How To | Droid VNC Server

If you’re anything me, you’ve Rooted your Android phone and you’re looking for all of the coolest apps available to you. For a long time I’ve been looking for a great app that would allow me to remotely access my HTC DROID Incredible using VNC. Why would I want to remotely access my phone you ask? I’m lazy. No, just kidding. ;)

Benefits of remote access:

  • Access to your phone if it’s not immediately with you.
  • Ability to create a screencast.
  • Faster screen shots.
  • Access your phone if you’re at work or school and don’t want to look like you’re on your phone. ;)
  • etc…

Well, now I have discovered Droid VNC Server. Created by onaips at the XDA forums.

Droid VNC Server is a great little app. It’s not without it’s bugs, but the bugs that I have do not even come close to outweighing it’s positives. While I have not officially seen any confirmations of Droid VNC Server working on the Incredible, it does work quite nicely for me. In regards to other Android phones, your mileage may vary, but you can check out onaips blog to see a small listing of confirmed functional devices.

Ok, enough talking. How do I use this thing?

Step 1: Preparing your computer

You will have to be sure that you have a VNC Viewer installed on your computer first. Here’s a quick list of programs that can be used:

  • Linux – Remote Desktop Viewer (However, I use the command line). Remote Desktop Viewer is pre-installed in Ubuntu.
  • Mac – Chicken of the VNC.
  • Windows – RealVNC.

Step 2: Preparing your Android device

  • Scan the QR Code at the top of the page to be directed to the Droid VNC Server page in the Android Market.
  • Open Droid VNC Server and tap Start Server.
  • Suggestion – Connect to a wireless signal that your computer is also using. (I have not yet tested USB & Verizon does not support VNC through 3G)
  • Feel free to modify any of the options in Menu > Settings. (I’d recommend a password)

Step 3: Connect to your Device

  • Open your VNC Viewer of choice and type in the IP:Port that you see listed on the Droid VNC Server home screen.
  • Type in your password if needed.
  • You should now see your Android Device!

Some helpful things to know:

Some possible incorrect keybindings: (I have a feeling this is an Android thing…)

  • = sends +
  • ! sends ~
  • ~ sends 0
  • < sends *
  • > sends #

These are important to know: ;)

  • home = home
  • right-click = home, also
  • pg up = menu
  • pg down = call
  • pg down long press = redial most recent
  • esc = back
  • del = back, also
  • end = phone sleep
  • type = from the home screen random typing will initiate google search

Here are some instructions for using VNC through USB:

I have heard that USB will provide a faster VNC connection. With adb installed and the device plugged in via USB:
adb forward tcp:5901 tcp:5901
adb forward tcp:5801 tcp:5801

Using your preferred VNC Viewer, connect to:

localhost:5901

YouTube How To (Not created by me)


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25 responses to this post.

  1. Posted by tagesgeldkonten on November 9, 2010 at 6:47 am

    Please, can you PM me and tell me few more thinks about this, I am really fan of your blog…gets solved properly asap.

    Reply

  2. This is a good blog message, I will keep the post in my mind. If you can add more video and pictures can be much better. Because they help much clear understanding. :) thanks Khanina.

    Reply

    • Hi there,

      I’ve actually been thinking of doing exactly that. However in this particular post, there is a video at the bottom created by a different user. :)

      Reply

  3. Posted by Richard on November 12, 2010 at 6:57 pm

    Wondering about further command keys to send to my EVO, a command for the search softkey would be sweet. And maybe I just missed it but can I do my own hot-key binding with Droid VNC? Thanks for posting!

    Reply

    • I played a bit more with trying to find key bindings and discovered three new ones:

      * pg down long press = redial most recent
      * end = phone sleep
      * type = from the home screen random typing will initiate google search

      Regarding creating your own bindings, I would highly suggest visiting the developer thread over at XDA. They would be able to assist you the best.

      http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=710805

      Reply

  4. hi I was luck to discover your topic in bing
    your topic is quality
    I get much in your topic really thanks very much
    btw the theme of you blog is really brilliant
    where can find it

    Reply

  5. “?” Will bring up search if at the home screen.

    Is anyone seeing problems typing a capital “A”? Shift-A seems to work like a caps lock key.

    Reply

    • To bring up Search from the home screen, just start typing what you would like to search for. This will automatically bring up the Search box. As for typing a Capital “A” I have not seen this with my phone. Are you using the stock Android keyboard or something different? I use the HTC Sense keyboard.

      Reply

  6. Hello. I’m trying to use your app on a Viewsonic GTab running TNT Lite 4 (rooted). The server runs and I can connect to it using both TightVNC and RealVNC, but all I get is a black screen. Clicks work just fine, and stuff happens on the Tab, but nothing comes on the screen on the PC. Any ideas?

    Reply

  7. [...] Was genau ist adb und wie kan ich das auf mein SGS insterlieren ? wolte nemlich vnc durch USB machen durch WLAn habe ich es schon geschaft aber nun brauche ich dieses adb und ich weis nicht was das ist xD http://opensourceexcedio.wordpress.c…id-vnc-server/ [...]

    Reply

  8. Posted by Michael H. Warfield on March 15, 2011 at 5:00 pm

    Seems to crash if I have rotation anything other than 0. Landscape mode just crashes the server back to “Stopped” with no error or explanation. This is on an EVO running CM7-RC2.

    Autorotate option would be nice.

    Reply

  9. Recommended! I love this!

    Reply

  10. I can’t speak for pre-Leopard, as I do not remember but from Leopard on VNC is built-in to Mac, so Mac OS X.5+ users do not have to install a VNC client.

    http://i.imgur.com/tQ6L1.png

    Under the Finder app, Click Go, Select Connect to Server, Enter vnc://server_ip_or_name:port_if_not_default_vnc_port

    Reply

  11. Any idea how I can start the server from a command line? We use this for remote testing of apps on the phone, and sometimes the server refuses new connections. I can kill the server with:

    adb kill

    But then I need to restart it. I’ve gotten as far as this:

    adb shell am start -a org.onaips.vnc.StartAtBootService -n org.onaips.vnc/org.onaips.vnc.MainActivity

    This opens the preference pane, but I still need to click the Start Server button. How can I start it from adb?

    Reply

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