WIRELESS TRAINING SOLUTIONS. by vlogic, Inc. L a b 0.3 Remote Access Labs

Transcription

1 WIRELESS TRAINING SOLUTIONS by vlogic, Inc L a b 0.3 Remote Access Labs

2 WIRELESS TRAINING SOLUTIONS Hands-on Workshop and Lab Guide

3 Table of Contents Connecting to the Wireless Training Solutions Network Operations Center (WiTS-NOC) Overview of the WiTS-NOC Visualizing the WiTS-NOC Addresses and Ports table Accessing the WiTS-NOC Browse to WiTS Web Server Login to WiTS Web Server Download the remote control application Understanding WiTS-NOC addresses and ports Configure remote control application Configure viewer options Login to WiTS-NOC

4 OFFICIAL WITS COURSE MATERIAL Connecting to the WiTS-NOC Access to the Wireless Training Solutions - Network Operations Center (WiTS-NOC) represents the third application in the Wireless Training Solutions online training triad. Remote access allows a student to connect to a PC in our building and control it as if they were actually in possession of the computer. The only tangible difference is that the student can t actually feel the PC. VNC Viewer and Known Limitations Previously you registered and created a new student login account in order to gain access to the WiTS Content Management Server (WiTS-CMS) where the WiTS Online class resources are located. During the next lab you will reconnect to the WiTS-CMS and download the remote control application known as VNC Viewer. VNC Viewer is necessary in order to successfully use the remote labs which are hosted at the WiTS- NOC. Currently, only the provided version of VNC Viewer is supported by the WiTS- NOC. Do not expect to use personal or pre-installed versions of VNC Viewer to access the WiTS-NOC. VNC Viewer is compatible with Microsoft Windows XP and most personal firewalls, however some organizations may block the use of VNC through their corporate firewalls. This prohibition is outside the control of Wireless Training Solutions and in that case, access to the WiTS-NOC may not be possible from that location. Overview of the WiTS NOC The WiTS-NOC has been constructed specifically to allow students of Wireless Training Solutions classes to connect through the Internet and take control of the physical equipment housed at our training center. The effect of this is very similar to the way in which a modern day network administrator would use to install, configure, maintain, and troubleshoot remote network equipment. Today s administrators and engineers are more and more frequently required to perform these duties through remote access methods. In this respect, the WiTS-NOC allows students to train under real life conditions. Additional Benefits of Remote Access Labs Some additional benefits of using the WiTS-NOC are that students may work on their lab projects at times which are more convenient to their personal schedules. They may even conduct their hands-on exercises from multiple locations during the workshop sessions. For instance, a student may participate in the lecture portions of a WiTS class while at their company s offices to take advantage of a higher-speed, broadband Internet connection and may even begin the labs from that location. But, then they may decide to work more on their exercises after they have returned home for the evening and also possibly before leaving for the office again the next morning. All of these options are available to the WiTS student due to the flexible design of the WiTS-NOC.

5 Visualizing the WiTS-NOC Figure WiTS-NOC Lab Setting To help visualize the way the WiTS-NOC works, imagine that the lab is setup using a standard classroom layout. If you were to enter this room you would see a two large exhibit tables arranged perpendicular to each other in the shape of a T (sideways in graphic above). The table at the top of the T, called Equipment 1, is used by the instructor to place devices, such as servers and switches that are shared among the entire classroom. The table at the bottom of the T, named Equipment 2, is used to hold the various pieces of WLAN equipment that are needed for each of the various lab exercises. The equipment placed on Equipment 2 can change from lab to lab. Surrounding the conference table that forms the bottom of the T you would see a number of study tables placed in the shape of a U. Upon the study tables you would find the student laptop computers placed comfortable around the U so that each student has clear access to the equipment tables and to each of the other PC stations. Students are encouraged to work together during lab exercises and to share both previous experiences and newly discovered techniques. The laptop PC stations are numbered in a clockwise fashion starting with PC0 (going as high as PC11 during some classes). During most vlogic online classes there will be about eight workstations available. The names, addresses, and VNC port numbers for the eight workstation classroom setup is shown below in Table

