How to control LAN users?

[Bob Goodwin]

Styma, Robert E (Robert) wrote:
>  
>   
>>> You would like to be able to shut down or disable the machines
>>> without having to go to the machine.  This implies that you have
>>> a way of knowing that the user has left without actually checking.
>>> You would become unpopular if you remotely shut down their machine
>>> while they were in the middle of doing something.
>>>   
>>>       
>> Shutting down the machines would work for me, there might be some 
>> unhappiness but I could deal with that, but what I'm really 
>> looking for 
>> is a way to open the connection to the internet at my 
>> discretion.  I've 
>> already blocked a number of sites via the router but I never 
>> know what 
>> they are connecting to or what might be streaming data when the 
>> computers are idle, that's my prime concern.
>>     
>
> Real VNC is easy to install on the windows boxes.  vncviewer is
> available on all the FC installs.  If vncviewer is not in /usr/bin,
> yum install vnc
> should do the trick.
>
> The windows versions of vnc can be downloaded from:
> http://www.realvnc.com/
> It installs and you put it in service mode.  You have that
> option on the install.  You can take the default options and
> set a password.
>
> On you linux box, you can run:
> vncviewer otherbox:0
>
> (the :0 is optional if you took the defaults)
> You will get prompted for the password, and then the remote
> desktop will appear.  I use this across ssh tunnels to help
> out some windows friends when they get stuck.  It is easier than
> talking them through a problem blind.
>
> Under the covers, vncserver (on the windows box) listens on
> port 5900 (if you use the default display number of 0)  vncviewer
> connects on that port.  Note if you use display 1, then the port
> is 5901.
>
> There is a web interface at 5800, although I don't usually use that.
>
> This may do what you want.  It also allows you to do remote maintenance
> on the target machine.
>
> Bob Styma
> Phoenix, AZ
>
>   

I am encouraged by your suggestion. It sound like something I can deal 
with.  I will give it a try on the kids computer tomorrow while they are 
at school.

Thank you.

Bob Goodwin   Zuni, Virginia