Is this right ? (Simple connections question)

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around establishing a remote connection to a local PC via a dial-up modem, specifically using Windows XP. Participants explore various methods for remote access, including traditional dial-up connections and alternative solutions like Remote Desktop and VNC.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant seeks clarification on whether the local PC is ready to negotiate connections when the phone rings and what the login process will entail from the remote PC.
  • Another participant suggests using Remote Desktop Connection for accessing offsite PCs, noting it provides a direct view of the remote desktop.
  • There is a discussion about the necessity of host software on the local machine for applications to pop up after logging in.
  • Some participants express skepticism about the feasibility of using Remote Desktop over a modem, emphasizing that it typically requires an IP address over the internet.
  • One participant proposes using VNC or SSHD services as alternatives to dial-up, suggesting they provide secure access without the limitations of traditional modem connections.
  • A participant mentions attempting to use an FTP server for file transfers but encounters issues with service provider firewalls blocking access to their IP address.
  • There is a technical note about PPTP functioning over ISDN and PSTN, indicating it does not necessarily require IP.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the practicality and effectiveness of using dial-up connections versus modern alternatives like VNC or SSH. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the best approach for remote access through a modem.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight limitations related to the need for specific host software and the challenges posed by firewalls from internet service providers. There is also mention of the technicalities of protocols like PPTP and PPP, which may not be fully understood by all participants.

nameta9
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I want to try to connect to my local PC from a remote location through the telephone. So on the local PC, I go about creating a new connection (Windows XP) that accepts "incoming calls" and a given guest user that I will be when I call from the remote site. It seems to work somewhat (I hear the modem work when I call the phone number to which my local PC is connected to after I pick up the phone) but I don't undestand:

1) When the phone rings at the local PC and I pick it up, is the local PC ready to negotiate with the remote one ?

1) will I be given a kind of login screen on the remote PC when I dial into enter my guest username and password, or from the remote machine do I dial in normally as I would do with any internet service provider only with my local phone number used?

2) what applications will pop up on the remote PC after I log in ?

This is a bit confusing, because it is not well explained on the internet
 
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If you are using Windows XP, why not look into the Remote Desktop Connection. It's under Accessories...Communication. I use it every day to access an offsite PC to collect data. When the new window pops up, I see exactly what you would see looking at the other PC's monitor. It is no different.
 
I will look into that. What I still don't get is:

1) When the phone rings at the local PC and I pick it up, is the local PC ready to negotiate with the remote one ?

2) what applications will pop up on the remote PC after I log in ?

Since I am using "remote connection" from remote PC to the local PC telephone number like any internet access, I guess that is where I enter username and password, so this question seems clear. Thanks for any answers!
 
The negotiation depends on the protocol you opt to use... over PSTN (analogue phone lines) you can use PPTP (M$ implementation)...

http://www.microsoft.com/ntserver/ProductInfo/faqs/PPTPfaq.asp
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Nothing's going to pop up unless the local machine is running some kind of host software to make something pop up.

I'm pretty sure Microsoft's Remote Desktop Connection has no provision for the host machine to be connected through a modem. The remote machine has to log in by IP address over the internet, not by dialing into a modem. And I think the same applies to PPTP.

Symantec pcAnywhere will do this for you. Unfortunately it's not cheap. Here's a link to their manual. Look at page 54:
ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/english_us_canada/products/pcanywhere/11.5/manuals/pcauser.pdf
 
Last edited:
gnome said:
Nothing's going to pop up unless the local machine is running some kind of host software to make something pop up.

I'm pretty sure Microsoft's Remote Desktop Connection has no provision for the host machine to be connected through a modem. The remote machine has to log in by IP address over the internet, not by dialing into a modem. And I think the same applies to PPTP.

That is a good point. I didn't think about that. All of our computers are in one way hooked up to our LAN. I'll have to check on that.
 
Instead of using a dialup service to your computer, I would instead leave it online and install either a VNC or SSHD service on your home computer, and when you go some place else you can just go online via AOL or some free internet service providers - and simply use program like PuTTY to securely SSH login to your home computer, using encryption, or use VNC to 'see' the desktop
 
Thanks for your suggestions! I want to just connect the 2 PCs through dial up modem. The simplest possible connection and the Microsoft connection wizards seem to give me everything I need. I just need to transfer files between them. Could I use Hyperterminal or see the remote PC through internet explorer ?

I tried an even simpler solution with an FTP server on the local PC, so I could transfer files through ftp when I am on the internet, but the service providers have firewalls that prevent internet users to access my IP address. I don't know why they don't allow outside users to ftp to my machine...
 
And I think the same applies to PPTP.

PPTP works over ISDN and PSTN and has nothing to do with IP... PPP protocols do not need IP, this is why when using OSPF between 2 serially connected Routers you don't need to issue IP addresses on the INT's directly connected, It's called IP unnumbered and is used to conserve IP addresses.
 

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