# Vncserver

Related articles

- x11vnc

Vncserver is a remote display daemon that allows users several remote functionalities including:

1. Virtual (headless) and fully parallel X sessions that run in the background (i.e. not on the physical monitor but virtually) on a machine. All applications running under the server may continue to run, even when the user disconnects.
2. Direct control of the local X session(s) (i.e. X running on the physical monitor).

## Installation

Vncserver and vncviewer are provided by tigervnc.

## Running vncserver for virtual (headless) sessions

### First time setup

#### Create environment and password files

Vncserver will create its initial environment file and user password file the first time it is run:

    $ vncserver

    You will require a password to access your desktops.

    Password:
    Verify:

    New 'mars:1 (facade)' desktop is mars:1

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

The default port on which vncserver runs is :1 which corresponds to the the TCP port on which the server is running (where 5900+n = port number). In this case, it is running on 5900+1=5901. Running vncserver a second time will create a second instance running on the next highest, free port, i.e :2 or 5902.

Note: Linux systems can have as many VNC servers as physical memory allows -- all of which running in parallel to each other.

Shutdown the vncserver by using the -kill switch:

    $ vncserver -kill :1

#### Edit the xstartup file

Vncserver sources `~/.vnc/xstartup` which functions like an .xinitrc file. At a minimum, users should define a DE to start if a graphical environment is desired. For example, starting xfce4:

    #!/bin/sh
    export XKL_XMODMAP_DISABLE=1
    exec startxfce4

Note: The `XKL_XMODMAP_DISABLE` line is known to correct problems associated with "scrambled" keystrokes when typing in terminals under some virtualized DEs.

#### Permissions

It is good practice to secure `~/.vnc` just like `~/.ssh` although this is not a requirement. Execute the following to do so:

    $ chmod 700 ~/.vnc

### Starting the server

Vncserver offers flexibility via switches. The below example starts vncserver in a specific resolution, allowing multiple users to view/control simultaneously, and sets the dpi on the virtual server to 96:

    $ vncserver -geometry 1440x900 -alwaysshared -dpi 96 :1

Note: One need not use a standard monitor resolution for vncserver; 1440x900 can be replaced with something odd like 1792x1008, 740x480, etc.

For a complete list of options, pass the -help switch to vncserver.

    $ vncserver -help

## Running vncserver to directly control the local display

### Using tigervnc's x0vncserver

TigerVNC provides the x0vncserver binary which has similar functionality to x11vnc e.g.

    $ x0vncserver -display :0 -passwordfile ~/.vnc/passwd

For more see

    man x0vncserver

### Using x11vnc

Another option is to use x11vnc. This has the advantage or disadvantage, depending on your perspective, of requiring root to initiate the access. For more, see X11vnc.

## Connecting to vncserver

Any number of clients can connect to a vncserver. A simple example is given below where vncserver is running on 10.1.10.2 on port 5901 (:1) in shorthand notation:

    $ vncviewer 10.1.10.2:1

### Passwordless authentication

The `-passwd` switch allows one to define the location of the server's `~/.vnc/passwd` file. It is expected that the user has access to this file on the server through SSH or through physical access. In either case, place that file on the client's file system in a safe location, i.e. one that has read access ONLY to the expected user.

    $ vncviewer -passwd /path/to/server-passwd-file

### Example GUI-based clients

- gtk-vnc
- kdenetwork-krdc
- rdesktop
- vinagre
- remmina
- vncviewer-jar

## Securing vncserver by SSH tunnels

### On the server

One wishing access to vncserver from outside the protection of a LAN should be concerned about plain text passwords and unencrypted traffic to/from the viewer and server. Vncserver is easily secured by ssh tunneling. Additionally, one need not open up another port to the outside using this method since the traffic is literally tunneled through the SSH port which the user already has open to the WAN. It is highly recommended to use the `-localhost` switch when running vncserver in this scenario. This switch only allows connections from the localhost -- and by analogy only by users physically ssh'ed and authenticated on the box!

    $ vncserver -geometry 1440x900 -alwaysshared -dpi 96 -localhost :1

### On the client

With the server now only accepting connection from the localhost, connect to the box via ssh using the -L switch to enable tunnels. For example:

    $ ssh IP_OF_TARGET_MACHINE -L 8900:localhost:5901

This forwards the server port 5901 to the client box on port 8900. Once connected via SSH, leave that xterm or shell window open; it is acting as a secured tunnel to/from server. To connect via vnc, open a second xterm and connect not to the remote IP address, but to the localhost of the client thus using the secured tunnel:

    $ vncviewer localhost::8900

From the ssh man page: -L [bind_address:] port:host:hostport

Specifies that the given port on the local (client) host is to be forwarded to the given host and port on the remote side. This works by allocating a socket to listen to port on the local side, optionally bound to the specified bind_address. Whenever a connection is made to this port, the connection is forwarded over the secure channel, and a connection is made to host port hostport from the remote machine. Port forwardings can also be specified in the configuration file. IPv6 addresses can be specified with an alternative syntax:

[bind_address/] port/host/ hostport or by enclosing the address in square brackets. Only the superuser can forward privileged ports. By default, the local port is bound in accordance with the GatewayPorts setting. However, an explicit bind_address may be used to bind the connection to a specific address. The bind_address of ``localhost'' indicates that the listening port be bound for local use only, while an empty address or `*' indicates that the port should be available from all interfaces.

