Topic: Setting up a remote desktop for Ubuntu

[Mike]

So I have Ubuntu Server running on my old desktop.  It is stashed away and I only directly access it when something goes horribly wrong and I can't remote into it.

I want to setup a desktop environment that I can run over SSH.  I've done something similar for school where I could use putty with x11 forwarding enabled and a program called xterm.

So anyone have a suggestion of which packages I need to install and configure?

[Steve]

i use VNC with windows box's, and im new to ubuntu but this site has taught me alot already and maybe it can help ya:

http://ubuntu-tutorials.com/2007/06/12/vnc-over-ssh-securing-the-remote-desktop/

Heres a few others, as that one mostly talks about the security aspect:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=656129
http://www.ubuntugeek.com/share-your-ubuntu-desktop-using-remote-desktop.html

Hope it helps some.

[Dumah]

Never tried with a full desktop, but try this.

1. Get the ssh daemon running on the server (sure you already have this)
2. Edit /etc/ssh/sshd_config and change X11Forwarding to "yes"
3. ssh in as normal but add the -X option to the command
4. Type the command for any sort of GUI app and it will open on the client as if it were installed there.

The app running will be running from the server. Try run gedit (or another text editor) and you'll notice you can save the file on the server.

Does this help at all?

[Mike]

Dumah, I know how to use it.  What I really need to how to set it up to be used :P

[Dumah]

Dumah, I know how to use it.  What I really need to how to set it up to be used :P

Ugh! Set what up? ssh-server?

sudo apt-get install openssh-server

[Mike]

No, the desktop environment.  There are like a billion different ones out there (ok maybe a small overstatement...)

[Dumah]

Oh..you mean a proper display manager. When you mentioned ssh I thought you meant tunneling.

sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop

or

sudo apt-get install kubuntu-desktop

or

sudo apt-get install xubuntu-desktop

for gnome, KDE and XFCE respectively

[Mike]

Yeah all the SSH stuff was setup within minutes of its birth :P

Is anyone particular better then the other?

[Dumah]

They all use the same repositories and have many of the same apps.

I like gnome, Linus Torvalds likes KDE...meh...

[Mike]

I'll go with gnome since I don't like Linus :P

[Mike]

Weeeeeee

It worked with gedit.  Now to see if there are some useful apps :P

[Mike]

ohhh I wonder if I can get pidgin to work on this setup...

[Steve]

i dont see why not.

And +1 for gnome, i was never a kde fan

[ahluka]

i dont see why not.

And +1 for gnome, i was never a kde fan

Me neither. I kinda like XFCE too.

[Mike]

Hmm, is it possible to use the desktop manager in this configuration?