I'm able to use javac to compile the server files, and use rmic to build stub and skeleton from those, and start the rmiregistry (from super-user mode), and start the server business class, but the client program can't be compiled except if it is on the same machine as the server and has classpath access to the server files, which defeats the whole purpose of RMI. % javac DisplayTime.java DisplayTime.java:8: Class TimeService not found. TimeService t = (TimeService)Naming.lookup("//localhost:2005/TimeSer vice"); ^ DisplayTime.java:8: Class TimeService not found. TimeService t = (TimeService)Naming.lookup("//localhost:2005/TimeSer vice"); ^ 2 errors