6 Names and Addresses for Classroom Hosts Standard WiTS-NOC Stations Name VNC Port Ethernet IP Address WiFi IP Address Server / / 24 Server / 24 PC / / 24 PC / / 24 PC / / 24 PC / / 24 PC / / 24 PC / / 24 PC / / 24 PC / / 24 PC / / 24 PC / / 24 PC / / 24 PC / / 24 Table VNC Port numbers and IP address list for classroom devices

7 Accessing the WiTS-NOC Figure Real-world student workstation controlling WiTS-NOC Laptop PC0 with VNC Viewer Browse to WiTS Content Management Server As mentioned earlier, access into the WiTS-NOC is achieved by using a small, remote control application named VNC Viewer. This program is available for free download from the WiTS-CMS classroom pages. In order to download the VNC application use your web browser to access the following link: and then select the course for which you are registered.

8 Download the remote control application Figure VNC Viewer available for download in compressed format 1. From the WiTS Classes - Easy as list click the Download VNC Viewer (ZIP) link.

9 Figure Save file to local machine 2. Click the Save button. 3. Choose the location to save the VNC-Viewer application on your local machine. Note: The VNC Viewer.ZIP file will need to be extracted it from its compressed format. Once the application is unzipped you can create a desktop shortcut for it.

10 Understanding WiTS-NOC addresses and ports FIGURE Layout of the WiTS -NOC showing assigned ports and IP addresses.

11 The diagram shown above as Figure 0.3.6, displays some of the physical equipment located within the WiTS-NOC that is used during online classes. Notice the public IP address , which is the only IP address accessible to the WiTS-NOC from the Internet. All students connect to this single IP address in order to reach their assigned equipment. Next, notice the port numbers which have been assigned to the individual pieces of equipment within the Center. During your WiTS class the instructor will assign a laptop to you or your team during the initial lab briefing. Your weekly password will also be assigned at that time. You will then access the assigned laptop using the combination of public IP address, and port number through the VNC remote control application as shown in Figure FIGURE VNC Viewer Connection Details dialog showing WiTS-NOC public IP address and example port number for PC-0. Configuring remote control application To access your assigned equipment: 4. Open the VNC Viewer remote control application downloaded previously, and enter the public IP address of the WiTS-NOC into the blank Server: field. 5. Follow the IP address with two colons to distinguish the port number which will have been assigned to you by the course instructor.

12 Configure Viewer Options Figure VNC Viewer Options dialog showing Full colour option selection. Before connecting to the WiTS-NOC you will want to make a couple of adjustments to the configuration of the VNC Viewer to enhance its usability. 6. Click the Options button on the VNC Viewer Connection Details dialog box 7. Click the Colour/Encoding tab. 8. Click the Full radio button from the Colour Level list.

13 FIGURE VNC Viewer Options - Scaling dialog showing selection of Scale to Window Size option. 9. Next, click the Scaling tab 10. Select Scale to Window Size Note: This step along with the previous Colour option will make it easier for you to manage the secondary desktop window which will appear on your local machine once you connect to the lab equipment using the remote control application. 11. Once you have set the Colours and Scaling options, click the OK button to return to the VNC Viewer Connection Details dialog box. 12. Then click the OK button to connect to the WiTS-NOC.

14 Login to the WiTS-NOC Figure VNC Authentication dialog box 13. When the VNC Authentication dialog box appears, enter the password that was assigned to you by the instructor. 14. Click the OK button. FIGURE VNC Viewer after connecting to WiTS-NOC. Shown is the fully functional remote desktop of PC-0 displayed as it will appear on your local workstation s desktop. After you click the OK button to connect to the WiTS NOC you will see the desktop of your assigned PC. This secondary desktop is fully functional and is usable in addition to your local desktop. If you click the Start button on your primary, local desktop you will have access to all of your local programs and applications. If, instead, you click the Start button of the secondary, remote desktop you will have access to the applications that are installed only on that remote PC. From the remote desktop you will have access to all of the

15 communications ports and physical connections such as Ethernet ports, WLAN ports, and serial connections that are available to that machine on its remote network. You will also have access to the hard drives and CD-ROM drives of the remote machine. If you have chosen the Scale to Window Size option before connecting you will be able to resize the secondary, remote desktop to any size that is comfortable for your viewing. End of Lab This completes the description and activities for this workshop.