ButConnect in Host Mode

It's easy to set up hosts for unattended access.

As with any other remote access solution, unattended access with ButConnect requires some preparation on the remote host.

ButConnect relies on technologies and mechanisms that are provided by the secure shell (SSH) protocol. Therefore, we use SSH keys to authenticate both users (respectively hosts — the one to be controlled and the other to control it).

Basically, ButConnect needs to be launched with one key at the remote host and with its associated key at the local host.

Preliminaries

If you plan to control a remote computer using ButConnect without interaction at the remote end, you need to get a pair of (associated) SSH keys. You can get those keys from our shop for free at the moment.
Along with those keys, you will also get a configuration file that makes it easy to actually use them.

Take into account the type of remote access you prefer as you create the keys and configuration file.
We will look at this using the example of VNC (Virtual Network Computing), but RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) or other protocols are also possible. (Adjust service and/or port before creating keys and configuration file.)

Generate the keys and configuration file, download, extract and place all three files (two .key and one .ini) into your bc or bcmin directory (where you extracted the ButConnect files prior to that).

Additionally, copy those three files onto a USB flash drive — you will need them later at your home PC.
(Or transfer the downloaded .zip file to the other end by using ButConnect's file transfer mode.)

Prepare a machine to be controlled remotely:

• launch ButConnect.exe (or mono ButConnect.exe)
• type cf [Return]
• press [Tab] once or several times until the .ini file you just downloaded is shown, then [Return]
• press [Tab] once or several times until ‘client’ is shown, then [Return]
• if necessary, type the passphrase you chose earlier when creating the keys, then press [Return] again

• Windows:
• winvnc.exe will be launched automatically

• Linux:
• launch your preferred vnc server

• macOS:
• go to System Preferences – Sharing and enable Screen Sharing
• go to System Preferences – Sharing – Computer Settings, enable VNC viewers may control screen with password and set a vnc password

Prepare a machine to control another:

Again, copy the keys and configuration file into your bc or bcmin directory.

• launch ButConnect.exe (or mono ButConnect.exe)
• type cf [Return]
• press [Tab] once or several times until the .ini file you downloaded is shown, then [Return]
• press [Tab] once or several times until ‘agent’ is shown, then [Return]
• if necessary, type the passphrase you chose earlier when creating the keys, then press [Return] again

• Windows:
• vncviewer.exe will be launched automatically

• Linux:
• launch your preferred vnc viewer

• macOS:
• Although macOS already provides vnc viewing functionality (‘Screen Sharing’), it seems unable to connect to ‘localhost’, which is essential to work with ButConnect.
  Instead, install some other vnc viewer, such as Chicken.

Using your preferred vnc viewer, connect to host:port as indicated in the ButConnect console window (e.g. 127.0.0.1:1024).