wireless routers make this difficult.

this is also known as desktop sharing or application sharing and is a good way of providing instruction remotely, and some program also allow you to update and reconfigure computers remotely.

we have been trialling several different program of this kind, including Apple Remote Desktop,VNC, and Timbuktu Pro.

see also trevor’s blog

http://tvw.vox.com/

in order to allow apple remote desktop and other remote acces type programs to work over the internet, it is necessary to first configure local firewalls and routers to pass tcp and udp traffic (in this case on ports 3283, 5988 and 5900. i’m not quite sure if we are allowed to do this  officially without updating our contract with the service provider or not as some techs say we do and some say we don’t.

we went into the modem of trevors computer by typing in 10.0.0.138 into the browser bar, which access the modem, username and password by default is admin admin,  then went to napt and created new inside and outside address. here is a website which shows the setting required for different modems.

www.portforward.com/english/routers/port_forwarding

once into setting up a new natp, we set the inside to 3283 and the outside to 5900

then we set up the program IPobserver on tvw’s computer , which gives us more detailed addresses about the router ip and computer ip.

using apple remote desktop, we then found trevor’s computer on-line, he then needed to supply us with his user name and password

ard accepted , but didn’t let us in, we went to system preferences / sharing and clicked apple remote desktop and made sure all the other boxes were checked.

(trevor felt a little vunerable at this stage, but even though his computer is more available to us it is still very difficult for someone without his password to access it)

we went back to setting up a new natp, we set both the inside to 5900 and the outside to 5900, still doesn’t work. now we’ve got four setups....but it’s almost working, in fact it is working to a certain extent now that we we’ve got the right password.

now we’re remotely updating the software on tvw’s computer,  except that’s not working either. cause tvw doesn’t have 10.4 operating system.

we had more success with my computer and modem at home.

by setting up tcp 3283,5900,5988 and udp 3283, and as i was already running 10.4, we had no problem connecting from the university to my home computer, although the connection was too slow to allow much interaction, and certainly impossible to run skype at the same time. i am in the process of upgrading this connection to the same speed as we hope to get the satellite internet connections running in order to trial these types of applications further.

in terms of going the other way around, ie from outside the uni to inside the uni it is more difficult. i need to have some tunnelling software installed and configured, (in this case VPN client and uni access privileges ) to get into the uni network and even then there are limitations. i think there is away around this by having the remote access software set up on a server which doesn’t sleep and then going on from there but this is not much of a concern for us at the moment.

setting up modem info:

setting up  siemens speed stream 6520 is similar to this one (the 4200);

http://www.portforward.com/english/routers/port_forwarding/Siemens/4200/Apple_Remote_Desktop.htm

port forwarding on the DW6000 direcway satellite modem? this is the modem which is supplied with telstra bigpond satellite accounts and the one we have at mapuru.

there is some debate as to whether it is even possible to set up this particular modem to allow remaote access programs to work, although there is another modem (the 4020) which does allow it,

theoretically this is what i have to do, log in to the DW6000, put 192.168.0.1 in the browser bar and then look for things like browser optimization utility and then port forwarding configurations. if it doesn’t work i can call 133 933 during business hours and they can put me through to second level tech support.

it is possible that If you do NOT have a static IP, then you cannot receive connection requests, and therefore cannot forward them. Even with a static IP, you cannot do port forwarding within the modem itself, but you can receive connection requests, and therefore you can forward them with either a hardware router, or,maybe in software, does this still make sense?

DW7000, and HN7000S may have similar issues.

other info

remote access programs we are trialling and their port requirements

Apple Remote Desktoptcp 3283,5900,5988udp 3283

CUseeMe-CUworld1503,5222,5223,76487648,24032

Flight Simulator 20022300-2400,476242300-2400

VNC5500,5800,59005500,5800,5900

Timbuktu Pro Windows407,1417-1420 (mac only tcp 407)

or go to http://www.portforward.com/cports.htm

forums

http://www.dslreports.com/faq/satellite