How to use tightvncserver

[ampakine]

I installed tightvncserver on a Ubuntu 11 computer I plan to use as a server but when I try to connect to it from my laptop (which is also running Ubuntu 11) heres what the terminal says:

klopjob@klopjob-ubuntu:~$ xtightvncviewer
xtightvncviewer: ConnectToTcpAddr: connect: Connection refused
Unable to connect to VNC server

when I run nmap -sV heres what it tells me:

Host is up (0.011s latency).
Not shown: 998 closed ports
PORT STATE SERVICE VERSION
5901/tcp open vnc VNC (protocol 3.8)
6001/tcp open X11 (access denied)

so the VNC server is running and the ports are open. Why does it say "access denied" where the service running on port 6001 should be? Could that have something to do with why its not letting me connect to the VNC server?

[mShred]

Are you sure you're using the right local IP address? Is it password protected? Are you on the same network? If not, is your router forwarding all traffic on that port to your specific vnc server?

[ampakine]

I'm positive its the right local IP. Its the same IP I scanned with nmap. I only have 1 LAN so its definitely on the same network. Yeah the VNC server is password protected but its not even letting me enter a password it just refuses the connection right after I enter the IP. I installed a VNC server on a Fedora box years ago and never had to configure anything to get it working, I dunno what Ubuntu is doing differently. I tried disabling the firewall on both the server and my laptop so thats not the problem.

[mShred]

I myself have never used tightvnc. Are you using a command-line version? Or a GUI?
Just starting out, the GUI version will probably be easier to get down. Maybe try re-installing the server and/or the client. Make sure you're using the same port. If you can't figure out the problem, then maybe you should start from scratch and follow a complete tutorial or something. Google or Youtube it.

[ampakine]

I'm using the GUI version. Yeah I'll try reinstalling the server. Always have trouble uninstalling programs on Ubuntu, when I use apt-get remove it seems to only partially remove the program but leaves the configuration files intact. Is there a more thorough way to remove programs on Ubuntu?

[mShred]

Make sure you're client is configured correctly.
"sudo apt-get remove --purge package" should do you good.

[ampakine]

Yep, deleting the package and reinstalling it worked. Thanks for the help.