can't connect to tightvncserver over internet..but can connect in LAN
 

Hi,

after a lot of r&d I succeeded in getting the tightvncserver running in my mint 10 & able to connect to it from any windows or linux system over LAN using tightvncviewer. but when I try to access the server over internet(LAN is disconnected)using the same format xxxx.xxxx.xxxx.xxxx:5901, I get error as "Failed to Connect to server (xxxx.xxxx.xxxx.xxxx:1)...
what could be the possible reason for the same

Without details, there's no way of anyone here knowing. What kind of connection do you have? Firewalls? Proxy servers? Too many variables to guess at. First place I'd start would be your company firewalls...open the ports that you have your VNC server running on.

No firewall should come in between, as the server is directly connected to internet and I am able to ping the IP from my Laptop. But yes the client is in VPN so must have been under company firewall..I will try to access the server from Lappy when directly connected to NET & will let u know

Wow...your SERVER is directly connected to the Internet, with NO FIREWALL? And what you've said makes no sense...you say there's a direct connection..then mention a VPN. If you have to VPN in to your company's network, then that means there IS some sort of barrier. If not, and you can ping it, then you should check to see which IP addresses/ranges are allowed to connect.

while experimenting, everything makes sense.

Server is running on Linux mint Julia & laptop is on Vista SP2.

My home system acts a server with no firewall(not configured yet and ofcourse nothing to loose) & at workplace while my LAPTOP is connected to the office LAN its under a VPN.

In the first case when I tried to access the Home PC from laptop through VPN, I could ping/ssh/sftp the home pc but could not connect to the tighvncsession. the client will show "connection Initiated" & then "Connection Failed". However when I tried connect to the tightvncserver session over ssh, it worked fine(a little bit lagging screen)

but this is not a problem when I connect my Laptop to the net & then I m directly able to connect to the tighvncserver.

So vnc over ssh somewhat solved my purpose, yet can anyone suggest why I m not able to access the vncserver through VPN..

Ok, again, you need to know the details of the company/office network. YOU may not have a firewall at home, but your COMPANY probably does. THAT firewall is probably blocking the port. SSH/SFTP both run over the 'standard' SSH port of 22..pings are ICMP requests and may be allowed (although it's dangerous). VNC is a different port...the fact that you can use it over SSH, but not 'directly', tells you it's a firewall issue.

Again, check your company firewall.