Remote Support / VNC Screen Sharing

Getting Started :: Features :: Document Downloads :: Tips :: Support Home
Need more help: send email to support@hens-teeth.net, phone (866)HENS-NET or (636)447-3030, AIM HTNSupport, or MSN-IM support@hens-teeth.net.

Getting Started

Often, the best way to debug a problem is to have someone else look over your shoulder at your screen as you work. Hen's Teeth Network offers remote support to our clients using VNC. There are many versions of VNC available for virtually all operating systems, including both Mac and Windows. We recommend TightVNC, an efficient and free version.

To allow HTN personnel to look at your screen, you will install the VNC server and "invite" the HTN computer to connect to yours. When you are finished working with HTN, you will close the VNC server, eliminating any possibility of another computer connecting to yours without your permission.

Installing TightVNC on Windows

Download the TightVNC software from either this site or from TightVNC's site. (See Document Downloads below for links.)
Install the TightVNC server. Some virus scanning software falsely identifies TightVNC as a virus/adware/spyware; dismiss these warnings and install it anyway. More information is available here. We also invite you to telephone HTN and discuss the specific warning message you are seeing.

Connecting to an HTN Support Specialist

Start the VNC server (not the listener).
Connect to the HTN support specialist's computer by adding a client to your server. On Windows, you do this by right-clicking on the VNC server icon in the lower, right corner of your screen and selecting "Add New Client."
When you are finished with TightVNC, right-click on the VNC server icon and select "Clocse VNC."

Features

Not applicable.

Document Downloads

TightVNC v. 1.2.9 for Windows. 945 KB.

Versions for additional operating systems are available at the TightVNC web site.

Tips

Unless you plan to use the VNC server very frequently, do not install it as a "service" which starts automatically when Windows boots. Simply run it from the Start menu when you need it and shut it down when you are done.