How to access VNC on a Linux server without having been logged in to the machine first?

Possible Duplicate:
Automatically start VNC server on startup

I have a Linux server at home, and by default no-one is logged in to that box.

I'd like to establish a remote desktop connection to it with VNC but this fails, unless I log in first physically.

It's strange to me that VNC Viewer doesn't even ask for credentials, it just displays a "connection refused" error message.

What's the best way to do this? I'm running Ubuntu 10.04 on the server.

Wabbitseason

Posted 2010-09-04T07:45:30.013

Reputation: 179

1Oops, I was WRONG about the following being a duplicate! -- possible duplicate of Automatically start VNC server on startup – Arjan – 2010-09-05T11:25:31.957

@Arjan @Diago this is not a duplicate. The other question is about the VNC server ONLY. This question also covers other remote desktop solution. Voting to reopen. – BloodPhilia – 2010-09-05T18:49:12.830

@Blood FYI. Dual notifications in comments don't work. Furthermore, I fail to see how this covers other solutions, also there is a duplicate of that already as well. – BinaryMisfit – 2010-09-05T19:40:44.220

@Diago, unlike BloodPhilia I disagree about this question being about other remote desktop things as well. It is all about VNC, if you'd ask me. HOWEVER, if I understand correctly, then maybe a running VNC server on Linux still does not allow one to use it unless someone actually logged in on the box itself? If I'm wrong there, then we were right about this being a duplicate, but just in case I was wrong: voting to reopen. – Arjan – 2010-09-05T19:56:48.270

Wabbit: can you confirm that the VNC server is actually running before someone logs in? – Arjan – 2010-09-05T19:57:05.867

@Diago Before Arjan edited the question, the title referred to "connecting to remote when not logged in to machine". In that case, the answer of Adam would also contain valid (non-VLC) solutions. (Xming and using ssh -X.) – BloodPhilia – 2010-09-05T21:06:15.073

@Arjan: I never bothered to install a VNC server to the Linux box. All I did was just enabled remote desktop sharing from the Gnome menu so I guess I was using the default vino-server for this. – Wabbitseason – 2010-09-06T10:50:34.740

Answers

I believe that vnc is not the same as windows remote desktop - it is for screen sharing so if you are not logged in the vnc service won't be running.

The solutions would be to set your home server to log in automatically or run an xserver on your remote computer and connect using ssh/putty. I used to use cygwin and always connected to my ubuntu box with ssh -X but just tried out xming and am impressed. After a full install if you run xlaunch, set to run fullscreen, and run gnome-session remotely connecting with putty - it is just like remote desktop and seems quicker than vnc on my lan.

Adam Butler

Posted 2010-09-04T07:45:30.013

Reputation: 571

I've enabled automatic log in on the Linux box, but it doesn't work when no monitor is plugged in (otherwise it would do just fine). Now I'm going to experiment with finding a way to install and configure an xserver. Thanks for the tips! – Wabbitseason – 2010-09-04T10:42:05.363

That is strange - when you say it doesn't work do you get an error? Is it still logging into X? – Adam Butler – 2010-09-04T11:06:08.617

According to my recent research when Ubuntu cannot see an attached monitor at boot time, it just won't start the X environment. – Wabbitseason – 2010-09-04T11:09:14.833

I'm sure it must be possible do you have a monitor configured? What error do you get in the X log file? A quick google found this post http://www.readactor.com/tutorials/boot-ubuntu-10-04-without-monitor-working-solution/ maybe ssh -X might be easier - personally I use the cygwin xserver, I find it a little slow, don't know what better free options there are.

– Adam Butler – 2010-09-05T09:24:48.183

xming works perfect. – BloodPhilia – 2010-09-05T12:50:50.943

VNC and remote desktop operate on different principles. The basic operating model for remote desktop is that it gives you access to the remote machine's actual, physical display; it doesn't give you a remote connection to the machine independently of what the local user is doing. The basic operating model for VNC is that it provides a virtual display that you can connect to remotely; VNC operates independently of what a local user may be doing.

If you want to run graphical applications on your Linux machine and have them display on your local machine, VNC is not the first tool that comes to mind. The unix way of doing this is to use ssh -X to connect to the remote machine; then remote X applications are displayed on the local X display. This does require that you have an X server locally; for Windows, this requires yet another program to be installed and set up.

If you want to be able to start a graphical application on the Linux machine, and connect to it from anywhere in the world, run a VNC server (vncserver command). This creates a virtual display that you can connect to from anywhere (barring firewalls). Run a VNC client to see what is displayed on that virtual display.

If you want to have direct access to the X server that is displaying on the Linux machine's monitor, check out x2vnc.

Gilles 'SO- stop being evil'

Posted 2010-09-04T07:45:30.013

Reputation: 58 319