track down VNC failure to connect

Hi, we're trying to get some remote desktop access. While aware & will be trying builtin windows Remote Desktop Access (wXPpro server, wXPhome client), I also am asking here:
-trying out -within the home LAN, right now, before trying over the WAN- to have one PC as an ultraVNC server, and another a client (both here are XPpro)
-the failure message comes up after a few seconds, as an authentication failure, or failure to connect. I'm trying 2 clients, ultraVNC and .netVNC. The server I've tried is ultraVNC. I followed online setup instructions well, I believe.
-Asante router is toast on the WAN, but it's ok connecting PCs on the LAN together. The Netgear wgt624v3 router is the WAN tie-in (all wired).
-I have port 5900 on the netgear. I'm less sure what should be happening on the Asante. I've enabled dhcp server setup & dynDNS (putting in their places, the hostname, user name & password for dynDNS) - should I have even bothered, and might these entries interfere with the same entries on the Netgear? The Asante also has a distributed servers setup. The PortForwarding.com has this dist. server port as 113, assuming it's a router. I left it. I've tried to connect with this enabled and not, no difference, still failure.
-I have the ultraVNC repeater on/off makes no difference.
-firewall off
There are no real troubleshooting tutorials, I have just posted to the ultraVNC forums, and done search there with no direct answers found.
-Is there an easier-to-use, free VNC out there? Your experiences appreciated. Thank you.

 

If you are trying to remotely access the desktop on an XP Pro PC, by far the simplest solution is to use the built in RDP system. Have a look at this guide:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/mobility/getstarted/remoteintro.mspx

If the connection is within the LAN (that is does not involve connecting over the Internet) you will not have to set anything on your routers.

XP Pro's remote desktop system works very well and is definitely the place to start.