Set up a terminal server using VNC

I want to set up a terminal server using VNC. This will enable you to work on a remote computer and use your local computer as a display only. For this example I used SUSE Linux 13.1 but it should work same or similar on other distributions as well.

Procedure

• install VNC incl. the config files for xinetd

yast -i xorg-x11-Xvnc

• edit /etc/xinet.d/vnc to contain

service vnc1
{
       socket_type     = stream
       protocol        = tcp
       wait            = no
       user            = nobody
       server          = /usr/bin/Xvnc
       server_args     = -securitytypes=none -noreset -inetd -once -query localhost -geometry 1024x768 -depth 16
       type            = UNLISTED
       port            = 5901
}

• start xinetd

xinetd

• Start yast -> System -> /etc/sysconfig editor -> Desktop -> Display manager -> DISPLAYMANAGER_REMOTE_ACCESS to yes and restart the display manager service with the command
• rcxdm restart

TroubleShooting

No password configured

• now I got an error message

No password configured for VNC Auth

-securitytypes=none

• xinetd re start

Not a valid vnc server

Symptom

When starting vncviewer you get an error message like this:

# vncviewer 54.186.202.224:1
Not a valid VNC server

An strace delivers a line like

read(4, "Unrecognized option: -bla\n", 8192) = 26
write(2, "Not a valid VNC server\n", 23Not a valid VNC server

Reason

In /etc/xinetd.d/vnc you have provided an illegal server option, in this case bla.

Solution

Remove the illegal server option from /etc/xinet.d/vnc and restart xinetd.

You only see a black screen

Symptom

You only see a black screen in vncviewer

Solution

Start yast -> System -> /etc/sysconfig editor -> Desktop -> Display manager -> DISPLAYMANAGER_REMOTE_ACCESS to yes and restart the display manager service with the command

rcxdm restart

See also

• VNC
• terminal server