connect to mom
 

I been using linux about 3 years. I want to learn more about networking one computer across the net to another. Let say mom's got a linux box but she doesn't know a thing about how it works other then turning it on and off and she is in different state then me. What I need to know is where to find information on what software is the best to use connect/login to her if she needs me to. Will someone point the way please. :newbie:

You can use ssh

Definitely ssh, but not as root. Login as yourself with a STRONG passwd or use auth_keys. The latter is probably safer.
Then use 'su -' to get root if you need to. Make sure root on her system has a strong passwd.

repo and chrism01,

I'm trying not to be a killjoy, but would either of you guys tell your mom to open a port through her firewall and enable ssh on her computer with no more instruction than this?

The question was
Not howto tell my mom how to do this.

Any suggestions?

I have found a program under apt in Lenny called 'Terminal Server Client' I think it uses ssh

Please help me figure these settings.
If I need reset her /etc/X11/xorg.conf from my home
and my computer is named 'chips' and hers is name 'lilly'


and
Could you point out my mistakes ?

Sorry if I asked to many questions.

You also need to:
open the port on the router from your mom
open the port on the firewall from your mom
install the vncviewer at the computer of your mom

Take a look at
http://linuxreviews.org/howtos/xvnc/

For a howto for xvnc

Unfortunately, not much, other than give some references to what it means to properly secure a server; because, ultimately, that's what his mom is going to have, even if it's just serving one port. Hmmm, maybe a reference to chkroot and rkhunter. What else would you setup if you were running an SSH server? I, personally, have avoided the server security issue as I don't intend to ever have to deal with that again.

Oh, yeah, isn't there some SSH authentication beyond just a strong password?

I'm sorry if it sounded like I was jumping down your throat. I just really didn't know how to word my comment, but felt that it needed to be made. OTOH, if I was contemplating doing such a thing, I would have probably done research in securing a machine first and then asked on the security board.

If the OP's Mum is running a GUI (& I think that's a reasonable assumption), then talking her through opening the port eg 22/ssh is just a matter of talking her through the GUI.
He can then login as her initially, then 'su -' to root and create a login for himself, and anything else.
If they both have the same distro it's easy. If not, he'd have to research the GUI a bit, maybe get a LiveCD so he can see it from her point of view.

This is what I was thinking of:

http://www.debian-administration.org...ad_of_password
http://sial.org/howto/openssh/publickey-auth/

The other possibility, is that the OP opens up his router/firewall to port 22 on his machine, then provides his mother with a one line script which makes a remote ssh tunnel to the OPs machine.

For the best mix of security and ease of use it would probably be best for the OP to set up a dedicated user with with a passphraseless key, and then put that key on his mothers machine.

This script could just be set to run when his mothers machine boots.

The OP can then easily ssh to his mothers machine without her firewall needing any holes poked in it. Using this setup, also means that the mothers machine/router does not even need a real global IP address.

I could provide instructions on exactly how to do this if the OP (or anyone else for that matter) is interested.

Cheers,

Evo2.