[ubuntu-uk] Remote support using VNC over SSH (via another SSH server)

[Rob Beard]

Hi folks,

I'm struggling here to configure VNC forwarding over SSH so I can 
provide remote support to my mum.

Basically what I want to achieve is to be able for my mum to double 
click an icon on her desktop and have VNC sit there and wait for a 
connection from me.

However, I'd like the connection to go via one of my virtual servers 
over an SSH connection.  I'd then like to be able to connect into my 
virtual SSH server from my laptop and have it pick up the VNC session.

I want to do it this way so I'm not restricted to only one machine that 
can accept the remote connection, and I also want to be able to connect 
in and provide support when I'm out (say using public wifi or a 3G 
connection).

I've tried it with Gitso but I can't get it to work, in fact I can't get 
Gitso to work without a third machine in the way.  I realise I could 
just open up some ports on my mum's router but I'd like to avoid that.  
I'd rather her machine connect to my server.

I'm getting a bit confused with the way SSH forwarding works now.  For 
one I can't figure out what commands I need to use at each end.  I've 
tried using ssh -L on my laptop and ssh -R -g on the remote machine and 
also the other way around but I'm stumped now and wondering if it's even 
possible?

I'm not sure if it's the right way of going about this but I guess I'd 
like the following to happen...


----------------        ----------        -------------
| Mum's laptop |  --->  | Server |  <---  | My Laptop |
----------------        ----------        -------------

Mum's laptop forwards it's port 5900 to my server via SSH.  My laptop 
then connects to my server via SSH, picks up my mum's port 5900 and then 
hands it over to vncviewer on my laptop.

Does anyone know if this is possible?

Ta,

Rob