Refracta Development, Scripts, etc.
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fsmithred

- fsmithred
- Posts: 2101
- Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2011 9:13 pm

## Re: x11vnc

Sun Oct 27, 2013 12:07 pm

Revisiting vnc - want to put some notes here for myself.
Installed tightvncserver and xtightvncviewer on sid. As you said, it's easy to use. One major difference I see is that with x11vnc, you connect to the existing display, and with tightvncserver, you get a separate display. With tight, you can connect to the remote host, start some program, close the connection, and then come back to it later, and it'll still be running. (You can do that with x11vnc, too, but it will be on the same display that someone sitting at the remote host sees.) So, if you want to use vnc to do technical support for a friend, x11vnc seems like the way to do it. (There are probably other ways to do it.)
I tried doing tightvnc over ssh tunnel, and I can connect, but all I see is a gray field instead of the desktop. Might play with this some more, but right now, I would only use tightvnc on my local network. To do it over the internet without the ssh tunnel seems risky.
Third note: In the past few months, I've had a few occasions to use vnc to connect to my own computer when I was at a friend's house. The scripts I wrote didn't work, and I had to issue the commands manually. I haven't tried troubleshooting yet.
nadir

- nadir
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## Re: x11vnc

Sun Oct 27, 2013 4:02 pm

The last time i used vnc was when this thread was active. And i barely use it anyway, only for fun or to check if it works.
(Oh, i am wrong: i looked at SoulSingings how-to smartphone with Debian, there i used vnc to connect to the smartphone).
That is the only reason i use tight*: It work for me without any fiddling.
That said:
I read the thread at forums.debian.net about letting a gui program run after quitting the connection.
I didn't know you can keep the remote running. That is very good.
I could need that for a few progams i got running on the server or a raspberry (I gave up on RetroShare, but i think for such it would be a good solution). If you can give more detailed info. Or mainly this question: I only "quit" the connection? Or do i have to say: "quit, but keep remote active" ?
As i usually don't need to keep the remote gui app running, i simply use "ssh -X name-of-app".
That solves the security problem, and i don't have to tunnel vnc
(I am bad with vnc and i am bad with tunneling and authentication. + i am at home 95% of my time, and if not i am not that keen to do computing).
With all the smartphones and tables getting sold, i assume this will be a hot topic in the future (Well: if i had such devises i could still use ssh, but most people probably don't like cli that much).
fsmithred

- fsmithred
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- Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2011 9:13 pm

## Re: x11vnc

Sun Oct 27, 2013 4:54 pm

Install tightvncserver on the remote server, and xtightvncviewer on the client.
Log into the remote server over ssh and start tightvncserver:

Code:
  `ssh [email protected]
  vncserver`

The first time you do it, you'll be asked to create a password. (It didn't like the four-letter password I tried, so I doubled it.) You'll also be shown which display to use, probably :1
End the ssh session:

Code:
  `exit`

From the client:

Code:
  `vncviewer`

A small text-entry box will come up. Enter

> remote-server:1

You'll get a window showing the remote desktop, whether xserver is running or not. I ran refractasnapshot, because I knew it would run for a while. You can close this window if you no longer need to see the remote desktop.
Log into the remote client again with the vncviewer command, enter remote-host:1 again, and you'll return to the remote desktop. (Close it as in "click on the little x in the upper right corner and make it go away.") When I did it, refractsnapshot was still running.
nadir

- nadir
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## Re: x11vnc

Mon Oct 28, 2013 1:51 am

Thanks for the detailed steps.
It worked like a charme, exactly as you say.
Great.
On a site note: I usually use remina (without reason). Each time i use tightvncviewer i am amazed how fast it is and with a very clean look.
(I tested this from one raspberry pi to the other, so sure on low ressources).
A pity the ssh-part can't be solved.
nadir

- nadir
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- Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2011 4:18 am
- Location: here

## Re: x11vnc

Mon Nov 11, 2013 1:15 pm

fsmithred, i just figured out the following:
ssh -fX name-of-remote xfce4-panel
will forward the panel (as long no local instance is running)
Hence i can start all remote apps over ssh from the panel, without further forwarding.
As far i have seen yet.
The drawback is that the local panel is gone.
As long all one wants is a secure connection to a remote machine, to me it looks fine
( i work with applications, not the desktop).
Thinking a bit more: Some people might want to look at the same stuff remote and local (if remote is another user in the need of help).
But forwarding the panel sure looks easy.
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