New seedbox user questions

Hi, first time on these forums, I have been using BT for years and I usually use it to feed my thirst for movies, music, tv shows and software. Well basically I've been hearing alot about seedboxes and I have been looking at what Leaseweb has been offering for a long time.

I thought I might aswell just buy one and see how it's like, well I ordered the Express Server 4 but now I'm a little confused as if I've ordered the right thing or not?
There was an option to choose Plesk which I didn't... Is this necessary to run the box? everything else I left standard.

My main question is.. How can I connect to the box via VNC? Do they send you the server information so that you can connect to it directly or do I have to do anything specific? All I wanna do with is is basically seed and download torrents, nothing advanced really.

Also it says that the box has "Microsoft Windows 2003 Web" I'm guessing this is just like WinXP?? Because the Express Server 5 says that it has "Microsoft Windows 2008 Web".. so i thought vista..

but it says that they both have Windows Server 2008.. I'm a bit confused on this.. What operating system will the box run? I didn't choose one of the Linux ones because I thought it might be too painful to manage.

First off, you don't use VNC to connect. You use remote desktop connection.

Secondly, Windows 2003 is a Server OS; it's entirely different from XP, although they resemble each other. Windows 2008 is the new Windows server OS. Don't worry; there aren't too many differences between these operating systems, so you will be able to do the same things on it.

uhh ohh.. I guess I fuked up? I googled both of them and on the wiki page about win server 2008 said it was build on vista etc.. So I automatically thought.. vista, stupid graphics = bad.

So which one is preferable? Which is best? Should I get it changed or what? If the 2008 version is better I might aswell.

Nothing wrong with Vista man :)

read here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows..._2003#Editions

also, im using windows server 2003 r2. its alot like XP, but it just has alot, or tools/utilities and preferences that you wont use.


as for connecting to your box, you'll probably use RDP.
its already built into windows.
go to Start--->Programs--->Accessories; then look for "Remote Desktop Connection"

I was thinking what the exact difference is between VPN, VNC and RDP??
I know that with VNC you remotely control another computer. It transmits the keyboard and mouse events and screen image from one computer to another, which is pretty alright I use it alot

But then there is VPN and RDP? What is the fundamental differences on these three things? I have tried to google it but nothing exactly compared these three things.. I mean they pretty much to the same thing right? Or am I barking up the wrong tree here?

vpn has nothing to do with vnc type applications...
a vpn stands for virtual private network; for example hamachi.
direct from Wikipedia:

A virtual private network (VPN) is a computer network in which some of the links between nodes are carried by open connections or virtual circuits in some larger network (e.g., the Internet) instead of by physical wires. The link-layer protocols of the virtual network are said to be tunneled through the larger network when this is the case. One common application is secure communications through the public Internet, but a VPN need not have explicit security features, such as authentication or content encryption. VPNs, for example, can be used to separate the traffic of different user communities over an underlying network with strong security features.

Well RDP is remote desktop and you can use your keyboard/mouse etc as if you were in front of the server. It is extremely easy to use.

I use windows 2003 web edition, only because it is the cheapest and I assume most optimised for a seedbox (no add-ons etc). It still costs a bomb though, lol.