Being able to access your computer remotely is a very useful feature. It allows you to travel light with a laptop, tablet, or even smart phone, but still be able to access your main computer back at your home or office. Then you can keep all of your important files and applications in one place and access them from anywhere. You can be anywhere in the world, and with an Internet connection you can use remote access software to use your computer as though you were actually sitting right in front of it.
There are many types of remote access software available. Some are paid, but there are some great free options available as well. One of the free remote access options available is UltraVNC. You may have heard of VNC before as it has been around for quite some time. UltraVNC is a spin off of the original version and has optimized the original into a piece of software that works pretty well.
How does UltraVNC work?
UltraVNC is pretty similar to the other remote access software options out there. There are two pieces of software that help complete the connection. One is called the server and the other is called the viewer. It is pretty obvious, but the server is the computer you are connecting to, and the viewer is the computer that will be controlling the server.
Host Side of UltraVNC
The host is the computer that will be controlled. In the case of UltraVNC, it is called the server. When you install UltraVNC, you are asked if you want to install the Server, Viewer or both. If the compute you wish to control will only serve as a host, then you will only install the server. But, if you plan on using it to also connect to other machines, then you will want to install both on the computer.
Client Side of UltraVNC
In order to complete the connection to the server, you will need to install the viewer piece on a computer. Again, you will be asked during the install process what you want to install. If you intend on using a given computer only to control other machines, then you will only install the Viewer. But, if you plan to use the computer as a viewer and would also like to connect to it, then you will elect to install both.
Networking Setup for UltraVNC
If you have a router on the same network as the Server, then you will need to configure your router to port forward UltraVNC traffic to the host. When you install the server, you can select what port you want the server to listen on. Whatever port you selected will be the one that you need to port forward on the router. Once that is done, you will be able to access the server from anywhere on the Internet.
What Are the Features of UltraVNC
An UltraVNC connections supports many features. You can transfer files between the host and viewer. This can be very handy if you need to access a file on your home or work computer. You can also chat and share clipboards with the other computer. This would prove to be useful in a support scenario.
UltraVNC is a good option for remote access software. It is free and reliable. It has been around for awhile and is heavily supported so you do not have to worry about it going away any time soon.