Problems connecting to TightVNC?

[aod2002]

My cousin and I are trying to connect to each other to use remote desktop. He has windows XP HOME so we have to use something besides the one windows xp PRO offers. I am trying to use TightVNC but with no luck so far. Here is our equipment list and what I've tried so far.


Cousin's Setup:

1. Motorola VT1000v - For vontage phone service
2. Siemen SpeedStream 4200 - DSL Modem
3. Windows XP HOME

\*Windows Firewall is turned off completely. He has TightVNC server and client both installed. The Motorola VT1000v's Router is setup to port forward ports 5500, 5800, and 5900 on TCP which is the proper way setup according to www.portforward.com. The only other security software he is running is Mcafee but does not have
any mcafee firewall, just the anti-virus.\*



My setup:

1. Dynex DX-e401 - Router
2. Efficient SpeedStream 5360 - DSL modem
3. Windows XP PRO

\*Windows Firewall is turned off completely. I have TightVNC server and client both installed. My router is setup to port forward 5500, 5800, and 5900 for tightVNC according to www.portforward.com. I have no software firewalls installed. I am also able to connect to myself with TightVNC.\*



If anyone has any advice, please share. IT will be much appreciated. Thanks.

[degsy]

Welcome :)

Are you connecting to yourself locally or via the internet?
Are you using the correct ISP IP Address to connect to?

The setup looks fine as long as you have the port forwarding setup correctly.

[Seamaiden]

It's been a few months since I've used TightVNC, but as I recollect the port forwarding looks to be ok. One last thing to check with either version of XP, as I recollect (I don't use it, but we have one machine with it here, and where I used to work had it installed - XP Pro) you still have to set some permissions. You haven't mentioned any hard (as opposed to soft = software) firewalls through either router.

I would look into the whites for the Modems/routers, though, just to be sure the port forwarding is to their liking. This is what I found via Google for the Siemens here http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/index.cfm?a=h_view&model_id=278
ISP supplied units come with customised firmware with block on VoIP port 5060.
To remove the block, replace firmware with non-customised version.

You might try this site, too... http://www.portforward.com/store/pfconfig.htm

And this... http://www.dslreports.com/faq/eff

If I get a chance I'll hit up my husband tonight, he's a network engineer.

[aod2002]

Welcome :)

Are you connecting to yourself locally or via the internet?
Are you using the correct ISP IP Address to connect to?

The setup looks fine as long as you have the port forwarding setup correctly.

Thanks for the Introduction. I was just connecting to my self using 127.0.0.1 loopback. And as far as I can tell the address he gave me is correct. I will have him look in his router config pages to find out his ISP IP address to make sure though.

[aod2002]

I just realized that when we port forwarded his ports we put them in for 192.168.102.0 instead of 192.168.102.1(which is the number he uses to access router config) so I think that could definitely be the problem. Anyways, were about to test it again now that we changed that. Ill update on progress.

[aod2002]

Still no luck even though we changed it to forward the ports to the correct address:-\. I guess its a built in firewall.

[aod2002]

So the morotola VT1000 series doesnt have a built in firewall according to the user guide. So maybe its the Siemens 4200 DSL modem's router blocking the connection? I dont know how to access its router. The ip 10.0.0.138 and 10.0.0.1 don't work to access the 4200's router config page which are the defaults according to portforward.com. IS there any other way we can find out the IP address of the Siemens 4200? So it seems hes working under two different routers since the Motorola vt1000 series has its own and the Siemens 4200 has its own. sort of wierd...


Edit: I found the user guide for the Siemens 4200 and found out when you first set it up you have to type in http://speedstream into browser to access. Still can't access it though:-\.

[Seamaiden]

I just realized that when we port forwarded his ports we put them in for 192.168.102.0 instead of 192.168.102.1(which is the number he uses to access router config) so I think that could definitely be the problem. Anyways, were about to test it again now that we changed that. Ill update on progress.

Oh no, you can't do that! Those are your LAN IPs (Local Area Network), and unless you both live in the same house or are on the same LAN, nothing's going to happen. You must use your public IP addy, and if it's dynamic (as opposed to static), then you'll have to change according to that day's current IP.

The EASIEST way to tell your public IP is just go to http://www.danasoft.com/ :) However, go muck around with your router, you'll find your public IP and shouldn't break anything.

[aod2002]

Oh no, you can't do that! Those are your LAN IPs (Local Area Network), and unless you both live in the same house or are on the same LAN, nothing's going to happen. You must use your public IP addy, and if it's dynamic (as opposed to static), then you'll have to change according to that day's current IP.

