Moved my parents from Ubuntu to OpenSuse recently but they’re having problems. Hoping to avoid a 500km round trip to fix things up for them, so wondering what the best option would be in terms of remote access to their desktop.
Getting nowhere with the descriptions I’m getting on the phone so need something that let’s me see their computer screen and take control. Also has to be pretty easy to set up from their end, if that’s possible.
I’ve never bothered doing anything like this before and there seems to be 1000 options - any recommendations that might fit the bill in this case?
blairm wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> Moved my parents from Ubuntu to OpenSuse recently but they’re having
> problems. Hoping to avoid a 500km round trip to fix things up for them,
> so wondering what the best option would be in terms of remote access to
> their desktop.
I would go with ssh.
It requires that you have their ip address to contact and that their ssh
daemon is listening.
You are not telling how they connect to the Net but ssh port needs to be
accessible, so in case of NAT you’ll need port forwarding.
> Getting nowhere with the descriptions I’m getting on the phone so need
> something that let’s me see their computer screen and take control.
Once you set up ssh connection you can do that, it’s then the easy part
> Also
> has to be pretty easy to set up from their end, if that’s possible.
> I’ve never bothered doing anything like this before and there seems to
> be 1000 options - any recommendations that might fit the bill in this
> case?
>
You could email them the needed commands, which they then could
copy/paste to a terminal.
To set up ssh they need the root password, could be mailed to them, too.
In case of NAT you also need the stuff for their (I’m assuming) ADSL box
configuration.
Vahis
http://waxborg.servepics.com
openSUSE 11.4 (x86_64) 2.6.37.6-0.11-default main host
openSUSE 12.1 (x86_64) 3.2.4-6-desktop Tumbleweed in VirtualBox
openSUSE 12.1 (i586) 3.1.9-1.4-desktop in EeePC 900
> Getting nowhere with the descriptions I’m getting on the phone so need
> something that let’s me see their computer screen and take control.
You mean you want see the desktop? I would try teamviewer; it is not free
but for private use it is “gratis”, and no need to configure routers. I
have not tried the Linux version, but they claim to have one. Try it first
where you are.
For most admin work an ssh session is more than enough. With X11 forwarding
if you need graphics. But at least you need to setup the router.
> Also
> has to be pretty easy to set up from their end, if that’s possible.
> I’ve never bothered doing anything like this before and there seems to
> be 1000 options - any recommendations that might fit the bill in this
> case?
Most tools require you prepare them in advance, so an initial trip or a
difficult (for them) setup is unavoidable.
–
Cheers / Saludos,
Carlos E. R.
(from 11.4 x86_64 “Celadon” at Telcontar)
DenverD wrote:
> On 02/07/2012 08:46 AM, blairm wrote:
>>
>> any recommendations that might fit the bill in this case?
>
> step one: do not give them the root password
If ssh is not yet set up, the root password will be needed.
I would change it afterwards, but we are not quite there yet
>
> step two: instead set up sudoers to let them run in security patches and
> install software (if they can do that)
I’m supporting a couple of machines with “no-knowledge-users”
They can’t do anything in their systems at all. I won’t let them.
I have a couple of simple scripts running in them to run patches without
them knowing about it.
Vahis
http://waxborg.servepics.com
openSUSE 11.4 (x86_64) 2.6.37.6-0.11-default main host
openSUSE 12.1 (x86_64) 3.2.4-6-desktop Tumbleweed in VirtualBox
openSUSE 12.1 (i586) 3.1.9-1.4-desktop in EeePC 900
Will try TeamViewer first, since it seems the simplest solution if it works; if not, will make the trip to my parents and try to set up the ssh with x11 forwarding.
Have considered limiting their permissions, but they’ve been running Ubuntu with full permissions - updating when recommended and installing programs at will - without problems for several years.
