The use of the Internet brings us great advantages in our day to day, both when working and for our leisure time. One of the advantages that is not very popular is the possibility of controlling our computer remotely, without having to be in front of the screen. In order to carry out this type of task, we will need a specific program, such as UltraVNC , which we will now talk about.
UltraVNC is a powerful and free remote access software to our PC, which will allow us to display the screen of another computer through an Internet connection or network on our own screen. It is an improved and faster version than its predecessor VNC (Virtual Network Computing). To control the other PC we can use our keyboard and mouse remotely. In this way, we can work on another computer located elsewhere in the same way as if we were sitting in front, but from our current location.
This application uses the Remote Frame Buffer (RFB) protocol through which we can view and control a desktop remotely over the Internet. For this, it will be necessary to run a VNC server on the computer that is sharing the desktop and a VNC client must be run on the PC from which we are going to access the shared desktop. Thanks to this application it will be possible to access documents and all kinds of files that we have on another computer remotely. Its use is aimed at both network administrators and home users.
UltraVNC free download
UltraVNC is a free and open source application that we can download from its website and is specially designed for use on a Windows PC. Its latest version available to date is 1.3.2 corresponding to December 6, 2020 , so it has good support from both its developers and the user community.
UltraVNC Installation
When installing UltraVNC we must bear in mind that the application is divided into two parts. On the one hand, we have the Server version, which is the one that we must install on the computer we want to access remotely. On the other hand, we have the Viewer version which is the one we are going to use to access the Server
When executing the installer, the first thing that will appear is a window where we must choose the language , among which Spanish is not found, so we will have to choose between English, French or German.
Later we must select the type of UltraVNC installation according to our needs. With “Full installation” we will proceed to install the complete package. With the “Server Only option” we will only install the version for the remote computer we want to access. For the PC from where we are going to access we must install “Viewer Only”. In the event that we want to select the components to install to our liking, we select “Custom Installation”.
Once we have chosen the appropriate option to install each case, a new window will appear where some additional tasks will appear. The “Register UltraVNC as a system service” function will help us to start the VNC server when the PC starts up. The option of “Start or Restart UltraVNC service” will allow us to control the server from the Windows administrative tools. To create a shortcut on the desktop we mark “Create UltraVNC desktop icons”. Finally, “Add virtual monitor driver (win 10)” we leave it checked to add the necessary drivers. All these options can be modified later from its Configuration section. Once finished we continue to proceed with the installation.
Run UltraVNC Server, on the remote PC
Once we have installed UltraVNC Server on the remote computer we want to access, we run it and it will stay in the background. We can access it from the system tray and clicking on the “Admin Properties” option. An options window will appear where the only thing we have to fill in is the “VNC Password” with a password (for example 12345) and click on the “Apply” button. We must also write down the IP address that we must use later from the computer that we are going to control. To find out, just move the mouse pointer over its icon on the taskbar and the IP address will appear.
Launch UltraVNC Viewer on the host computer
On the computer that we are going to use to control the PC remotely, we must have installed UltraVNC Viewer . We execute it and in it we only have to write the IP address of the PC that we are going to control. It also has a section of options organized by tabs. From here we can go from window to full screen, show connection options, allow to send key combinations, among others. Now we only have to click on the “Connect” button where it will ask for the password and once it is entered, the screen of the PC to control will appear.
Alternatives to UltraVNC
If we are looking for an application to connect computers remotely, we suggest some alternatives to UltraVNC:
TeamViewer
It is a benchmark in terms of remote control programs. It has various functions for sharing and controlling desktops, online meetings, video conferencing, transferring files between computers, and more. In addition, it is ISO 9001 certified and cross-platform so it can be used on Windows, macOS and Linux, as well as Android mobiles. We can download it for free from this link .
Real VNC
Another interesting application with which to connect remotely to any computer from anywhere. It has a VNC Protocol, thanks to which we can run it both in full screen and in windowed mode, supporting various resolutions. It also allows you to set a password to securely access the server. Real VNC has a free version that we can download from here .
AnyDesk
With this program we can easily connect any computer remotely without having to open ports or configure firewalls. It allows secure connections through TLS 1.2 and RSA 2048, as well as retransmitting up to 60 fps. In addition, it is characterized by efficient use of the network and by having a low latency. AnyDesk can be downloaded free from its website for personal use.