Ever wanted to take over your friends computer? Copy files, delete files, change desktops etc, from the comfort of your own home ! Well it really isn’t to hard. By creating a VNC server on there computer this power can be yours!
I will go through the steps of how to install a VNC server (2 steps total) in a second. First remember that when installing a VNC you should have all you windows updates installed because this leaves an open connection to your friends and your computer.
These steps were taken from Lifehacker
Step 1:
Windows users: TightVNC is free Windows VNC server and client software. TightVNC is a nice choice because it also allows for file transfers and high compression levels for slow connections. Download TightVNC from here and run the installation on your home computer. Start the server, and set a password for incoming connections.
TightVNC can be set to run as a Windows service, which means your Windows usernames and passwords can be used to authenticate on the VNC server connection. Be sure all your Windows passwords are set and strong, and that any passwordless guest accounts are disabled.
Mac users: OSXvnc is a free Mac VNC server. Download, install, set up a password and start the server.
If your VNC server is connected directly to the Internet, it is now listening for Internet requests on port 5900, VNC’s default port (which is also configurable). Visit WhatIsMyIP from your home computer to determine its IP address and write it down.
Step 2. Install the VNC client.
On the remote Windows computer, also download and install TightVNC, but this time, start the viewer, NOT the server. If you’re on a Mac, download the free Chicken of the VNC Mac viewer to connect to your home PC. Enter your home computer’s IP address and password to connect.
Here’s a screengrab of a VNC connection to my Windows PC from my Mac. Click on the image to see a larger version.
And that’s that! You’re virtually sitting at your home desktop from anywhere in the world.
A few extra VNC tips to chew on:
- For slower network connections, set the compression to “best.” The window image quality will be lower, but the connection response will be snappier.
- Bring a VNC viewer with you on a USB memory stick so you don’t have to download and install on every computer you want to use to connect to your server.
- Avoid having to install a server on Mom’s computer; email her the 166K self-extracting SingleClick UltraVNC server for your next tech support phone session. More on SingleClick in an upcoming Lifehacker feature.
Change desktops?? windoze will probably never have something useful like multiple desktops, and I’ve never seen a Mac with it, though it surely can’t be hard to get. Also, check out NoMachine’s NX software. It’s not bad for this kind of stuff. ALSO, you acknowledge the existence of Mac and windoze, but where’s Linux? Must not forget the essentials….
(I’m sorry, we Linux gurus have to be OS evangelists.)
If i am on a network with other computers, all of the computers will have the same IP address. how do i connect only to the computer i want if i have all of them available to connect to?
If you are on a Domain or workgroup set up, none of the computers will have the same IP, they will have consecutive numbers, Ex 192.168.1.10 – 192.168.1.11 and so on.
You just have to make sure to find the right IP address for the computer you want to take over.
If you don’t have a way of finding the other computers IP, try using your own IP address and then just change the last digit to the next digit. Make sure is not over 255.
Good Luck!
Poke, I’ll have to looking into that but the only thing I can say for now, when messing with networked computers you are now messing with the system admin. Dont bite off more than you can chew
If you wrote an article about life we’d all reach enlhigtemnent.
what do you mean by entering your home’s IP address and password. on the viewer it only has one line for the remote server. thanks
WOW man, this thing is awesome! im going to have so much fun pranking my friends and siblings! you can put the server in the startup menu so it automatically opens the server when they turn on the computer and they have no clue whats going on! thanx alot!!!!
dude i scared the shit out of my mom bro and dorm mate
when at first sceptical to come back and see “hello(your name) ive been watching you
dude your awsome for showing us this
hi bob
James A Roberts III Lead Programmer/ Microsoft Business Engineer @ Lex2schools… I regret to inform the idiot that said that windows has not created a multiple desktop system… but there has been a multiple desktop program since windows xp… not only is this the case but there is an existence of dual hard drives in laptops where you can have in excess of 20 desktops….. I handle these systems all the time as i have to create systems for analysis for more than nine schools… and in every classroom there are multi desktops where teachers and teachers assistants can access their own desktop via one single computer…. but dont worry little idiot, i work with linux too… and linux is the biggest piece of economic crap known to the human world…. thank you and have a nice day asshole
James A Roberts III Lead Programmer/ Microsoft Business Engineer @ Lex2schools… I regret to inform the idiot that said that windows has not created a multiple desktop system… but there has been a multiple desktop program since windows xp… not only is this the case but there is an existence of dual hard drives in laptops where you can have in excess of 20 desktops….. I handle these systems all the time as i have to create systems for analysis for more than nine schools… and in every classroom there are multi desktops where teachers and teachers assistants can access their own desktop via one single computer…. but dont worry little idiot, i work with linux too… and linux is the biggest piece of economic crap known to the human world…. thank you and have a nice day
ineed to takeoverhis computer