Need Help! Remote control a PC

[Bigbag]

So here's the situation: I'm trying to remote control a PC at work by a PC/MAC/Iphone/Andriod, but my company is using a Local area network, which doesn't connect with the internet. 

My way: a PC connected to LAN, another PC connected to the internet, use a USB to connect them both, and remote control the PC that's connected to the internet to control the one with LAN.

What I have so far: Two very old Thinkpads(X61 & T400)  both running Windows 10, I got them connected with a USB and can control each other, and I can remote control the one connected with the internet but failing to use it to control the other one.

Problem: I'm thinking this way isn't going to work so far, is there some other way to do so?

Many thx~

 

[Akolyte]

So, I don't fully get this. You want to remote control a PC on the LAN by adding an internet-connected PC to the LAN and using that as a sort of bridge?   

 

If that's the case please talk to your boss as this could be a serious security violation of the computers inside the LAN.  Most LANs are internet-connected and unless you're working for a company that isn't yet familiar with modern technology the disconnection is purposeful.  

 

If you still want to connect to a PC, and (from my current guess as to what you want to do) you should just setup a raspberry pi or something which is connected to the internet and setup a VPN Server, connect to the VPN server and then connect to the PC you want to connect to.  Sorry if I don't fully understand what you want to achieve. 

[MrDrWho13]

5 minutes ago, Mike_The_B0ss said:

So, I don't fully get this. You want to remote control a PC on the LAN by adding an internet-connected PC to the LAN and using that as a sort of bridge?   

 

If that's the case please talk to your boss as this could be a serious security violation of the computers inside the LAN.  Most LANs are internet-connected and unless you're working for a company that isn't yet familiar with modern technology the disconnection is purposeful.  

Yep, they probably have a good reason for not being on the internet and you could be opening a big can of worms by bypassing this.

[Bigbag]

3 minutes ago, Mike_The_B0ss said:

So, I don't fully get this. You want to remote control a PC on the LAN by adding an internet-connected PC to the LAN and using that as a sort of bridge?   

 

If that's the case please talk to your boss as this could be a serious security violation of the computers inside the LAN.  Most LANs are internet-connected and unless you're working for a company that isn't yet familiar with modern technology the disconnection is purposeful.  

 

If you still want to connect to a PC, and (from my current guess as to what you want to do) you should just setup a raspberry pi or something which is connected to the internet and setup a VPN Server, connect to the VPN server and then connect to the PC you want to connect to.  Sorry if I don't fully understand what you want to achieve. 

Hi! thanks for the reply.

Our network is disconnected on purpose. I think I didn't make it very clear, half of your understanding is kinda true, but I just need to control the mice and the keyboard and a screen feed back, don't need to have connections directly to the computer. And I asked my boss if it is ok and he said if I can do such a setup then thats ok.

I'm pretty new over here and since I know what a raspberry Pi is, but I don't know how to set these things. And I'm thinking that by using this kind of setting I'm connecting the PC to the internet? which I think would be something dangerous?

[Bigbag]

10 minutes ago, MrDrWho13 said:

Yep, they probably have a good reason for not being on the internet and you could be opening a big can of worms by bypassing this.

Hi! thanks for the reply.

Yes, they have a good reason and I didn't intend to connect it directly.

[fjdhdhcyfhf]

Sounds like someone wants to outsource their data entry job to India.

 

[Bigbag]

1 minute ago, SCHISCHKA said:

Sounds like someone wants to outsource their data entry job to India.

 

Great guess but no, it's for my own use.

[fjdhdhcyfhf]

1 minute ago, Bigbag said:

Great guess but no, it's for my own use.

what you are trying to do can be done if you connect a second ethernet card to a modem and VNC software

[Bigbag]

2 minutes ago, SCHISCHKA said:

what you are trying to do can be done if you connect a second ethernet card to a modem and VNC software

Yeah, having a second ethernet card and raid it together might work but I'm thinking that I can't make use of the old thinkpads laying around and more importantly as the guys said that might cause some big problems since our network is disconnected with the internet with a purpose.

[Akolyte]

22 minutes ago, Bigbag said:

Hi! thanks for the reply.

Our network is disconnected on purpose. I think I didn't make it very clear, half of your understanding is kinda true, but I just need to control the mice and the keyboard and a screen feed back, don't need to have connections directly to the computer. And I asked my boss if it is ok and he said if I can do such a setup then thats ok.

I'm pretty new over here and since I know what a raspberry Pi is, but I don't know how to set these things. And I'm thinking that by using this kind of setting I'm connecting the PC to the internet? which I think would be something dangerous?

Connecting anything can be dangerous.  Setting up a VPN server on the computer would not connect the PC you want to connect to connected to the internet, it would give you access to the internet connected PC, through a LAN connection done through a virtual interface through the VPN Server.  This means you can assign an IP address to the VPN connection (the client) and you can also set it up so you can only access the PC you want to connect to. 

 

You can make it even stronger by requiring an encryption key to connect to the VPN, and using an IP whitelist so only your home IP can connect to the VPN.  This, once again, only gives you LAN access to the computer, unless someone is connecting through the VPN and then connects to the PC from the VPN Server there is no external connection from the PC at all. 

9 minutes ago, Bigbag said:

Yeah, having a second ethernet card and raid it together might work but I'm thinking that I can't make use of the old thinkpads laying around and more importantly as the guys said that might cause some big problems since our network is disconnected with the internet with a purpose.

You could always setup PFSense on the laptop, and use that to connect to the PC via VPN.  

 

Unless you are working for an intelligence agency, or a company that manufacturers surveillance equipment I wouldn't worry too much about having to connect through a VPN on another computer with an encryption key and the server is setup with an IP white list, because the chances someone will hack through it is very low.  Many large companies let employees access important network resources through VERY secure VPNs.  As long as the VPN is secured, the server is patched and the network is logged you should be fine. 

 

Make sure the network is logged, because any unauthorized connection attempts to the VPN should be a red flag and you should instantly figure out another option if your work is high-profile.  

[Bigbag]

16 hours ago, Mike_The_B0ss said:

Connecting anything can be dangerous.  Setting up a VPN server on the computer would not connect the PC you want to connect to connected to the internet, it would give you access to the internet connected PC, through a LAN connection done through a virtual interface through the VPN Server.  This means you can assign an IP address to the VPN connection (the client) and you can also set it up so you can only access the PC you want to connect to. 

 

You can make it even stronger by requiring an encryption key to connect to the VPN, and using an IP whitelist so only your home IP can connect to the VPN.  This, once again, only gives you LAN access to the computer, unless someone is connecting through the VPN and then connects to the PC from the VPN Server there is no external connection from the PC at all. 

You could always setup PFSense on the laptop, and use that to connect to the PC via VPN.  

 

Unless you are working for an intelligence agency, or a company that manufacturers surveillance equipment I wouldn't worry too much about having to connect through a VPN on another computer with an encryption key and the server is setup with an IP white list, because the chances someone will hack through it is very low.  Many large companies let employees access important network resources through VERY secure VPNs.  As long as the VPN is secured, the server is patched and the network is logged you should be fine. 

 

Make sure the network is logged, because any unauthorized connection attempts to the VPN should be a red flag and you should instantly figure out another option if your work is high-profile.  

WOW，that was some very detailed answer you provided. Thanks a lot, I think this may solve my problem for now, I'll try to do as you said, hopefully it'll work. Again, THX~