newbie linux question
 

I am new to linux, and I am running gentoo. I installed vnc server on my gentoo machine and vnc viewer on my windows machine. And i can't connect, so i try to run the view and server on my linux machine and i still can't connect. I think this might be a case of lack of information on my part. How can i make sure the port is open and not block? Also what else should i check for? Oh i can ping from my windows machine to my linux machine.

vnc
 

Make sure that you have the vncserver started and listening:
netstat -nlp

And that you don't have any firewall rules blocking the port vnc is listening on:
iptables -nL

If you are unsure then post the output of the above commands.

I don't have Iptables installed, do i need to have that installed?
and my output of netstat -nlp is:
Active Internet connections (only servers)
Proto Recv-Q Send-Q Local Address Foreign
Address State PID/Program name
tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:5801 0.0.0.0:*
LISTEN 19293/Xvnc
tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:5802 0.0.0.0:*
LISTEN 24772/Xvnc
tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:5901 0.0.0.0:*
LISTEN 19293/Xvnc
tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:5902 0.0.0.0:*
LISTEN 24772/Xvnc
tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:6001 0.0.0.0:*
LISTEN 19293/Xvnc
tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:6002 0.0.0.0:*
LISTEN 24772/Xvnc
Active UNIX domain sockets (only servers)
Proto RefCnt Flags Type State
I-Node PID/Program name Path
unix 2 [ ACC ] STREAM LISTENING
10448 8055/artsd
/tmp/mcop-root/gen2-1f77-4113d116
unix 2 [ ACC ] STREAM LISTENING
10383 8040/kdeinit: klaun /tmp/ksocket-root/klauncherpFm3mc.slave-socket
unix 2 [ ACC ] STREAM LISTENING
10520 8110/kdeinit: ksmse /tmp/.ICE-unix/8110
unix 2 [ ACC ] STREAM LISTENING
19574 19293/Xvnc /tmp/.X11-unix/X1
unix 2 [ ACC ] STREAM LISTENING 6338
5608/syslog-ng /dev/log
unix 2 [ ACC ] STREAM LISTENING 7971
6988/xfs /tmp/.font-unix/fs-1
unix 2 [ ACC ] STREAM LISTENING 8181
7149/X /tmp/.X11-unix/X0
unix 2 [ ACC ] STREAM LISTENING
10356 8035/kdeinit: Runni
/tmp/ksocket-root/kdeinit__0
unix 2 [ ACC ] STREAM LISTENING
10358 8035/kdeinit: Runni
/tmp/ksocket-root/kdeinit-:0
unix 2 [ ACC ] STREAM LISTENING
62568 24772/Xvnc /tmp/.X11-unix/X2
unix 2 [ ACC ] STREAM LISTENING
10364 8038/kdeinit: dcops
/tmp/.ICE-unix/dcop8038-1091817749

I start my vnc server with the following parameters:

$ vncserver -geometry 1024x768 -depth 24

Each user that connects must run its own vncserver.

Also, make sure you set a VNC password, which is independent from your system password (the first time you run vncserver, it should automatically ask you for your vnc password).

I have a $HOME/.vnc subdirectory for each user, and in that directory I have an "xstartup" file that simply executes "exec /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc", a passwd file with the VNC password encrypted and a log file for my connection. You may want to check that log file for furhter debugging information.