I'm intending to set up a server of sorts complete with a desktop set up, probably LXDE.

My main machine will be running a KDE desktop so I wonder if I can use VNC from that to drive the LXDE desktop on the "server".

Going a little further I also wonder if the desktop on the server could be run from a netbook currently running windows. I am likely to change that to Linux at some point but may find that it doesn't work out.

Why - well I am much happier even editing files from a desktop environment. May also try streaming video out of the "server" so netbook driving remotely would be an attractive way of doing it. Even my wife could manage that.

Not sure which part of the forum would be best for asking about something like this.

John
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VNC aside (which is a nasty nasty thing, avoid!) it sounds like synergy2 is likely to be a really useful to. so you can swoosh a single mouse abnd keyboard between two separate machines? Is that the sort of thing you're after?

Not sure if this will work on Suse as written, but here's how I do it.


On the server, via console or ssh, as a regular user:

You will be prompted to set a password for that specific vnc process and user. Remember it because you will need it when connecting from a client.

The -depth and -geometry options are for the desktop setting. The :5 option is the display number and port number that the vnc-server process will be listening in on, in this instance, display :5 = port 5905. Make sure the firewall is off, or an iptables rule is created for it. If I had used display :1, that would mean port 5901.

I then connect from my Windows 7 desktop using RealVNC to the server's IP and screen number or port number.

192.168.1.101:5 or 192.168.1.101:5905

It prompts me for my password. I enter it. I then get connected to a bare minimum X windows with just a terminal open. I type the following to get a more complete graphical environment:

This gives me the typical gnome desktop. If I close the client, and reconnect, the graphical session will be exactly as I left it.

d

Thanks. Both of these suggestions could prove useful. Synergy might not work out though as I would ideally like 2 servers but both needn't be up and running at the same time.

May be a mad project but I am amazed what people have managed to get not all that recent atom boards to do. The hp microserver should be able to do more but I would like a nice clean desktop style way of driving it.

Whoops, just realised that I can't see the tv at my desktop - wife etc might be watching it too so Synergy may not be appropriate.

John
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If you want to share the remote desktop screen, you can do it with x11vnc. Tightvnc server will start a new user session with it's own desktop when you connect, and is a better way to go if you don't need to share desktop screens.

Yes. I just found some instructions that are well laid out on here for setting up the server including starting up a full desktop.

http://www.linuxtopia.org/HowToGuide...x_Windows.html

A review suggests that this is the best Linux client. Reading about the others it went through I would be inclined to agree - desktop scaling etc.

http://remmina.sourceforge.net/index.shtml

No problem on my desktop but not sure about the netbook if that turns out to be feasible. Would have to convert it to Linux. It does seem to be aimed at netbooks or any level of PC.

The review was here
http://www.techradar.com/news/softwa...clients-716346
Seems to have been fairly done.

With Linux on everything it seems it's possible to use X directly with ssh X user@srerver address from the console and then enter what ever you like at a command level. Not sure how that would be converted to a full graphical remote desktop but it seems that it is possible. On the other hand Remmina does all sorts of useful things.

The is a XMBC package that includes Samba about so it does seem feasible to run a file server as well. I can't play with files and watch telly at the same time. I run my current nas using CIFS directly as the docs reckon it would slow down if I allowed it to service NFS as well. Windows users in the house so the simplest option but I had to mod and recompile mount.cifs. Seems all may be ok on OpenSuse 12.3.

Some people use another very very low powered unit to decode the video.

John
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I really like "NoMachine NX". http://www.nomachine.com/products.php They have a free server for Linux and a free one for Solaris/SPARC. They also have a free client for Linux, Windows, Mac OSX, and Solaris. In NX-speak, the "server" is the computer that will be controlled, the "client" is the computer that will be doing the controlling. I use NX Linux->controlling->Linux and Windows->controlling->Linux. Works like a champ.

Thanks I will make a note of that one. One thing I liked about the the one I mentioned is that screen size is automatically accounted for even to the extent of the case where a netbook is used - it can be moved about on the desktop that it's connected to, zoomed and all sorts of things.

John
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I made a script that opens a terminal, logs in via ssh to my desktop (asks for password), does the port redirections via localhost, starts the x11vnc server and makes it to reverse connect to my listening viewer running on my laptop (launched at the same time by the script).
All i have to do is click on the launcher icon and give my ssh password. My method is a bit complicated though - in your case you should have x11vnc running all the time and listening.
Best for security is to tunnel the connection via ssh - vnc is a notoriously insecure protocol. ssh tunneling can be done on any platform including Windows (with putty). Also vnc viewers are many, i personally use tightvnc on Windows and Remmina/ssvncviewer on Linux.

I apologise if this is not the right place to ask this, but I have been having problems with nomachine NX. I have used it in the past without issues. I have a new install of Ubuntu 13.04, installed the NX server on it, and using the client on my Windows 8 machine. I can connect just fine, but the desktop is blank, just shows the wallpaper but no icons. I can't do anything. Right-click does nothing. I have looked at the config files and can't see what is going wrong. If I log in on the console to the Ubuntu machine it is fine.

jj

PS - NX version 3.5.0

You should start a new thread when introducing a new question. You will get better responses if the thread title describes your problem, which "VNC desktop sharing cross platfrom and from different desktop types" does not.

But anyway, here is your answer:

http://www.nomachine.com/fr/view.php?id=FR06I02466

Bottom line: Don't use Unity 3D or Gnome 3 as your desktop. Use a 2D desktop.

Haertig, thank you. Wasn't sure what to do and I saw reference to NX in this. Thanks, I will look at that.

jj