### Connecting to a vncserver from Android devices over SSH

To connect to a VNC Server over SSH using an Android device:

    1. SSH server running on the machine to connect to.
    2. VNC server running on the machine to connect to. (Run server with -localhost flag as mentioned above)
    3. SSH client on the Android device (ConnectBot is a popular choice and will be used in this guide as an example).
    4. VNC client on the Android device (androidVNC).

Consider some dynamic DNS service for targets that do not have static IP addresses.

In ConnectBot, type in the IP and connect to the desired machine. Tap the options key, select Port Forwards and add a new port:

    Nickname: vnc
    Type: Local
    Source port: 5901
    Destination: 127.0.0.1:5901

Save that.

In androidVNC:

    Nickname: nickname
    Password: the password used to set up the VNC server
    Address: 127.0.0.1 (we are in local after connecting through SSH)
    Port: 5901

Connect.

## Tips and tricks

### Starting and stopping vncserver at bootup and shutdown via systemd

Warning: These instructions have changed due to some recent updates so users of the configuration before 13-Aug-2015 will likely have non-functional configurations!

One can have systemd run the service globally hardcoding the user into the service or one can run it in systemd's user mode. Both options are presented below but only select one of the two.

#### Globally

Create `/etc/systemd/system/vncserver@.service` and modify it defining the user to run the server. Use this with systemd to manage it.

    /etc/systemd/system/vncserver@:1.service

    # The vncserver service unit file
    #
    # 1. Copy this file to /etc/systemd/system/vncserver@:<display>.service
    # 2. Edit User=
    #   ("User=foo")
    # 3. Edit  and vncserver parameters appropriately
    #   ("/usr/bin/vncserver %i -arg1 -arg2 -argn")
    # 4. Run `systemctl daemon-reload`
    # 5. Run `systemctl enable vncserver@:<display>.service`
    #
    # DO NOT RUN THIS SERVICE if your local area network is untrusted!
    #
    # See the wiki page for more on security
    # https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Vncserver

    [Unit]
    Description=Remote desktop service (VNC)
    After=syslog.target network.target

    [Service]
    Type=forking
    User=

    ExecStartPre=/bin/sh -c '/usr/bin/vncserver -kill %i > /dev/null 2>&1 || :'
    ExecStart=/usr/bin/vncserver -desktop VNCSERVER_NAME -geometry 1440x900 -AlwaysShared -dpi 100 %i
    ExecStop=/usr/bin/vncserver -kill %i

    [Install]
    WantedBy=multi-user.target

Start `vncserver@:1.service` and optionally enable it to run at boot time/shutdown.

#### In user mode

Create `~/.config/systemd/user/vncserver@.service` and modify it defining the user to run the server. Use this with systemd to manage it.

    ~/.config/systemd/user/vncserver@.service

    [Unit]
    Description=Remote desktop service (VNC)
    After=syslog.target network.target

    [Service]
    Type=forking
    ExecStartPre=/bin/sh -c '/usr/bin/vncserver -kill %i > /dev/null 2>&1 || :'
    ExecStart=/usr/bin/vncserver -desktop VNCSERVER_NAME -geometry 1440x900 -AlwaysShared -dpi 100 %i
    ExecStop=/usr/bin/vncserver -kill %i

    [Install]
    WantedBy=multi-user.target

Reload the daemons when creating new service files:

    systemctl --user daemon-reload

Start the service in usermode:

    systemctl --user start vncserver@:1

### Copying clipboard contents from the remote machine to the local

If copying from the remote machine to the local machine does not work, run autocutsel on the server, as mentioned below [reference]:

    $ autocutsel -fork

Now press F8 to display the VNC menu popup, and select `Clipboard: local -> remote` option.

One can put the above command in `~/.vnc/xstartup` to have it run automatically when vncserver is started.

### Fix for no mouse cursor

If no mouse cursor is visible when using `x0vncserver`, start vncviewer as follows:

    $ vncviewer DotWhenNoCursor=1 <server>

Or put `DotWhenNoCursor=1` in the tigervnc configuration file, which is at `~/.vnc/default.tigervnc` by default.

### Connecting to an OSX system

See https://help.ubuntu.com/community/AppleRemoteDesktop. Tested with Remmina.

Categories:

- Security
- Remote desktop