Quote:
is it possible for me to use my Laptop as a monitor for my PC? As in, I boot my laptop, and I boot my PC, and I can switch between using my PC and my Laptop?
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Yes, it is easy and I do this all the time.
You need both computers to be on the same network, so they can ping each other.
Install
ssh on both machines (for convenience).
Check your firewalls allow ports 22 and 5900-5909 on your LAN
Install and have running
vncserver on the main PC
I have this command in the file
/etc/rc.local to start a
vncserver as the user
myusername at boot time on my server:
Code:
su - myusername -c "cd /home/myusername && vncserver :1 -geometry 1024x768 -depth 24"
Install
vncviewer on your laptop
When you want to use your main PC, connect to its
vncserver like this from your laptop:
Code:
vncviewer IP.OF.SER.VER:1
or
Code:
vncviewer Name_of_server:1
A 1024x768 window opens, running programs on your PC, but displaying them on your laptop.
If you are worried about security, you can tunnel
vnc through key-pair based, passwordless authenticated
ssh, and have all the network traffic encrypted, but I'll leave you to experiment with that.
For maintenance of your server (no GUI, but it is handy for setting up things like
vncserver when your server has no screen) open a terminal and type
Code:
ssh username@servername
or
Code:
ssh username@IP.OF.SER.VER
Start simply, then work upwards.
Linux is
awesome