ssh + vpn = right choise?

spoody_goon · 01-05-2006, 05:47 PM

I have a small home network(ethernet) and an older computer freshly installed with VectorLinux. I want to use this computer as a print server, file server, and from time to time I will want to connect remotely to startx and use the software on it. I want this to be a "set it and forget it" situation. I need the computer to be accessable from Linux and windoz.
IS ssh the right choice for me?

here a few tutorials I have been browsing:
http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/ppp-ssh/
http://www.faqs.org/docs/Linux-HOWTO/VPN-HOWTO.html
http://www.icewalkers.com/Linux/Howto/VPN.html#toc8

Thanks

Linux.tar.gz · 01-05-2006, 08:51 PM

If your are in a secure environment, you don't need a vpn. What you need is a VNC in order to graphically take control.

spoody_goon · 01-05-2006, 09:08 PM

great thanks that is about 90% of my problem, but there may be times when I will want to gain access to files from a remote location.

flashingcurser · 01-06-2006, 09:47 AM

I understand that ssh can forward x. Look in your /etc/ssh/sshd_conf for "X11Forwarding". SSH isnt really designed to do this so likely it will be slow. I have never done it.

As was stated above-- there are better ways of doing what you want to do.

By the way, have you tried-- webmin, winscp, and putty? They cover a lot of bases. (Cover all mine)

dan

Linux.tar.gz · 01-06-2006, 05:57 PM

You can use samba or ftp to share files. NFS between *nix machines rocks. I think it's possible to access from windows machine but i don't know how.

jford_oldman · 01-06-2006, 06:37 PM

You can do that through ssh. You need to install an x-server on the remote machine, and you can enable x forwarding over ssh. I've done this once from an Windoze XP machine, using it to access a Debian machine through our ethernet LAN. Check out X-Deep-32, a free x-server for Windows machines. I'm sorry not to provide more details, but I did this quite some time ago and don't recall much beyond using the X-Deep-32 documentation quite a bit.
I haven't done this with a Linux-to-Linux system, but imagine the process would be quite similar.

Good luck.

spoody_goon · 01-06-2006, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jford_oldman

I'm sorry not to provide more details, but I did this quite some time ago and don't recall much beyond using the X-Deep-32 documentation quite a bit.

That's alright all I need is a direction, I can search for it from there thanks everyone for your help. Currently I am working with tightvnc I will post again as soon as I finish.

spoody_goon · 01-07-2006, 02:47 PM

So let me get this straight..
ssh is for comand line control of a machine in a local network
tightvnc is for graphical control of a machine in a local network

is that right?