Hidden VNC Client
Unknown to most users Leopard actually has a VNC client build-in which is used by the Remote Desktop and its Screen Sharing applications. It turns out that you can do a Command-K in the Finder, which will open the "Connect to Server" window, and use a URI like this: vnc://hostname to connect. If the connection is not running on the default VNC port of 5900 you can add the port in the usual way such as vnc://hostname:portnumber. If you saved the URI as a Favorite Server just click on Connect button:
A Authentication window will popup for you to enter the
required password. Click the
Connect button to continue:
You may be presented with the following Warning Window
depending on the VNC server you connecting to:
Just click on the Connect button to
finally be connected. Depending on the Host you connected
to you may have to login to it:
To exit (quit) you can either click on the red
circle (bubble) in the top-left hand corner of the
VNC window, or by pulling down the Screen Sharing menu and
selecting the Quit Screen Sharing option:
You can also open Screen Sharing directly. The Application
is located in the
/System/Library/CoreServices folder:
You can drag the application icon onto the Dock to allow
quick access to it:
When using the Screen Sharing application the following
window will open:
Enter for your Host URI and click the
Connect button to get connected.
Next a Authentication window will popup for you to enter
any password required. The next steps will be the
same as if you had used the Finder's Connect to Server menu
option (see above).
Personally I prefer the "Connect to
Server" route since you can save the URL as a
"Favorite" so you don't have to
reenter the URL every time you want to
connect.
