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I would like to access the desktop of one of my Ubuntu servers over the internet from my Windows laptop. I'm running Ubuntu 12.04 and Windows 8.

Sorry for this generic questions as I have been trying for last couple days with some related links, but I'm yet to find proper solution.

How can I remotely access the desktop of my Ubuntu server?

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2 Answers 2

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Since the Ubuntu server installation does not install the X-environment by default, there would be no desktop to connect to. Unless you installed X manually, what you need is a way to access the console/command line, seeing as most of what you do in a linux server is done via the console anyway =)

- SSH Client

The easiest way to access the console is using a ssh client for windows called PuTTy (available at putty.org).

My preferred method is to install openssh for windows (download at openssh.org). This means you can connect to a server by opening a DOS window and type "ssh" just like you would at the console in linux.

- SSH Server

To verify that the ssh server is running on the server, enter the following on the server console:

sudo service ssh status

If it's running you will get a message back saying that the service is running and a number indicating the process id. If you get an error message, the ssh server might not be installed. Try the following to install the ssh server:

sudo apt-get install ssh

This will install the ssh-server and start it. Now you should be able to connect through ssh using putty.

- Bonus

Installing/using ssh to connect to the server gives the extra bonus of being able to use a windows program called winscp (download at winscp.net), It's a windows implementation of "scp" and allows you to download/upload files to the server in a FTP-like way.

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It sounds like you want to set up VNC. One way to try is with TightVNC. Here are instructions for Ubuntu 10.10.

Another option to look into would be Vino, which now comes with Ubuntu by default (I'm not sure about 12.04).

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  • Hi, I have used this link (linode.com/docs/applications/remote-desktop/…) to install VNC at ubuntu end end and this link (crl.ucsd.edu/handbook/vnc) to setup SSH & VNC viewer at windows system. As per the 2nd link when I put localhost at VNC viewer it take me to the console of my windows system. I am not sure how to get to the ubuntu desktop? Also, can you let me know if configuration on these two links are ok? Mar 12, 2015 at 7:45
  • Do you know the IP address for your ubuntu machine? I would guess that's where you want to point your VNC viewer, not localhost.
    – Brian Z
    Mar 12, 2015 at 7:52

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