If you own an iPad, chances are you are always looking for new and exciting ways to make the device more useable and help you with your productivity. Users of iPads are also increasingly trying to get them to connect to the corporate networks or their home networks and remotely access and control their primary Windows systems. iPad 3G users must use a secure connection called a VPN, or virtual private network, in order to connect to the corporate network. But, iPad Wi-Fi users can connect to their network resources when they are on the corporate Wi-Fi system. Once your iPad is authenticated on the corporate or local Wi-Fi network where your remote computer is located, all you need is one additional piece of software called TightVNC.
TightVNC is an Open Source software program that allows an iPad user on the same network or one on an authenticated VPN connection to access and remotely control another computer. Before the iPad can connect, users must download and install TightVNC server. The server is the host computer that you wish to control. Once TightVNC is installed, it must be setup with a password and authentication scheme. On the iPad, you must download a copy of the TightVNC app from the Apple App Store. When the app is finished installing, launch it on the iPad and connect to the host-name of your remote computer. Once the connection is established, TightVNC will prompt for the host password. Enter it and you are now connected to the remote system.
There are many remote control programs for servers and desktops, but there is only one free and amazingly powerful TightVNC. Likewise, there are several dozen iPad remote control applications in the Apple Apps store. But, TightVNC is the one that provides the best solution at the cheapest cost. It is very reliable and also compatible with other variants of the VNC Open Source development. If someone you know is running another flavor of VNC, TightVNC will work equally as well if not better. The creators of TightVNC have optimized the code and reduced the amount of overhead needed for the program to run. This results in a great program for remote control needs on any platform, including the great Apple iPad.