From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Wed Jan 24 15:21:48 2007 Return-Path: X-Original-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [69.147.83.52]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id D451616A404 for ; Wed, 24 Jan 2007 15:21:48 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from youshi10@u.washington.edu) Received: from mxout5.cac.washington.edu (mxout5.cac.washington.edu [140.142.32.135]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id B2DAE13C45E for ; Wed, 24 Jan 2007 15:21:48 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from youshi10@u.washington.edu) Received: from smtp.washington.edu (smtp.washington.edu [140.142.32.141] (may be forged)) by mxout5.cac.washington.edu (8.13.7+UW06.06/8.13.7+UW06.09) with ESMTP id l0OFLmVO018405 (version=TLSv1/SSLv3 cipher=DHE-RSA-AES256-SHA bits=256 verify=OK) for ; Wed, 24 Jan 2007 07:21:48 -0800 X-Auth-Received: from [192.168.0.41] (c-67-187-172-166.hsd1.ca.comcast.net [67.187.172.166]) (authenticated authid=youshi10) by smtp.washington.edu (8.13.7+UW06.06/8.13.7+UW06.09) with ESMTP id l0OFLliB021288 (version=TLSv1/SSLv3 cipher=DHE-RSA-AES256-SHA bits=256 verify=NOT) for ; Wed, 24 Jan 2007 07:21:47 -0800 Message-ID: <45B77988.2060805@u.washington.edu> Date: Wed, 24 Jan 2007 07:21:44 -0800 From: Garrett Cooper User-Agent: Thunderbird 1.5.0.9 (X11/20070122) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org References: <20070124095325.4129013C4B8@mx1.freebsd.org> <45B76B3A.3050902@daleco.biz> In-Reply-To: <45B76B3A.3050902@daleco.biz> X-Enigmail-Version: 0.94.1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-PMX-Version: 5.2.2.285561, Antispam-Engine: 2.5.0.283055, Antispam-Data: 2007.1.24.70935 X-Uwash-Spam: Gauge=IIIIIII, Probability=7%, Report='__CP_URI_IN_BODY 0, __CT 0, __CTE 0, __CT_TEXT_PLAIN 0, __HAS_MSGID 0, __LINES_OF_YELLING 0, __MIME_TEXT_ONLY 0, __MIME_VERSION 0, __SANE_MSGID 0, __USER_AGENT 0' Subject: Re: Remote Desktop Connection X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Wed, 24 Jan 2007 15:21:48 -0000 -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 Kevin Kinsey wrote: > Grzegorz Pluta wrote: >> Hi. >> Id like to asj you guys if you used any remote desktops with freebsd? >> Which >> client/server would you recommend, and why? Witch wich desktop env >> have you >> been using it? > > I use Xorg & XFCE4 on my FreeBSD desktop(s). For remote desktop > connections: > > FreeBSD -> FreeBSD: ssh with X11 forwarding (-X or -Y options, see > manpage). > > FreeBSD -> Windows: rdesktop (/usr/ports/net/rdesktop). Works > beautifully for work. Can't recall which, but some games don't seem to > like it. > > Windows -> FreeBSD: freeXer and PuTTY with X11 forwarding enabled. Kind > of interesting to have my FreeBSD desktop apps on my wife's lappy at the > breakfast table ;-). With this setup, Windows actually is the "window > manager" --- kinda disconcerting at first glance :-D > > Kevin Kinsey Overall, as many have suggest on the list there are a number of caveats to using different means of connecting. Here's a short rundown with all of my comments: rdesktop and krdc (KDE rdesktop) work for connecting to Windows NT 5.0+ servers. Don't have a Windows server that meets that spec? Probably won't need rdesktop/krdc then.. Don't install krdc unless you also want to install KDE. X11 forwarding through ssh is great when you're connections between you and the remote machine are relatively fast (fast up on the server, fast down on the client). Compression with ssh (-C flag--not available on all ssh or ssh2 implementations) is a good idea when using this to connect remotely because there's a lot of data that gets piped through an X11 connection. VNC is better for keeping remote sessions active after disconnecting from the machine. There are many VNC servers software titles, but you will either probably look into tightvnc (creates a new X session per instance), or x11vnc (connects to an existing X session on your machine). Quality, speed and latency are an issue here as VNC is sort of bad at caching tiles on the desktop. Using a lightweight wm or desktop is a wise idea though without a desktop picture and sticking to X11 only widgets (xclock, xterm, etc) is a good idea as the redraw is better than gtk or qt apps or other programs (firefox, thunderbird). Try to wrap the connection using portforwarding via SSH if you're logged in from a large LAN or over a WAN because everything sent with tightvnc is cleartext, so passwords, credit card numbers, etc can be sniffed by a knowledgeable individual. I'm still amazed that nomachinex hasn't been ported to FreeBSD, but it's a complete binary release of a 'hacked' X11 system, so the devs at the nomachine group probably haven't gotten around to porting it yet. Cheers, - -Garrett -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v2.0.1 (FreeBSD) Comment: Using GnuPG with Mozilla - http://enigmail.mozdev.org iD8DBQFFt3mHEnKyINQw/HARAr1VAJ47ezl8/9q419n4+yccB3zkpx7HRgCfbOub FqdQscYz6GQlSH3EJKcO67U= =qIhM -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----