VNC on OSX

VNC (Virtual Networking Computing) ON MAC OSX
by Evashini Naidoo

The main reason for me writing this paper is because i honestly had a very hard time installing the vine server. The installation was a success BUT i wanted the vine server to run automatically in the background so the vine server application does not pop up on the users screen. I just couldn't get it to run in the background after i rebooted the machine. So i have to say this was a big challenge for me. A very nice learning experience.

So lets get started, only after much playing around with the settings i finally got it right. This is what i found:
-I found out that the key to running the vine server in the background is to start the SYSTEM SERVER.

You may ask what is a SYSTEM SERVER? A SYSTEM SERVER is a vnc server that runs independently for mac user accounts. When you use a system server, it starts running every time a mac is rebooted. The server starts silently without launching the vine server application. A vine server is a full featured VNC server for Mac OS X. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED!

Installing & Setting up the vine server

Download the latest version of Vine Server @ : http://www.redstonesoftware.com/products/vine/server/vineosx/index.html
Click on the downloaded .dmg file, this will launch the vine server.
Click on vine server application this will open up the vine server configuration panel.
Setting up the Vine Server:-

In the configuration panel, Select the Connection configuration:
In the option for display number : choose a number, i selected auto
The number you choose here + 5900 will be the port that will be used.
The port field reflects your choice for the port eg. If you choose 2 in the display number then the value in the port field will reflect 5902
If you choose auto then the vine server will start at 5900 & checks every port until it finds a port that is available for the new vine server
Password field : fill in a password. This password will be used by the person connecting via vnc to open a connection to the mac. Anyone who attempts to vnc onto a mac must provide this password entered here.
In the display name field: Type the name that the remote station would connect to this mac via vnc

In the System Configuration, System configuration includes settings that will affect the way VNC display & mouse the behaves under VNC viewer control.
Display settings : There are 3 options but you only select the ffg

Allow display dimming
Allow screen saver to start.
Swap mouse button 2 & 3 is selected by default.

In the Sharing Configuration, Sharing Configuration governs the number of simultaneous connections the VNC server allows & the degree of control you allow VNC viewers.

Tick Advertise server via Bonjour

Under server sharing, these settings determine whether you allow single or multiple simultaneous VNC connections.

Tick Allow only one VNC connection at a time

In the Start-up Configuration, Start-up configuration controls the conditions under which vine server automatically starts or stops the VNC server.

Tick restart server if it terminates unexpectedly.

Now back to the main point of the VNC set-up, STARTING THE SYSTEM SERVER
This is so simple but because i did not know what the system server was, i had no clue that this runs the vine server in the background. Basically make sure all the settings in the connection, system, sharing & start-up configuration panel are correct. To start the system server just click on start system server

You will be asked to enter a username & password. This username & password will be the one that was created for that particular mac you installing vine server on. This starts the vnc to automatically start when the computer reboots.

Make certain it says Startup Item Configured Started (boxed in RED)
Click Start Server located at the bottom of startup configuration (boxed in BLUE)
Once you have clicked on Start Server make certain it says server running & not the server is not running (boxed in GREEN). Only after clicking start server will it say the server is running.

Lastly, quit the vine server by pressing apple+Q and Restart your computer (this will start the system server in the background). Now to access it all you need is the ip address or the computer name and you can vnc onto the machine. You can use tightvnc if you using a windows or Linux machine to vnc onto another machine and if you using a mac machine then use cotvnc as a vnc viewer.