Home Network

[gadgetman]

My house was a new build and I got them to add a couple of sockets in the loft (plus CAT 5 wiring).

It shouldn't be too difficult or expensive a job to get an electrician to do.

I use RDP exclusively so can't comment on VNC.

[kirk]

RDP is wayyyyyyyy better than VNC; I've no earthly idea why people still use it for the newer Windows OS's - We still have it in the standard Windows 2003 server build ffs!

[KevinS]

Two questions of my own
Which is better/faster VNC or RDP ?
How did you power the loft PC since no wall plugs in there?

css_jay99

I can't say I have noticed a difference, although VNC tends to be less troublesome than Windows RDP.. On occasion I need to use Win98 and VNC is a champ for that..

I have my machines in the loft and had multiple plug points and a telephone socket (and a mains smoke detector) installed by an electrician friend..

[css_jay99]

You may find the PC a bit noisy to leave in there - you could always just put it in a cupboard somewhere out of the way

I would not suggest living pc or wireless router in same room as a new born. call me wayward but i certainly dont think all these equipments are good for the soft skull tissues of a new born


Two questions of my own
Which is better/faster VNC or RDP ?
How did you power the loft PC since no wall plugs in there?

css_jay99

[meridian]

Yep, I run two servers in the loft - RDC in to each of them from any room in the house.

One with Outlook and the rest of my company and personal stuff on, which can see out to the net via the router. The other one holds the website and Xnews for downloading so can both see and be seen via the router rules using LogmeIn so I can set up downloads from anywhere in the world.

[gadgetman]

Run a similar setup with my "server" (actually just an XP Pro box with large RAID array) in my loft.

Access is via Remote Desktop (using non-standard port), no extra software required and port forwarding through router and software firewall allows remote access from anywhere on the net.

And before anyone brings it up, I run a temperature monitor on it and it hasn't gone anywhere near the extremes so far.

[DBA_bloke]

Being a contractor, you could just move to a bigger house and solve the problem of losing the study.

Or turf-out your tenants in one of your BTLs.

[Bear]

Yes indeed

working on that, but finding something we like is proving difficult!!

[TheFaQQer]

Ah - I'm over complicating it!

If I run VNC or something then I don't need to change anything at all. Helps for when we get somewhere bigger and I get my office back!

you're right about the noise - I was going to move the PC.

As always - Thanks

Being a contractor, you could just move to a bigger house and solve the problem of losing the study.

[Bear]

Ah - I'm over complicating it!

If I run VNC or something then I don't need to change anything at all. Helps for when we get somewhere bigger and I get my office back!

you're right about the noise - I was going to move the PC.

As always - Thanks

[KevinS]

No need to go the Exchange route.. Just set up Outlook to sync between the PC and the laptop.. A quick Google turns up a fair whack of options..

[TheFaQQer]

Guys - a bit of help.

As Little Bear number 2 is on the way - Big bear loses his home office

So currently we have a wireless router in there with PC and Printer hard wired in. The PC is used for MyCo stuff and Email, all the files and emails are stored on it. Use a laptop wirelessly for surfing.

I need to change things round slightly as I'll lose the ability to sit at the PC. So I thought set it up as a home network using the PC as a server. We'll use the laptop to work on but I still want to store files and emails on the PC. Particularly the emails as I don't want to split them across the PC and laptop.

What do I need to know/think of to ensure this works? particularly the emails as loads are stored on there now but I guess i'll need to change outlook to be an exchange server with client on the laptop.

Sorry for lengthy post but thanks in advance

You may find the PC a bit noisy to leave in there - you could always just put it in a cupboard somewhere out of the way.

I have a shared drive on my desktop machine, which all my laptops can access. I also run VNC on there, so that I can control it from any computer on the network without needing to walk to my study when I'm using my laptop.

Nothing else that you need to do - just share the drive and put the stuff on there that you want things to be able to access. For example, I have all my music on there, and set iTunes on each machine to use that folder - the only downside is that if you upgrade one version of iTunes you need to make sure that you update all versions or they stop working.

[Bear]

Guys - a bit of help.

As Little Bear number 2 is on the way - Big bear loses his home office

So currently we have a wireless router in there with PC and Printer hard wired in. The PC is used for MyCo stuff and Email, all the files and emails are stored on it. Use a laptop wirelessly for surfing.

I need to change things round slightly as I'll lose the ability to sit at the PC. So I thought set it up as a home network using the PC as a server. We'll use the laptop to work on but I still want to store files and emails on the PC. Particularly the emails as I don't want to split them across the PC and laptop.

What do I need to know/think of to ensure this works? particularly the emails as loads are stored on there now but I guess i'll need to change outlook to be an exchange server with client on the laptop.

Sorry for lengthy post but thanks in advance