The best solution for remote desktop

buchar · n00b Joined: 03 Mar 2007 Posts: 5

What's the best solution for remote desktop Win32->Gentoo that can be setup by a non-professional ?

I have a Gentoo server at remote location, so far controlled only via ssh. Server is running web, sql, mail and other services. I would like to access it over "remote desktop" from Windows box. That means running graphical apps on the server, but seeing them on my home Win32 desktop at home.

I've read a few articles about Xorg, CygWin/X, FreeNX, VNC... , but couldn't recognize what are their limits or advantages, or if they would work at all for my case.

Thanks for all advices !

d2_racing · Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2007 8:12 pm Post subject:

That's a very interesting thread.

I look forward for the response

overkll · Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2007 8:12 pm Post subject:

Personally, I use mindterm as an ssh client on my windows machine to access my linux boxes.

If you want a gui, keep in mind that you'll need ample bandwidth for smooth operation. I recommend some flavor of VNC.

If you are accessing your linux box(es) over the internet, I'd add openvpn into the mix for a secure connection. Both VNC and openvpn have a windows client.

silverter · Guru Joined: 10 Apr 2002 Posts: 491 Location: Ulm, DE

Hi,

personally I use FreeNX to access my gentoo server from win32 using the win nx client from Nomachine. I find it was better that VNC.

hope this helps,

kind regards,
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buchar · n00b Joined: 03 Mar 2007 Posts: 5

The bandwidth is over 2.5Mbits with minimal latency, so it should work fine.

Using FreeNX sounds good, do I need anything else on the server except Xorg and FreeNX server ?

Thanks

Toady · Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 9:59 am Post subject:

Personally I dont find that having a GUI on a server to be that usfull - is there somthing in particular that you want to be able to do (like being able to leave stuff running while you log out for example - you might want to look at acreen for that).

If I really HAD to have a desktop that I could connect to on a remote box - I'd probably use VNC - coupled with the desktop of choise (probably somthing light like fluxbox on a server) and then connect to it via an SSH tunnel so that ONLY ssh is available to the internet (or preferably only available to my fixed IP).

Plenty of docs on VNC and even on only spawning a desktop session on connect so that is wasnt always running - there is a good howto on using VNC as a terminal server kicking about on thease forums somwhere.

FreeNX is another good option especially for lower bandwidth / higher latency situations.

Good luck / have fun
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Toady

Gentoo Laptop
3.1.10-gentoo-r1, Intel Core 2 Duo (32bit)
Gnome on the desk, Intel in the box, on-board everything, but it all works!

buchar · n00b Joined: 03 Mar 2007 Posts: 5

Basically the only reason for having a GUI is that it's more comfortable to work :wink:

Now I use Midnight Commander via ssh, which is not bad , but doesn't have many of useful features which Total Commander has. If I would find any good text-mode replacement for MC, I probably wouldn't need GUI. What seems most useful to me are multiple directory tabs and more desktop space for work.