NetworkStreaming How-To

Copyright © 2002-2004 NetworkStreaming
NetworkStreaming Redistribution Prohibited
All Rights Reserved
www.networkstreaming.com

  1. Included Files
  2. Initial Configuration
  3. Basic Use
  4. Advanced Options
    1. “Share Session” Function
    2. Technician-Initiated Inbound Connections
    3. Remote Users Without Administrative Rights
    4. Desktop Background Suppression and Reboot/Auto-Reconnect
    5. Transferring a Network Streaming Session

 

  1. Your Network Streaming license includes these files:
  2. Initial Configuration
    1. Run the "engineer.exe" file on your computer. This file is the listener and listens by default on port 5500 or 443 for incoming NetworkStreaming sessions. You will know the listener is running when a blue NetworkStreaming icon appears in your system tray. If no icon appears and you receive an error message, then you may be running Internet Information Services (IIS) which will cause the listener to be unable to activate on port 443. You must stop and disable the World Wide Web Publishing Service in Services Control Panel and then install the listener.
    2. In order for your customer to give you control, he or she must run the “customer.exe” file that has your IP address or DNS name built-in. This file will connect to the “engineer.exe” listener on the port specified in the file name (443 or 5500 by default). When the customer runs the “customer.exe” file, a session is initiated outbound from the customer, so no configuration is required to the customer's firewall. If you will only be using Network Streaming behind the same firewall/NAT/router as your customers, or if you are not behind a firewall/NAT/router, then the “engineer.exe” listener will be able to receive connections and give you control of your customer's systems without configuration to your network and you may skip to step D.
    3. To support customers that are outside of your firewall/NAT/router, you must forward the port number listed on your “engineer.exe” file from the public (outside) IP address of your firewall/NAT/router to the private (inside) IP address of your computer. This configuration routes Network Streaming traffic inbound to your system through your firewall/NAT/router. Also, either disable or reconfigure all your personal firewalls, including Windows XP's firewall, to ensure that they are not blocking Network Streaming sessions.
      1. If you need the ability to take control of remote systems located both on your LAN and outside your network, refer to “Share Session” Function of Advanced Options below for a temporary solution, or refer to Configuration Scenarios of the User Guide.
      2. If you have multiple engineers using Network Streaming behind the same network firewall, please refer to section 3 of Configuration Scenarios in the User's Guide.
    4. It is recommended that you post the "customer.exe" file on your website for your customer to download. Please refer to www.networkstreaming.com/help/code.html . This enables you to gain control of your customer's systems by simply directing them to a website and having them open your “customer.exe” file. If you choose to send your “customer.exe” file via email, you must zip the file before sending it and have your customer unzip it before opening. Due to the number of additional steps required for both the engineer and the customer, emailing the file is not recommended.

  3. Basic Use
    1. Activate the NetworkStreaming Listner to listen for connections, and then direct your customer to your “customer.exe” file. When your customer opens your file, it will install automatically and initiate a session outbound to your IP address or DNS name.
    2. Your listener will receive the connection and the customer's desktop will appear as a window on your screen with the remote computer's name and IP address displayed in the top bar of the window. Once connected, you are able to work on the remote system as though actually at your customer's console. The button bar at the top of the window enables you to perform various functions such as send a Ctrl/Alt/Delete to the remote system, transfer files, or chat with your remote user. Right-clicking the title bar will display a list of additional options. The “auto-scale screen” option, along with a number of other options, is only available by right-clicking the title bar. (Note) If the customer's screen does not appear on your desktop, consult Troubleshooting in the User Guide.
    3. At the end of the session, you (the technician) must uninstall NetworkStreaming by right-clicking blue, NetworkStreaming icon located in the customer's system tray and selecting “uninstall NetworkStreaming ”. You may also uninstall NetworkStreaming from your customer's system through Add/Remove Programs. A message box will appear on your customer's system that confirms that NetworkStreaming has been completely uninstalled. (Note) Simply diactivating the connection will not uninstall NetworkStreaming and the session will reconnect to you automatically when the customer next reboots.

