VNC Server From Command Line

VNC is a graphical desktop sharing system that allows remotely controlling the computer.

This tutorial covers how to share what is displayed directly on the monitor, or X's DISPLAY:0 and how to share a new DISPLAY created for VNC.

Installation

To install VNC, install the following packeges

• vncserver or tigervnc-server
• x11vnc

Configuring password

It is necessary to create a password for VNC, or it will allow anyone to connect. Type

$ vncpassword

and you will be prompted for a new password, that will be stored in ${HOME}/.vnc/passwd. Passwords have maximum length of 8 characters

Running VNC server

DISPLAY:0

x11vnc can run a VNC session for DISPLAY :0 (the one you see in the monitor. For doing it, and prompting for password, execute the following:

Other DISPLAY

vncserver will create a VNC session on a DISPLAY different to :0, and will require password automaticaly. Multiple instances of vncserver can run simultaneously, each in a different DISPLAY.

Stopping VNC server

# x11vnc -rfbauth ${HOME}/.vnc/passwd -display :0

x11vnc will close the server when you close the VNC client. For vncserver, you'll need to:

$ vncserver -kill DISPLAY_NO

Revision History

Post built on: 2015-11-02 14:34:59
Last modified on: 2015-11-02 14:34:54
First published on: 2015-11-02

Revision	Date	Description
1.00	2015-11-02	Initial version. Published

Synergy Configuration

Synergy is a program that allows two hosts to share the keyboard and mouse of the "server host" in X11.

Configuration

The following is an example config file, where server is called serverhost and the client is called clienthost. The serverhost screen will be on left of clienthost. Screensaver is synchronized on both screens.

section: options
    screenSaverSync = true
end
section: screens
    serverhost:
    clienthost:
end
section: links
    clienthost:
        left = serverhost
    serverhost:
        right = clienthost
end

Sharing keyboard and mouse

The server side must be initiated with

$ synergys -c config_file

Then, on client, you must run the synergyc specifying the server host

$ synergyc serverhost

Firewall

The default port of Synergy is 24800. This port needs to be open on server host firewall.

Revision History

Post built on: 2015-11-02 14:41:37
Last modified on: 2015-11-02 14:41:33
First published on: 2015-10-11

Revision	Date	Description
1.00	2015-10-11	Initial version. Published