The EASIEST way to tell your public IP is just go to http://www.danasoft.com/ :) However, go muck around with your router, you'll find your public IP and shouldn't break anything.

I dont understand really. I am attempting to connect to his computer with his ISP IP address that is public which is like 64.xxx...... When I am in the router pages though I can only port forward stuff to the 192.168.... ALso he has a static IP. so how do I forward stuff so we can connect to each other via the internet? Sorry, im just really confused right now.

[z1p]

you don't want to port forward to the router's IP 192...1, you want to port forward to the ip address of your PC. This can be a pain if you PC is getting a dynamic IP address as it may change. So, you may want to make it a static IP address. But, you can still try it without a static IP to see if you have the basic setup working.

[Seamaiden]

And tired, I'll bet. I'm having the same problem trying to figure out html and javascript and AAAGGGHH!!!

According to hubby (you don't know how lucky you are that he's home and wandering around here!), YOUR router needs to port forward UDP packets to YOUR internal LAN IP - the LAN IP of your computer, ok?

A static IP makes things easier. Make sure that you're BOTH using the right ports, for instance, make sure that if one is using port 5800, the other is as well. So, as long as you're connecting using HIS static IP (be sure about it being static), and both using the same ports, this should work.

Our problem here at home is that neither of us is using Win XP - my machine dual-boots but I'm Win2K on the Windows platform. If it gets really messy I can reboot into Windows so that we'd have a better idea of what you're looking at, but we're also a couple of those "early to bed" types (read: OLD).

Edited to add: Yeah, what z1p said. While it seems obvious not to forward to the router IP, this stuff can get daunting if you're not sure what goes where, to whom, etc., so do be sure to check that it's forwarding to your machine's IP.

[aod2002]

OK im back, I had to take a break from computer. Was getting really frustrated about something else on the computer, lol, AKA writing content for my cousins website, haha.

Anyways, back on topic... You say my, "PC's IP address." Would that be the IP address my internet provider gives me or an other IP that is both seperate from the ISP one and my router one?

For example when I go into my routers config page I see this on the, "status page"

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m189/aod2002/MyRouter.jpg

Also here is how MY port forwarding looks in MY router.
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m189/aod2002/VNCports.jpg

BTW, thanks for being patient with me. I am pretty new to networking.

[z1p]

Its the 192.a68 address assigned to your PC. On your PC open a command window (RUN, then enter cmd). In the (black)window that comes up enter ipconfig. This will show you the IP address of your machine. You want to use that IP in the port forward rules instead of 192.168.0.1

[Seamaiden]

Ok, so when we're talking about your computer's IP, we're talking about the internal LAN IP (remember, LAN = Local Area Network) that it uses within your home network. All this is controlled by your router. So, open up a command line (Start; Run; cmd; then you get a DOS prompt) and type in "ipconfig". That will tell you YOUR machine's local IP address. It will also give you your subnet mask, IIRC. So, yes, that IP address (LAN IP) that your router has assigned that particular machine is what you need here.

Your public IP is what the rest of the world sees, and is what is shown in the WAN section - pretty neat, a lot of routers don't show you your LAN/WAN info as such, they make the interface a bit more difficult to slog through. That is what your ISP gives you, may be static or dynamic, and is the string starting with 68.XX.XXX.XX. This is not hard and fast for everyone, this is what I'm basing on the information you've posted. With me so far?



Ok, so, looking through your settings, your subnet mask on the WAN looks weird. I don't know that it's a problem, but it's.. weird.. did you change that subnet mask? In any event, let's take a look at your settings:
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m189/aod2002/VNCports.jpg
Best I can figure (hub's gone to bed now) it looks like you've got all your port forwarding set to forward to the ROUTER, not your machine. Do the "ipconfig" ("ifconfig" for Linux), don't worry about an iprenew here, do the ipconfig and enter THAT address into your port forwarding settings as the LAN to forward TO. I hope that makes sense!

<keeps fingers crossed>

[Seamaiden]

Oops, sorry z1p. I was working on my reply when you posted.

[z1p]

One more thing with your router you can avoid having to set a static Ip on your PC by assigning it a static DHCP address at the router. THis is pretty simple.

On your router go to the HOME tab and select the DHCP button on the left. part way down the page there is a section for static DHCP. Select your PC from the DHCP client list and click CLONE and enable, then apply. From then on your PC will always be given the same IP by your router.