To produce a remote version of our Linux Lite desktop on another Linux computer we are going to need to some kind of vnc server to our Linux Lite 3.0 system. In the past Ubuntu based distributions have used vino and a few others, several enabling various versions of Internet based softwares. We are going to download and install the powerful, versatile, and immensely configurable x11vnc server to our Linux Lite 3.0 computer, and use Remmina on our other Linux OS to get a fully functional Linux Lite 3.0 remote desktop. *Because we are going to use our now properly functioning ad hoc wifi to make the connection between the two computers, we are going to use a simple and powerful setup, but it’s important to remember to use an SSH tunnel if you are intending to send data over any broader easily reachable wifi public channels like your Internet access provider’s. We will cover that setup in another tutorial.
Make sure you are connected to the Internet, and on your Linux Lite 3.0 computer click >Menu>System>Install/Remove Software to open >Synaptic. Authenticate and select >All from the left menu and wait for the package inventory to update. Type >x11vnc into the search box. From the files that appear select the package >x11vnc 0.9.13-1.2build1. Make sure the file numbers are correct, because if you have added Debian8 “jessie” repositories to Synaptic as I have you may get the wrong package listed. If that is the case for you click >Settings in the top toolbar, then >Repositories, then the >Other Software tab, and uncheck the Debian8 “jessie” repositories. Close Synaptic, and then reopen it and do your search query again and the correct x11vnc package will appear. Select the > x11vnc 0.9.13-1.2build1 package and click >Apply, agree to the dependencies and x11vnc will download and install to your Linux Lite 3.0 system. Log out and reboot your system.
You will have to disconnect from the Internet for the next part of this tutorial so copy it and paste it to a Libreoffice document so you can review it as you go along.
The x11vnc GUI tool kit we used so handily in Debian 8.3+ still does not entirely work with Linux Lite 3.0, so don’t bother clicking on the x11vnc Server icon now located at >Menu>Internet on your Linux Lite 3.0 desktop. Instead open a terminal and type in the following command as the syntax is expressed here: x11vnc -once -loop -noxdamage -repeat -rfbport 5900 -shared This will start the x11vnc server. Once it has started connect to your ad hoc wifi, and MINIMIZE the running terminal. DO NOT exit or close the terminal window as this will shut down the x11vnc server in Linux Lite 3.0. If you do accidentally close the terminal, simply re-open it and enter the above command again.
The first link below provides an exhaustive list of current commands for x11vnc, and the second link contains Ubuntu documentation for using several different vnc servers, including x11vnc.
http://www.karlrunge.com/x11vnc/x11vnc_opts.htmlhttps://help.ubuntu.com/community/VNC/Servers Now go to the computer running the other Linux system you want to have your Linux Lite 3.0 remote desktop load to. Open Remmina. Click >Connection in the upper left window menu, then >New and the window entitled Remote Desktop Preferences will open. In the box to the right of >Name type your Linux Lite computer’s netBIOS name. (everything between @ and the colon: that appears in your command line in the terminal when you open it) Now in the box to the right of >Group type simply / a forward slash. Now in from the drop down menu in the box to the right of >Protocol select >VNC – Virtual Network Computing. Next in the box to the right of >Server type i/e 10.42.0.1:5900 (which should be whatever the IPv4 address of your Linux Lite 3.0 computer is on your ad hoc wifi network, plus the listening port definition of 5900. Leave the box to the right of >Repeater blank. In the box to the right of >User name type in your sudo Linux Lite user name. In the box to the right of >Password type in your Linux Lite sudo password. In the box to the right of >Color depth type click the drop down menu and try >High color 16bit first. You can experiment with color settings later on. With ad hoc wifi you shouldn’t need to worry about bandwidth so most of the better options will be available to you to experiment with later. In the box to the right of >Quality click the drop down menu and select >Poor (fastest). Again you can experiment with these settings after our first successful connection. Click next on the >SSH tab and make sure the box next to >Enable SSH tunnel is unchecked. Click the >Save button to save your connection.
Now click on and connect to the ad hoc wifi we enabled previously and connect the two computers together via ad hoc wifi. Select and right click on your now listed new connection in the Remmina Remote Desktop Client window and from the >menu click connect. Your new Linux Lite 3.0 remote desktop should appear almost instantly on the desktop of your computer running the other Linux system.
*Read This Note: You will notice if you are close enough that with our current settings the mouse movement occurs on the remote desktop and your Linux Lite desktop, and applications open and close at the same time as well. This is typical for Linux to Linux remote desktop connections, but it can be configured away with x11vnc commands and Remmina selections depending on the computers involved, the Linux distro involved, and the peripheral hardware involved. The basic setup we used here is just a beginning, but one that works most of the time, and obtains the unique security of an ad hoc connection.
TC
