BullDog Notes

What - Remote Access to Ubunto 18.04

How do you work with a headless Ubuntu 18.04 system? I would like to make this easy so for me a remote desktop just like the local real desktop would be great. I think I have now, it but it has been hard to get there. I would like to maintain as much security as possible. The access to the Ubuntu machine will be from Windows 10. For me this is all inside my local network. I have found 3 useful ways to do this on my system:

• Get command line access ( Putty and SSH )
• Webmin, remote http web access.
• Full VNC desktop ( there are other remote desktops )
• Why not just use option Share Desktop ? Because mine would not turn on thats why. Why it would not turn on, I was not able to figure out.

Of these VNC is the most difficult, and the one I wanted, it will be discussed first. It also mentions tools that may be useful in other approaches.

VNC full Desktop -- My Goal

I would like to use VNC to access a Ubuntu 18.04 system from windows like I do with the Raspberry Pi.

• Connect to the existing desktop
• Keep the connection secure
• Stick to open source.

This has been a bit of a struggle for a number of gotchas.

Overview

As I understand it ( may not have figured it out all the way )

• VNC has a server ( run on the machine you wish to view ) and viewer ( run on the machine you wish to access).
• In addition to having several components there are many versions of VNC. Directions for each differ, and differ across versions of Linux. Make sure you directions match your software.
• I will focus on Tiger VNC and Ubuntu 18.04
• To get VNC working there seem to be various components.
  • VNC server
  • Desktop software ( there are many different ones, you may need to install -- however here I want to run on the default Ubuntu 18.04 desktop so, of course, it is already installed. )
  • A way to connect to the VNC server -- many servers will only connect to localhost 127.0.0.1 so we will use vnc tunnelling to make a remote connection appear to be on localhost

Software Used

before installs

• sudo apt update

• sudo apt upgrade

Process viewer (htop)

• Why This will let you see what vnc software is running.
• Install >> sudo apt -install htop
• Run >> htop
• Exit >> ctrl-c

IfConfig

• Why see your server's tcp ip address
• Install >> sudo apt -install ??
• Run >> ifconfig
• Exit >> just ends

SSH

• Install >> sudo apt install openssh-server

what

might this help gconf-editor

System Control

systemctl vs. service

• sudo systemctl stop httpd << The Apache server would stop and you'd be returned to the bash prompt. To start the same service, we'd issue the command:

• sudo systemctl start httpd << The service would start and you'd be returned to your bash prompt.

• sudo systemctl restart httpd << to restart the same service

Ubuntu text editor ( gedit )

• Install >> apt-get -install ??
• Run >> htop

Tiger VNC

• Note: there may already be vncserver software installed perhaps vineo ??

• Install >> sudo apt-get install tigervnc-scraping-server

• Install ( may not be needed ) >> sudo apt install tigervnc-standalone-server tigervnc-viewer

• Set password >>vncpasswd << gotcha, if run server with no password set. If this does not run find an install -- perhaps full tiger vnc to get it.

• Run gotcha >> x0tigervncserver << but gotcha, needs to be pointed to password file so
• Run >> x0tigervncserver -PasswordFile ~/.vnc/passwd

• Run gotcha this is not the scraping server may not be installed >> tigervncserver -xstartup /usr/bin/xterm

• Set password >>vncpasswd << gotcha, if run server with no password set it will not work.

• edit configuration file >> use file browser but .vnc is hidden so turn on hidden file abillity ( one of its menus )

• starting thru ssh with putty does not work ( get an authentication error, but can start locally )
• to start thru ssh install startup script as on https://www.howtoforge.com/tutorial/how-to-start-a-vnc-server-for-the-actual-display-scraping-with-tigervnc/ this script can be run thru putty

• • sudo apt-get install git psmisc

• • git clone https://github.com/sebestyenistvan/runvncserver
  • cp ~/runvncserver/startvnc ~
  • chmod +x ~/startvnc
  • ./startvnc start

• Manual Page: may not be the best >> https://man.cx/x0tigervncserver(1)

• set password with >> vncpasswd
• see running servers >> vncserver -list
• what runs with command vncserver >> which vncserver

    right answer is ?? 

/usr/bin/vncserver

• what about owner of the .Xauthority file, https://askubuntu.com/questions/772090/how-can-i-resolve-x11-problem-with-putty-if-i-have-this-error-putty-x11-proxy

PuTTY X11 proxy: Unsupported authorisation protocol

How to start a vnc server for the actual display (scraping) with TigerVNC https://www.howtoforge.com/tutorial/how-to-start-a-vnc-server-for-the-actual-display-scraping-with-tigervnc/

Workflow In Use

• Boot the Ubuntu machine, if powered off just power on, if you have access sudo reboot ?? or restart will boot it.
• Wait
• On the windows machine connect with Putty and log in with your password and id
• In Putty issue the command to start the VNC Server >> ./startvnc start
• Start the windows VNC viewer the one I used is VNC viewer from RealVNC ... because this is the one I use for the Rasberry Pi ( you need to have a configuration with the right ip address of the Ubuntu Machine the same as the one in Putty

Easiest, no Desktop Putty SSH

• Install ssh on Ubuntu

• Run Putty on windows using the IP address of the Ubuntu machine

Webmin Somewhat Graphical, Easier than Command Line

• rather than use the desktop use a web based admin tool: Webmin

• Website Webmin http://www.webmin.com/

• Install >> sudo apt-get install webmin << seems to work on virtual machine but not real one -- need to update apt's source list see link below
• Start >> sudo /etc/webmin/start

• access on your browser >> https://192.168.0.95:10000/ not work:?? http://192.168.0.95:10000/

• link >> How To Install Webmin on Ubuntu 18.04 | DigitalOcean

https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-install-webmin-on-ubuntu-18-04

>> sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list or ( gui ) >> sudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.list