Establish a Remote Connection with VNC

Summary

Since the stores and the corporate office are connected over VPN, VNC can be used for remote access if ConnectWise Control (ScreenConnect) is not working for whatever reason.

Procedure

This can be easily set up on Windows, Mac OS, and Linux. Instructions for setting it up are slightly different between the three. If you are the remote tech, regardless of which OS you are connecting to, you will need to download a VNC viewer. This procedure has been tested with RealVNC’s VNC Viewer, available for download here, but in theory any VNC viewer will work just fine. A local in-store tech will need to set up the VNC server on the remote computer.

Installing TightVNC on Windows

There is a plethora of VNC server software available for Windows, this procedure will detail how to install TightVNC.

Grab the installer from the TightVNC website.
At the Choose Setup Type step, select Custom.
Under the TightVNC Viewer drop down, select Entire feature will be unavailable. We are only interested in the VNC Server.
Leave the Select Additional Tasks options at defaults and click Next, then Install.
At the next window, under Password for Remote Access, check Require password-based authentication, and provide a password. Remember it, as you will need to provide it to the remote tech. (It may be a good idea to put this password in a tech note).
Under Administrative Password, check the Protect control interface with an administrative password option, and provide a password. It is OK to use the same password as before.
Provide the remote tech with the password(s) you set earlier, and the current IP address of the computer. You can get the IP address by hovering over the TightVNC icon that should have just appeared in the system tray.

Make sure that TightVNC is uninstalled once the VNC server is no longer needed (i.e. if ScreenConnect starts working again or the repair is done). If the IP address ever changes, you can get it by hovering over the TightVNC icon again.

Enabling VNC Server on Mac OS

There is already a VNC server installed in every version of Mac OS from 10.4 onward. Take the following steps to enable it:

Open System Preferences.
Click on Sharing.
Check the box next to Screen Sharing. Make a note of the IP address listed in the text to the right.
Click Computer Settings.
Check the box next to VNC viewers may control screen with password, and provide a password. Then click OK.
Provide the IP address from earlier and the password you set to the remote technician.

Make sure to go back and uncheck these options if the VNC server is no longer needed (i.e. ScreenConnect started working again or repair is done). If the IP address ever changes, you can get it from Sharing section of the System Preferences menu.

For Remote Techs - Connecting to a VNC Server

After the in-store tech has provided you with the password and IP address of the remote computer, perform the following in RealVNC’s Viewer. These steps can likely be adapted easily to other VNC viewers.

Open the VNC Viewer.
Type the IP address provided by the in-store tech into the address bar at the top of the window.
Click OK on the warning about the unencrypted connection. You will be connecting over an encrypted VPN tunnel so the traffic will be secure.
Provide the password given to you by the in-store tech.

If the connection fails, contact a local tech to confirm that the IP Address and/or Password has not changed. If ScreenConnect is able to be established after the fact, make sure you uninstall the TightVNC server on Windows, or disable the Screen Sharing option on Mac OS.

References

https://www.tightvnc.com/download.php

https://www.realvnc.com/en/connect/download/viewer/

https://www.dssw.co.uk/blog/2007-05-14-a-vnc-server-is-included-in-mac-os-x-104/