Logging Into Remote Computers Using VNC
You need VNC client software to use IMSE computers remotely. You can
download a viewer program right here
from IMSE, or you can
download from SourceForge.
These will work for Windows; if you have an Apple Macintosh computer, you
should probably use Chicken of the VNC,
which natively supports OS X. If you prefer a different VNC client than TightVNC,
you can of course use your preferred client instead.
If you download from IMSE or SourceForge, you do not need to install the
software. Just unzip the file you downloaded and run "vncviewer.exe". This
is the program that lets you connect to the remote computer. You must fill
in the hostname for the remote computer (this will be given by the
instructor), and you can set some connection options. If using TightVNC, I
recommend selecting the "low bandwidth connection" option; you should get
better response times with this selected. If the viewer successfully
connects, you will be asked for the connection password, which you will also
get from your instructor.
Once logged in, you see the desktop of the remote computer just as if you
were sitting in front of it. There are a few differences - occasionally you
will notice that the screen does not draw things correctly. This can usually
be remedied by minimizing the viewer window, then restoring it. This forces
the entire screen to redraw.
Notes About Sharing Remote Computers
Only one person can be connected to a computer at a time. On some systems,
new connections will be denied if someone is already connected. On others,
the person currently using the computer will be disconnected when someone new
connects. So if you connect to a computer only to find something already
running, and are quickly disconnected, this would probably mean that someone
else is currently using that computer.
Also, the remote access computers are used by more than one class. If you
connect to a computer and find software already running, we ask that you leave
it alone and try connecting to a different computer. If necessary, try again
later. If you cannot find an open computer, send an email to the IMSE
administrators at admin@imse.ksu.edu
or to your instructor. We will clear the computer if possible and will let
you know when it is available. Some classes use software that must remain
running for several hours or days on end; we will let you know when a computer
is reserved for this.
On the same note, please close all software when you are finished, so that
others will know the computer is free. You do not need to logout from the
computer. A single shared logon is used on these computers.
