Networking hassles on a home network

[Patton Echols]

On 10/25/2009 01:33 AM, Carl Friis-Hansen wrote:
> On Sun, October 25, 2009 08:18, Joshua Solomin wrote:
>   
>> Thanks to those who advised me to install the Desktop version.  I did,
>> and now I'm onto my next hassle:  I have a home network behind a
>> wireless router, and I want to be able to see the different computers
>> -- a desktop and a laptop both running Windows Vista, in addition to
>> my Ubuntu machine.  On the good side the Ubuntu system can access the
>> Internet via the router, so I know the network is at least functional.
>>
>> I know I need to set up and configure Samba to get file sharing.  But
>> even before that I wanted to set up remote access from the Vista
>> laptop to the Ubuntu system (SSH, VNC, that sort of thing), and that
>> part's not really working right now.  From Vista, I can ping the IP
>> address but not the hostname of the Ubuntu box, and I can't SSH to it
>> under either IP or hostname.
>>
>> Any advice on the best way to get the remote access working to this
>> fresh Ubuntu install?  Or is this a Windows, or a router, question?
>>     
>
> IP to hostname resolving can be done in the router (probably your wireless
> thing) or you can do it on the individual machines in case you use static
> addresses.  My recommendation is to use the router, where you in the
> router's menu can find the connected machines and their names.
> SSh works fine with IP address alone like "mylogin at 192.168.0.123". 
> However, you need open ssh server installed:
> $ sudo aptitude install openssh-server
> as only the ssh-client is installed by default.
>
>   

You may not need ssh for what you want.  See lbelow.  But if you will be 
transmitting over an insecure network then There are lots of places you 
can look for help configuring ssh server.  Also try google for "ssh port 
forwarding" and "ssh remote desktop"  Here are a couple :
https://help.ubuntu.com/6.06/ubuntu/serverguide/C/openssh-server.html
and
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SSH/OpenSSH/PortForwarding

If you are on an internal network - like in your home.  Then you don't 
really need ssh.  Two steps:

First, on the ubuntu box, enable remote desktop access.   System | 
Preferences | Remote Desktop.  Check the applicable boxes, then
Second, connect using a VNC client on Vista.  The XP remote desktop 
client does not seem to be able to connect.  But there are free clients 
available.  Just be sure it is from a trusted source.

--P