VNC via clientssh computer

VNC is a protocol and a program to show a network on the desktop. In other words: you are able to see the graphical interface of the pool computer on your computer at home and you will be able to work remote from home. In this way you will be able to work with Matlab, Eclipse etc.

To be able to use VNC you have to login on a computer using clientssh and start the program “vncserver”. If you start the program for the first time, it will ask for two passwords:

• password for the full access (mouse, keyboard, monitor)
• view-only which can passed on e.g. to fellow students. It is possible to have access to the monitor but only the monitor and not the keyboard and the mouse.

These passwords should be at all costs other passwords then of the RBG/ISP accounts because the VNC protocol is not encrypted.

After the successful start the VNC server, the server will inform you with which number the VPN client must be called up:

• an example session:

ssh testds@clientssh3.rbg.informatik.tu-darmstadt.de

testds@clientssh3:~$ vncserver 

You will require a password to access your desktops.

Password: ***********
Verify:   ***********
Would you like to enter a view-only password (y/n)? y
Password: ***********
Verify:   ***********
Couldn't start Xtightvnc; trying default font path.
Please set correct fontPath in the vncserver script.

New 'X' desktop is clientssh3:1

Creating default startup script /home/testds/.vnc/xstartup
Starting applications specified in /home/testds/.vnc/xstartup
Log file is /home/testds/.vnc/clientssh3:1.log

In this example the VNC server has the name “clientssh3.rbg…” and the number “1”. The number in this case is the TCP port. The VNC server starts withe the pros 5901. The number “2” would then be the TCP Port 5902.

Regular VNC clients know their number and talk to the VNC server on the matching port.

TODO testen