How to Configure VNC for Linux
Virtual Network Computing (VNC) provides remote desktop connection abilities to and from Linux and any other platform. In a typical VNC setup, the computer providing remote connection acts as the "server," transmitting desktop, keyboard and mouse input to the remotely-connecting computer that's acting as the "client." As an open-source program released under the GNU General Public License, VNC can be installed free of charge and configured to work with different distributions of Linux, like Ubuntu.
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Instructions
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Install VNC Packages. Click "Applications," then "Accessories," and then "Terminal." Once the terminal appears, type the following command (without the quotation marks): "sudo apt-get install x11vnc vnc-java" --then press "Enter." Type the administrator password and hit "Enter" again. At the prompt "Do you want to continue [Y/n]?" type "y" and hit "Enter."
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2
Set a VNC password. After the packages install, at the terminal prompt, type "x11vnc -storepasswd" (again, without the quotation marks) and hit "Enter." At the prompt "Enter VNC password:" type a password for VNC. At the "Verify password" prompt, re-type the password. Now, at the "Write password to /home/your-user-account-name/.vnc/passwd? [y]/n" prompt, type "y" and hit "Enter."
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3
Open firewall ports 5800 and 5900. Consult your router vendor's website for specific information on how to open these ports.
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Test VNC Configuration. Click "Applications," then "Accessories," and then "Terminal." At the prompt, without the quotation marks, type "x11vnc -forever -usepw -httpdir /usr/share/vnc-java/ -httpport 5800" and hit "Enter." VNC is now installed and configured for Linux. To view the Linux desktop on a browser, open a web browser, type "http://computername:5800/" and then hit "Enter." To view through the terminal, type "vncviewer computername:5800" at the prompt and then hit "Enter." The VNC password prompt appears. Type the password created in Step 2 and then click "OK." The Linux desktop appears in a window.
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Tips & Warnings
Consult the FAQ section of RealVNC for more information and downloads applicable to your specific operating system, to view the Linux desktop over the Internet through platforms other than Linux.
Opening firewall ports is a security risk. Consult your router vendor's documentation for more information.
References
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