Saturday, October 12, 2002

VNC - Taking Linux Box Control Remotely

For the vncserver box, you don't need to start Xserver, VNC (TightVNC) incorporate one. It's start the window manager which is configured in the $HOME/.vnc/xstartup file.

The server is up by typing : "#vncserver :X" at the prompt. Wehre X is the display'number where you want vncserver reside. It's a virtual screen, like Xwindow can be launch. This precision because the client !!! The second part of VNC, is the client. You can invock it at the command line(under windows too). At this moment vncviewer act like an entire application, consume resource, have a process PID and so on. It consume resource each time youlaucnh vncviewer. Basic.

But, you can invock the viewer by a java browser, and you access the screen inside vncserver had been launching. The difference reside in the fact that the browser consume its resource, no more. Even you can see many vncserver in the same browser like mozilla or konqueror).

This means you can launch differents vncserver on differents ports and you access them by entering in web java browser : http://your_vncserver:58xx. Where xx is the screen (01 for "#vncserver :1", 02 for "#vncserver :2", "#...). I.E., with browser which can view more than one page, you'll access all your vncserver installed on all you box. More : you can open more than one session on an unix-box (linux or aix, i'm tried and it's working), for more one user. I create one user on a linuxbox, and i launch 3 vncserver on screen 1 2 3. i can open 3 differents sessions, with the same user. At the work, each one use the same user, but have each one his different session. In AIX Server (5L), i create 3 users (for work, we are 3) and I launch 3 vncserver, one per user. Each one opens his session, without interfer each other. And all in a web browser which have implemented java.

Invoking VNC

vncviewer 

This will prompt for password of VNC server, before displaying window with desktop of remote machine.

It is possible to connect to a VNC viewer using a java enabled browser. This is makes VNC technology much more flexible, as no special software required on the client. This is done by entering the IP address of VNC server followed by the port 5800 +display number though ports are customisable. e.g.

http://192.168.1.1:5801
- Typical for a windows box
http://192.168.1.1:5802
- Typical for a linux box (displays second X display)