Can anyone help with this please...

I need to be able to remotely access a Windows program that will will running under Windows on a Mac, via VNC.

Is this possible?

Would the best option be dual booting the Mac (boot camp) or a virtural machine (Parallels)?

So the host is a Windows machine and the client is a MAC.. and you want remote access..

Should be.

Get something like Tight VNC or Ultra VNC (IIRC both of these have Client and Server elements to them). Install onto Windows and run the server, configure it.

Then on the MAC you need a VNC client - a quick google showed me 2 - Jollys Fast VNC and Chicken Of The VNC.

Install and run then connect to the IP of the windows machine.

With regards dual boot / virtualisation... That all depends on what you want..

I swear by Virtualisation - as I can easily copy / paste and switch between OS 1 and OS 2 (Linux and Windows for me) without having to restart. If you need speed though - e.g. playing games, then I'd suggest dual booting.

Edited 24 August, 201015 yr by HotRod

Or you can use a mac client for windows remote desktop

http://www.microsoft.com/mac/products/remote-desktop/default.mspx

Nothing needs to be installed on the PC

Or you can use a mac client for windows remote desktop

http://www.microsoft...op/default.mspx

Nothing needs to be installed on the PC

That would depend on the Win OS - I don't think Win7 Home has Remote Desktop capabilities.

But yes - if your WIn OS allows RDP, then you could do this.

Thanks guys - RDP is out of the question, it has to be VNC...

If dual booting then a Windows client is all that is needed, correct?

If a virtual machine, then the Mac client would enable access to the virtual PC just as it would any other program, correct? Would the incming ports need to be opened on the Mac (as well as the Router)?

Thanks guys - RDP is out of the question, it has to be VNC...

If dual booting then a Windows client is all that is needed, correct?

If a virtual machine, then the Mac client would enable access to the virtual PC just as it would any other program, correct? Would the incming ports need to be opened on the Mac (as well as the Router)?

If client and server are on different machines, then yes - you can dual boot as the server (Win_1) will have the VNC host running, and you connect to it from either your MAC OS or your Win OS on your local machine - just makew sure install VNC Client software on both.

If server and client are on the same physical machine - then Dual booting is not an option, as the VNC host and client both can never be running at the same time. You will need to virtualise using Parallels, VMWare or some other Virtualisation software.

In this case install your base OS (Mac I assume) on the bare metal machine as the primary (and only) boot.

Install parallels on Mac.

Create new Virtualised Machine and installa Windows on this.

Install VNC Server on the windows virtual machine, run and configure it (dont forget to allow access through the Win firewall).

Install VNC client on the Mac OS.

Connect to it from the Mac VNC client via IP - Not being a mac person, I don't know how parallels handles IP's - but it must have one. Probably a 192 addres.

Can I ask why you need to run VNC to access the server if they are both local? Latest Parallels supports seameless integration..

you can drag / drop between OS, plus USB devices and share them, and windows apps look like they are running in mac.

I sue VMWare and it has the same mode - called Unity in that. No idea what it's called in Mac.

Woops - got my client and server bits mixed up here! Sorry...

The Mac (server) will be one side of the country running Sage (under Windows), while a PC user located the other side of the country needs the remote access to Sage via VNC.

Why VNC. It is horribly insecure.

Do you have a static IP on the server? (no? logmein.com)

Do you have money to solve the problem with? (yes? citrix)

Right..

Then yes, I agree with Rocket Surgeon.

VNC is insecure and I wouldn't use it for anything other than internal use (e.g. within a firewall).

RDP would be the better option, but as you say, if you don't have that as an option.

Hmm.. I would see if there was another option, as the server is running Business software (sage), I'd want to ensure it's secured - either via some other method mate.

Can you not create an SSL tunnel connection to the server? and then use VNC across this?

VNC over SSH is secure, but it is still VNC (which is just OK).

You are going to need a static IP really for this, otherwise look at services like logmein.com

VNC over a dedicated office to office VPN link would be ideal.

You would want to allocate a good amount of bandwidth to that link though so you don't get nasty lag.

What is the network topo here? Are you on an internal WAN or is this over the internet? Is the Mac Server internet facing in a DMZ? Do you have a client to site solution or does it need a Site to Site VPN? Are their network firewalls need to be configured? Looks like this needs to be secure.... and VNC is hmmm not!