VNC vs Terminal Services, what's the difference?

[Kal525]

After seeing something on the front page here the other day about a new VNC client and the screen shots that accompanied it, it really sparked my interest. I read about it on the given links but I am kind of confused about the difference between VNC and the microsoft Terminal Services client used to connect to something like remote desktop. From what I can gather VNC is sort of like an advanced X server in which applications do not terminate even if the remote machine crashes, but isn't this exactly what terminal services does, basically just routes you to the server desktop? I have an ipaq 4150 and although I'm not sure if the terminal services client on it is similar to the windows one it appears as though I would be able to connect to a remote desktop on my computer. Could anyone explain the differences and which one would be better suited to connect to a remote machine?

Thanks

[DimensionZero]

The main difference between VNC and Terminal Services is that Terminal services starts a new session in the background of the active desktop allowing for multiple users to login to a given server.

VNC would be better compared to pcAnywhere which relays the active desktop. VNC can also be used on multiple platforms as you can see on the download page, there's a bunch of different OS's that the server can be installed on.

I know with remote desktop it too takes the active session but locks out the local computer (if i remember correctly...)

[gtmtnbiker98]

For those not running XP Professional, the VNC Server (which is free) provides a remote solution for those running older OS's as well as for those running XP Home. I have recommended it to several individuals.

[Janak Parekh]

The main difference between VNC and Terminal Services is that Terminal services starts a new session in the background of the active desktop allowing for multiple users to login to a given server.
Not on XP.

Kal525, you've got your analogy backwards. RDP (the protocol used for Terminal Services and Remote Desktop) is much closer to X than VNC is -- it integrates at the lower levels of the graphics API in Windows. VNC, on the other hand, is more of a "remote control" solution, as gtmtnbiker98 points out. (This is not 100% true, as VNC works differently on UNIX and Windows, but I'm not going to get into the nitty-gritty. ;))

From a practical standpoint, RDP is much, much faster than VNC is, but the server-side is only available on some Windows platforms (Windows 2000 Server, Windows XP Pro, Windows Server 2003, unless you count Citrix solutions).

--janak

[Kowalski]

OK can someone refernce a starting point for terminal services? i looked to the help file and as usual i understood nothing
am i dumb???

[Janak Parekh]

When in doubt, :google:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/howto/gomobile/remotedesktop/default.asp is a simple guide to using Remote Desktop on XP.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/technologies/terminal/default.asp is a much more detailed "enterprise-level" description. There's also a WS2k3 version: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/technologies/terminalservices/default.mspx

--janak

[Ed Hansberry]

unless you count Citrix solutions).
Citrix requires Windows TS to work. they just turbocharge it. That started with NT 4 TS Edition. On NT 3.5x, Citrix was the only way to accomplish it in Windows.

[Janak Parekh]

Citrix requires Windows TS to work. they just turbocharge it. That started with NT 4 TS Edition. On NT 3.5x, Citrix was the only way to accomplish it in Windows.
Well, I was trying to keep the explanation simple. ;) But you're right with respect to NT4TSE (although it's not currently available). And in fact, Citrix provides ICA, not RDP.

--janak

[T-Will]

When in doubt, :google:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/howto/gomobile/remotedesktop/default.asp is a simple guide to using Remote Desktop on XP.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/technologies/terminal/default.asp is a much more detailed "enterprise-level" description. There's also a WS2k3 version: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/technologies/terminalservices/default.mspx

--janak

I wish I had that first link the other day when I couldn't figure out why I couldn't get Remote Desktop to work (I didn't check the box that says "Allow users to connect..." :roll: But I've got it all working now. :D

One question...

How secure are either of these solutions (RDP and VNC)? Lets say someone figures out that I have ports open, how easy would it be to break my password or use some exploit to gain access?


I mean two questions...

Also, is it possible to connect to Remote Desktop through a different port other than the default 3389?