  4. Advanced Options
    1. “Share Session” Function
      If you need to use NetworkStreaming from a location other than the IP address or DNS name built into your file (and listed in the file name), and your file is not built for a Dynamic DNS name, then wait for the connection to time out (20 seconds) and then tell the customer to right-click the blue NetworkStreaming icon in their system tray and click "Share session". A dialog box will be displayed for the customer to type in the IP address of your computer or firewall/NAT/router. The customer must add one colon and the port number that you are listening on after your IP address (ex: 65.54.43.32:443). If you frequently use NetworkStreaming from locations other than your main office, then sign up for a free Dynamic DNS service such as www.no-ip.com (recommended) or www.dyndns.org and request that NetworkStreaming build you a file that points to your Dynamic DNS name rather than your IP address. You can find more information regarding Dynamic DNS in the Configuration Scenarios section of your NetworkStreaming User's Guide.
    2. Engineer-Initiated Inbound Connections
      If you need to leave Network Streaming running on a customer's computer/server to enable you to access it later, then you will need to set a password on the computer/server. To do this, double-click the blue, NetworkStreaming icon in the server's system tray to open the “Current User Properties" dialog box. Set a password and then click "OK". Then click Start>Run and type "winvnc - defaultsettings " to open the "Default Local System Properties" dialog box. Set the same password as before and then click "OK". The computer/server will now accept incoming connections initiated by you. Next, double-click the listener running in your system tray to open the "Connection" dialog box. Type in the IP address or DNS name of the computer/server and then click "Connect". Type the password and then click "Log On". Inbound connections will not work if the computer/server is behind a firewall unless you have a VPN to the customer's network .
    3. Remote Users Without Administrative Rights
      If the customer does not have administrative rights to their local machine, NetworkStreaming will run as an application rather than install as a system . If you need to log off or reboot the remote system without losing the session while you are connected using NetworkStreaming as an application, you will need to download the “customer.exe” file to the customer's machine and then right-click the file and select “Run as" to rerun the customer executable as an administrator. (Note: if you are using Win2000, you must hold down the Shift key when you right-click the file in order to select the “Run as” command).
    4. Desktop Background Suppression and Reboot/Auto-Reconnect
      By default, Network Streaming suppresses the desktop background of the remote machine during a session to speed the screen refresh rate. If for any reason the desktop background is still displayed during the session, then disable the desktop background temporarily in Display Properties. When Network Streaming automatically reconnects after a reboot of the remote computer, the desktop background is not suppressed and performance will decrease. To suppress the background after an automatic reconnect, simply close the viewer window and the customer's computer will automatically reinitiate the connection to you with the desktop background suppressed.
    5. Transferring a Network Streaming session
      NetworkStreaming enables you to hand off a remote session to another support technician. To do this, right-click the blue, NetworkStreaming icon in the remote computer's system tray and select “Share session”. Type in the public IP address of the other support technician followed by one colon and the listening port number of the other technician (ex. 65.54.43.32:443). The other support technician must be running the listener and have traffic forwarded to his private IP address on the correct port number for the listener.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
Network Streaming is stand-alone, proprietary, closed source software that works in conjunction with the Ultr@VNC SourceForge Project Code base. Network Streaming includes a free, yet supported distribution of the Ultr@VNC binaries released under the GNU GPL. Source code for all GNU GPL components is available by emailing info@networkstreaming.com .
Network Streaming wishes to gratefully acknowledge the dedication, contributions, and work of:
Joel Bomgaars - Network Streaming : Copyright © 2002-2004, The Ultr@VNC Team: Copyright © 2002-2004, Sam – eSVNC : Copyright © 2001-2002, Rudi D. V. – VdaccVNC : Copyright © 1999-2002, Harakan Software - PalmVNC Copyright © 2001, Const. Kaplinsky – TightVNC: Copyright © 1999-2002, RealVNC Ltd. – RealVNC: Copyright © 2002, VNC QuickDesk : Copyright © 2002, Tridia Corporation – TridiaVNC: Copyright © 1999-2002, AT&T Laboratories Cambridge/Olivetti Research Ltd. – VNC: Copyright © 1994-2001, Info-ZIP: Copyright © 1990-2002
Markus Franz Xaver Johannes Oberhumer - Mini LZO Library: Copyright © 1996-2002
Ultr@VNC 1.0.0 RC 14 - Win32 - Feb. 2004
Copyright (C) 2002-2004 Ultr@VNC Team - All rights reserved
This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.
You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.
If the source code for the program is not available from the place from which you received this file, check http://ultravnc.sourceforge.net/
The authors shall not in any way be liable for any damage or legal consequences as a result of using this software. We make absolutly no warranties about the reliability of this software. Use it at your own risks !