How To Host a VNC Session (Dojo Style)

This page documents how to host a VNC session as a teacher. For instructions on joining a session as a student are here. Regardless of your platform, you will need a VNC application and a broadband connection to teach. We use a VNC reflector though, so don't worry about your home internet being swamped by viewers: you just need to make a single connection to the lesson server and everyone else will view through there.

Platform-specific instructions after the jump.

Windows

UltraVNC

1. Download and install UltraVNC (http://www.ultravnc.com)
2. You need only install VNC Viewer and VNC Server
3. After install is complete, you should have a blue eye icon in your systray (by the clock). (If you installed UltraVNC to run as a service, you must run the Service Helper application (in the programs menu) to get the blue eye icon).
4. Right-click the blue eye icon and choose "Admin Properties"
5. Configure a password if you prefer to keep random strangers out (this password will not be necessary for your presentation
6. Check the option for "Disable Viewer Input" --- I'm pretty sure this should be 'Check'--samtresler
7. Click 'ok' to save the changes and exit
8. Right-click the blue eye icon again and choose "Add new client".
9. Enter host "webavant.com:5901", "webavant.com:5902" or "webavant.com:5903" depending on which room you want to present from
10. Click 'ok', and you're on live!

Linux / Unix

Reportedly, RealVNC, http://www.realvnc.com supports the same option of forcing a reverse connection (from host to proxy on webavant.com).

Gitso
You can use Gitso to initiate an outgoing server connection in Linux if you want to share your screen for a webcast.

1. Download and install Gitso from here: http://code.google.com/p/gitso
2. Launch Gitso and enter the listening VNC address and port "webavant.com:5901", "webavant.com:5902" or "webavant.com:5903" and click Connect.

Thanks to Richard Bailey for these steps.

Macintosh OS X

VineServer 2.1

1. Download and install Vine Server 2.1 (http://sourceforge.net/projects/osxvnc/).
2. After install is complete, launch Vine Server.
3. Under the 'Sharing' tab, disable remote control of your keyboard and mouse.
4. Under the 'Connection' tab of the Vine Server dialogue box, configure a password if you prefer to keep random strangers out (this password will not be necessary for your presentation.
5. Below, look for the 'Reverse Connection' settings. For the 'Host Name or IP' field, enter host "webavant.com"
6. Next, enter 5901, 5902 or 5903 in the 'Port' field, depending on which room you want to present from.
7. Click 'connect', and you're on live!

Testing Connectivity

Browse to http://www.webavant.com/vncviewer, http://www.webavant.com/dojo1, http://www.webavant.com/dojo2 or http://www.webavant.com/dojo3 depending on which room you're in and you should see a loopback type of effect as if you were aiming a video camera at the monitor that it is displaying on. That is a good thing. You are ready to begin your presentation. (I have created two extra dojo rooms for the OSCMS Summit 2007)

_{Please if you have any experience with other OSes and/or VNC server apps edit this page and add your instructions.}