LinuxCNC in client-server configuration?

There seem to be several permutations of computer and CNC machine such as (AFAIK)
PC -> parport ->CNC machine
PC -> parport -> motion control ->CNC machine
PC -> USB/ethernet ->motion control ->CNC machine
PC -> USB/ethernet -> embedded g code interpreter ->CNC machine
(Note. not clear whether motion control board are just a buffer or includes g-code interpreter boards as well)

With respect to LinuxCNC the first option appears to be the chosen configuration. But, can you have variants in it e.g.
PC(laptop) as configurator/monitor - > dedicated LinuxCNC PC ->parport -> CNC machine
How can the PC(laptop) monitors the dedicated PC?
1. Use of VNC or equivalent over ethernet
2. Use of a LinuxCNC variant - client-server i.e. server on the dedicated PC with a GUI client on the laptop(application, webpage?). Does this option exist?
Thanks.

I have x11vnc server on my Linuxcnc controller. so I can connect to it from another Linux/Windows computer.
This is mostly done when I want to change or test something and don't need to be with the machine. If the machine is in operation (CNC router), then I'm usually close by.

mchapman wrote:

There seem to be several permutations of computer and CNC machine such as (AFAIK)
PC -> parport ->CNC machine
PC -> parport -> motion control ->CNC machine
PC -> USB/ethernet ->motion control ->CNC machine
PC -> USB/ethernet -> embedded g code interpreter ->CNC machine
(Note. not clear whether motion control board are just a buffer or includes g-code interpreter boards as well)

With respect to LinuxCNC the first option appears to be the chosen configuration. But, can you have variants in it e.g.
PC(laptop) as configurator/monitor - > dedicated LinuxCNC PC ->parport -> CNC machine
How can the PC(laptop) monitors the dedicated PC?
1. Use of VNC or equivalent over ethernet
2. Use of a LinuxCNC variant - client-server i.e. server on the dedicated PC with a GUI client on the laptop(application, webpage?). Does this option exist?
Thanks.

It should be pointed out that LinuxCNC supports a number of non-parallel port options including
various PCI/PCIE cards, Ethernet and Ethercat for direct realtime PC to Drive / IO connections

Thank you for the replys.

I was particularly interested in a cheap dedicated computer (I have got a Intel Atom 330 based system). The point wasn't to remote control the CNC machine it was to offload linuxCNC onto a dedicated machine.

VNC sounds like a solution but is there an overhead with transmitting the frame buffer over Ethernet?

What I was wondering was whether linuxCNC on the dedicated computer could act as a server while I use a client for config and monitoring from another computer (a laptop). Is there a GUI/client that can link to linuxcnc over Ethernet? Thanks.

I can't say I've noticed any increased load or delays when running VNC (the VNC server runs all the time).My connection from the shed where the CNC is located, is via a wifi link through a Raspberry Pi. No latency issues noted there.

There's no client-server version of Linuxcnc if that's what you're asking. Why won't VNC meet your needs?

My dedicated Linuxcnc computer is about as basic as you can get, it's an 8(?) year old, small form factor, HP desktop DX2710. It runs an Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU E8400 @ 3.00GHz, 2 GB memory. Graphics are just the inbuilt, Intel 82G33/G31 along a Realtek 8168 Ethernet.