x404.co.uk
http://www.x404.co.uk/forum/

Accessing a computer at work
http://www.x404.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=15132		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  forquare1 [ Tue Nov 08, 2011 6:56 am ]
Post subject:  Accessing a computer at work
At work we have our own phone/internet line separate to the rest of the company. Because we're separate, nobody has a clue as to the account details, usernames, passwords, etc. of the router/account.

I'd like to be able to connect from home to my work computer to do something like VNC and RSYNC. If needs be I have a Linode which could serve as a middle man, but I don't have shed loads of bandwidth (potentially not enough to run several sites plus pass GBs of data RSYNC'ing machines together).

Can anyone suggest anything that might help? I'm not after a fast solution, just a solution :)

Many thanks,
Ben
Author:  JJW009 [ Tue Nov 08, 2011 10:56 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Accessing a computer at work
I guess you can't port-forward on the router which rules out the usual options? In that case, you're going to have to tunnel out.

Can you use Hamachi? Or probably better, ssh to your Linode and reverse port forward from there.

However, both will shift all the data through the middle-man - in the case of Himachi, the free version is quite limited.

Are you purely shifting data to your home network? If so, can't you just ssh back to that? Set it on a cron job to be up when you need it.
Author:  forquare1 [ Tue Nov 08, 2011 11:33 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Accessing a computer at work
JJW009 wrote:
Are you purely shifting data to your home network? If so, can't you just ssh back to that? Set it on a cron job to be up when you need it.


Yes, might have to look into something like that. I don't want to have the server at home on all the time sucking up electricity. I'm on a meter and it's all rather expensive, but if I had it syncing at certain times it shouldn't be too bad...
Author:  JJW009 [ Tue Nov 08, 2011 12:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Accessing a computer at work
Or you could keep the ssh tunnel to Linode up, then use that to initiate the one back home when you need it.
Author:  finlay666 [ Tue Nov 08, 2011 12:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Accessing a computer at work
Live Mesh works ;)

Failing that set up some sort of VPN and remote in that way?
Author:  big_D [ Wed Nov 09, 2011 5:22 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Accessing a computer at work
Set up a VPN, port forwarding is too dangerous for such things.

The first thing is to get permission to access your machine from home, in writing. Just accessing it from home could be seen as gross misconduct or lead to instant dismissal. Check your contract, larger companies usually have clauses forbidding such things written in.
Author:  forquare1 [ Wed Nov 09, 2011 6:46 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Accessing a computer at work
big_D wrote:
Set up a VPN, port forwarding is too dangerous for such things.


How might one do that?

big_D wrote:
The first thing is to get permission to access your machine from home, in writing. Just accessing it from home could be seen as gross misconduct or lead to instant dismissal. Check your contract, larger companies usually have clauses forbidding such things written in.


I've been told that since the network we're on isn't the company network I can pretty much do what I like.

UPDATE: Someone had the password :D So I can now get into the router.
Author:  AlunD [ Wed Nov 09, 2011 7:07 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Accessing a computer at work
Do your self a favour and get your Boss to send you an email confirming you have permission to do this. Its called covering your ass ! :D

I know if I found member of my staff doing this without permission they would be toast.
Author:  JJW009 [ Wed Nov 09, 2011 9:54 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Accessing a computer at work
big_D wrote:
Set up a VPN, port forwarding is too dangerous for such things.

Given equally secure login credentials, is an SSH port forward not equally as secure as a PPTP base VPN?

forquare1, what OS is the box at work? Assuming it's Linux based then you just need to forward port 22 on the router. Obviously make sure any logins have secure passwords first. You could do a port translation to a random high port to reduce the odds of being scanned.

From home, on Linux you can then connect directly. From Windows, I like to use WinSCP for remote file management.
Author:  forquare1 [ Wed Nov 09, 2011 11:31 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Accessing a computer at work
The box at work is my own Mac Mini running the latest OS X. At home is my Mac Pro also running the latest OS X.
Author:  JJW009 [ Wed Nov 09, 2011 11:54 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Accessing a computer at work
I think they use ssh much the same as Linux. And here my Mac knowledge ends :lol:
Author:  forquare1 [ Wed Nov 09, 2011 5:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Accessing a computer at work
Indeed, Mac ssh is the same :wink:

I've been given verbal permission, written permission to come tomorrow.
Author:  AlunD [ Wed Nov 09, 2011 6:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Accessing a computer at work
forquare1 wrote:
Indeed, Mac ssh is the same :wink:

I've been given verbal permission, written permission to come tomorrow.

Make sure you get it. People can sooooooo easily forget ;)
Author:  jonbwfc [ Wed Nov 09, 2011 6:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Accessing a computer at work
If they're both macs, have a look at a thing called sharetool from Yazsoft.

Jon
Author:  big_D [ Thu Nov 10, 2011 5:18 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Accessing a computer at work
JJW009 wrote:
big_D wrote:
Set up a VPN, port forwarding is too dangerous for such things.

Given equally secure login credentials, is an SSH port forward not equally as secure as a PPTP base VPN?


As long as the SSH is configured for a fixed IP address and it is using a PSK with a decent strengh, it should be ok. But you are going directly on the box, so any SSH problem in OS X can be directly exploited. With the VPN, you need to get into the VPN, on the router, before you can access any machine on the local network, which is safer and twice the security. It isn't perfect, but it is better.
Page 1 of 1 All times are UTC
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
https://www.phpbb.com/