Best remote connection software for a Windows Host?

[Gilbo]

I've got to do a remote connection to a Windows Vista box. Normally I'm just working between Linux boxes and I use FreeNX if I need a GUI. Now I have to connect to a Windows Vista Box from both Linux & Windows clients.

Since NX can't create servers on Windows machines I have to use RDP or VNC. Does anyone have an opinion as to which is better? I have to go across a very minimal ADSL connection and I'm pretty used to the efficiency of NX, so I'm wondering if anyone has found one protocol superior to the other.

If I went RDP I'd just use the Microsoft Server & Client, and on Linux rdesktop. I'm leaning towards RDP as it seems easiest, but I'm worried RDP is less efficient than even VNC.


EDIT: Also, is it possible to restrict RDP access to certain user accounts, or is opening this up an all or nothing thing?

 

[Gilbo]

It appears I can restrict it to certain users. Posted that before I bothered Googling, sorry...

 

[Mercutio]

RDP is *a lot* more efficient than standard VNC. I'm not sure about how much tuning the various variations and sub-variation have, but VNC in general is a damned pig for bandwidth. I've standardized on TightVNC for my needs, which is supposed to be better for low-bandwidth.

I realize you specified Linux Compatibility, but a VNC-based Windows-only service called Crossloop is amazingly simple and might be of interest to others here. I've become a big fan of it for desktop support.

 

[Mercutio]

RDP is *a lot* more efficient than standard VNC. I'm not sure about how much tuning the various variations and sub-variation have, but VNC in general is a damned pig for bandwidth. I've standardized on TightVNC for my needs, which is supposed to be better for low-bandwidth.

I realize you specified Linux Compatibility, but a VNC-based Windows-only service called Crossloop is amazingly simple and might be of interest to others here. I've become a big fan of it for desktop support.

 

[Fushigi]

Note quite for remote connections, but Synergy is cool. If you have 2 PCs/monitors on your desk it lets you seamlessly share a keyboard & mouse without a KVM. Just scroll the mouse off the right side of PC A's monitor & the mouse & keyboard control moves to PC B. Supports multiple monitors and runs on Windows, Mac, and *nix. It even lets the clipboard span machines.

I just set it up to go from PC A's primary to PC A's secondary to PC B's primary.

 

[Gilbo]

RDP is *a lot* more efficient than standard VNC. I'm not sure about how much tuning the various variations and sub-variation have, but VNC in general is a damned pig for bandwidth. I've standardized on TightVNC for my needs, which is supposed to be better for low-bandwidth.

Thanks Merc. I've started setting up Windows Remote Desktop, and I'll just use rdesktop from the Linux boxes, that way I don't need to run an RDP & VNC server. I only need it to cross-platform on the client side. To connect to Windows boxes, I'm going to keep using FreeNX.

Incidentally, if RDP is more efficient, why do you bother using VNC? Cross-platform compatibility? I.e. you can use the same software no matter what system you're trying to connect to...


@Fushigi:
Synergy is indeed amazing. I used to use it on two Linux boxes I had, and it was just fantastic.

 

[ddrueding]

Synergy seems amazing...I'll have to check that out more.

 

[ddrueding]

Synergy is awesome. It is very smooth.

 

[Fushigi]

Yeah, I really like it. The only things I've noticed are that my laptop - the secondary machine - never puts the screen to sleep when Synergy is running (I either stop it or dim the screen) and that some apps on the secondary machine - specifically Vista apps run as administrator - don't work with it. I have to answer those (including privilege escalation prompts) or change focus to non-admin apps from the laptop keyboard/mouse & Synergy will resume.