How to set up remote desktop sharing through SSH?

Method 1 :

This can be achieved with vino vnc server & remmina (both come default with ubuntu; if not install it by running sudo apt-get install remmina). Then Run Following commands from local computer in terminal prompt:

  1. ssh -Y gman@remote. Use trusted X11 forwarding, otherwise it wont work

  2. vino-preferences. It will open vino-preferences.

    vino-preference

  3. Also Click configure network automatically to accept connection. But don't enter any password, its base64 encoded. Then click close. Then run:

    sudo -s

export DISPLAY=:0.0

xhost +

/usr/lib/vino/vino-server &

    It will start the vino server.

  4. Logout from server:

    xhost -

Press CTRL+C twice

exit

exit

  5. Then open remmina. Choose vnc under protocol.

    Under basic tab put server address in server field.

    On ssh tab click enable ssh tunnel. Under ssh authentication, it could be password or public key:

    remmina-preference

    Click save. And then double click connection-name(home-desktop as shown in the picture) to start browsing remote desktop.

Method 2:

x11vnc is a simple VNC server and you won't have to mess around with Gnome settings or 500 firewalls, just install x11vnc on all your computers (with puppet or whatever you're using for mass-control).

Then from your local computer run:

ssh user@host -L 5900:localhost:5900 "x11vnc -display :0 -noxdamage"

Obviously swapping user@host for the username and hostname/IP of the remote computer.

And then use a VNC client of your choice to connect to localhost:5900. The SSH command starts a vnc server on the remote computer and then tunnels back that port over SSH. You don't have to open up any ports (as long as you can already SSH).

If your computers have funny display settings, you might do better to leave off the -display :0 segment in the SSH command. x11vnc will then automatically try to find the right display.

Source: askubuntu


Overview of Solution

Assuming you have already setup an OpenSSH Server on your host machine, you must first enable desktop control on your host machine. If you can first enable desktop control on your host machine locally, head to 1a. If you must first enable desktop control on your host machine remotely, head to 1b.

Next create a Remote Desktop Client profile on your client machine in order to connect to the host machine through an SSH tunnel and ultimately view and control the host machine's desktop through an SSH tunnel.

1a. Locally Enable Remote Control of Host Machine

Do the following on the host machine:

vino-preferences
  • vino-preferences also in Dash under Desktop Sharing

enter image description here

  1. Tick Allow other users to view your desktop
  2. Tick Allow other users to control your desktop
  3. Tick Require the user to enter this password
  4. Enter a difficult to guess passphrase
  5. Close

1b. Remotely Enable Remote Control of Host Machine

Do the following on the client machine, replacing 123.123.12.3 with your host machine's IP address:

ssh -Y 123.123.12.3
  • -Y, Enables trusted X11 forwarding. Trusted X11 forwardings are not subjected to the X11 SECURITY extension controls.
vino-preferences
  • vino-preferences also in Dash under Desktop Sharing

enter image description here

  1. Tick Allow other users to view your desktop
  2. Tick Allow other users to control your desktop
  3. Tick Require the user to enter this password
  4. Enter a difficult to guess passphrase
  5. Close

Create Remote Desktop Client profile on your Client Machine

Do the following on the client machine:

remmina
  • remmina also in Dash under Remmina Remote Desktop Client

Ctrl+N or Connection > New

enter image description here

  1. Fill in your IP address [123.123.12.3] where it says Server
  2. Switch to the SSH tab

enter image description here

  1. Tick Enable SSH Tunnel
  2. Point your Desktop Client to your non-standard SSH port
  3. Set your SSH Authentication <username> and mode
  4. Connect

View and Control Host Machine

On the client machine, when asked for <username>'s password, enter it to create the SSH tunnel. When asked for the VNC password, enter the passphrase you previously entered into the host machine.

If successful at this step, you should now be viewing and controlling the host machine's desktop from your client machine through an SSH tunnel.


I was able to set a fresh Ubuntu 16.04 install from a remote ssh connection with the following script:

#!/bin/bash
export DISPLAY=:0
read -e -p "VNC Password: " -i "ubuntu" password
dconf write /org/gnome/desktop/remote-access/enabled true
dconf write /org/gnome/desktop/remote-access/prompt-enabled false
dconf write /org/gnome/desktop/remote-access/authentication-methods "['vnc']"
dconf write /org/gnome/desktop/remote-access/require-encryption false
dconf write /org/gnome/desktop/remote-access/vnc-password \"\'$(echo -n $password | base64)\'\"
dconf dump /org/gnome/desktop/remote-access/
sudo service lightdm restart

The quoting is important for any of the string settings (single ticks inside quotes). For dconf to be able to write it needs access to XWindows, so that's why the export DISPLAY part is needed. I think you still need to be logged in to the desktop on the actual Ubuntu machine to connect with VNC after this. The dump command is just there to confirm all the settings took hold, you don't really need that.

Optionally you may want to do this if you want to keep the display up all the time:

dconf write /org/gnome/desktop/screensaver/lock-enabled false
dconf write /org/gnome/desktop/screensaver/ubuntu-lock-on-suspend false
dconf write /org/gnome/desktop/session/idle-delay "uint32 0"

Tags:

Ssh

Vnc

Openssh

Vncviewer

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