VNC Configuration

From Tauwiki

[edit] Background

Virtual Network Computing (VNC) is a graphical desktop sharing system to make "graphical connections" to a server over the network. You can transmit the keyboard and mouse events from your computer to the server, relaying the graphical screen updates back in the other direction, over a network.

VNC is platform-independent. There are clients and servers for many GUI-based operating systems. Multiple clients may connect to a VNC server at the same time.

[edit] Configuring your VNC Server

To start your VNC server, Logon to tauvex and type:

 vncserver

You have to type a password. Type in a long complicated string and hit <enter>. You will be asked to verify the password. Upon verification, you should see a message like this:

 New 'tauvex.iiap.res.in:2 (<username>)' desktop is tauvex.iiap.res.in:2

thats it. You may logout from the server now. Make sure that you remember the password. In case you forget, kill your vnc server and start over again. Please note that your personal vnc server will be running and ready to accept connections from anyone who can type in the correct password. Once started, your vnc server will run for ever (until the process is killed by some system administrators or a power failure).

[edit] Making a connection

You need to install one of the many vnc clients like tightVNC on your machine. It is fairly popular and is available for various platforms. Java based clients are also available. After installing it, open a terminal and type:

 vncviewer

It will ask for the VNC server. Type in the server name from previous section. In this case, it would be

 tauvex.iiap.res.in:5

You need to give the password now. Type in your long complicated string and you will have your remote desktop.

NOTE: The default window manager on VNC is twm, which is pretty ancient but simple and light weight. Left-mouse click will display the window manager menu, which includes the "exit" button. After exit, close the window to terminate connection.