Linux : VNC - Virtual Network Computing

Objective: To create VNC server and make this accessible for the remote client.

Description:

Virtual Network Computing (VNC) is a graphical desktop sharing system.

VNC is platform-independent -a VNC viewer on one operating system may connect to a VNC server on the same or any other operating system.

Environment: Redhat Linux 5.0 32-bit.

1. VNC server

Hostname: server

IP address:192.168.56.99

2. Remote user

IP address:192.168.56.102

Hostname:appserver

Plan:

- Install and verify "vnc" packages.

- Create your VNC users.

- Set your users' VNC passwords.

- Edit the server configuration.

- Create and customize xstartup scripts.

- Start the VNC service.

- Test VNC user.

1. Verify install both the packges of VNC server.

[root@server ~]# rpm -qa vnc*

Install VNC server and client package.

[root@server ~]# yum install -y vnc*

[root@server ~]# yum list vnc*

Installed Packages

vnc.i386                                 4.1.2-9.el5            installed

vnc-server.i386                       4.1.2-9.el5            installed

2. Create VNC user.

[root@server ~]# useradd sunlnx

[root@server ~]# passwd sunlnx

3. Edit VNC server configurations.

Append the below lines in config file(/etc/sysconfig/vncservers)

VNCSERVERS="1:sunlnx"

VNCSERVERARGS[1]="-geometry 640x480"

[root@server ~]# tail -2 /etc/sysconfig/vncservers

VNCSERVERS="1:sunlnx"

VNCSERVERARGS[1]="-geometry 640x480"

4. Need to create default startup scripts.

[root@server ~]# vncserver

You will require a password to access your desktops.

Password:

Verify:

New 'server:1 (root)' desktop is server:1

Creating default startup script /root/.vnc/xstartup

Starting applications specified in /root/.vnc/xstartup

Log file is /root/.vnc/server:1.log

This would have created .vnc directory in $HOME.

[root@server ~]# ls -ld .vnc/

drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 Jul 14 13:40 .vnc/

[root@server ~]# ls .vnc/

passwd  server:1.log  server:1.pid  xstartup

5. Create xstartup scripts.

We will create the xstartup scripts by starting and stopping the vncserver as root.

[root@server ~]# service vncserver start

Starting VNC server: 1:sunlnx

New 'server:1 (sunlnx)' desktop is server:1

Starting applications specified in /home/sunlnx/.vnc/xstartup

Log file is /home/sunlnx/.vnc/server:1.log

                                                           [  OK  ]

[root@server ~]# service vncserver stop

Shutting down VNC server: 1:sunlnx                         [  OK  ]

[root@server ~]#

6. VNC server listens on port 5901.

[root@server ~]# netstat -nalt

tcp        0      0 0.0.0.0:5901                0.0.0.0:*                   LISTEN

7. Install "vncviewer" on the remoted system, and connect to the VNC server.

Below are the snaps.

Objective successful.