Allow Remote Control To Your Desktop On Ubuntu
Enabling remote desktop mode is extremely easy on Ubuntu since Dapper. You can allow other users to access your desktop using the VNC Viewer utility that is bundled with Ubuntu, or offered as a free download for Windows.
Note that enabling remote control of your desktop is never a safe thing to do unless you have a firewall installed and configured correctly, and even then is still a potential security problem. Now that you've been warned of the risks, let's move on.
Navigate to the System \ Preferences \ Remote Desktop on the Gnome top menu.
You'll see this window:
The first two checkboxes need to be checked in order for remote desktop to be enabled.
The Security section is important: If you select the "Ask you for confirmation" code, then you will need to be at the computer in order to allow the other person to access your desktop. If you are trying to remotely access one of your own computers, you will want to uncheck this box.
The second checkbox should always be checked, and you should enter a secure password. You will be prompted for this password when you try to log on.
Tested on: Ubuntu Dapper Drake, Ubuntu Edgy Eft
You discuss the "Ask you for confirmation" code, but that option neither shows on your screenshot nor in the Ubuntu control panel.
It is there… it's the part that says "Ask you for confirmation" on the screenshot.
will this work if i want to connect to ubuntu from a windows system? and how do i do it?
how can we do this via console commands
TBH, not a very good tut - actually, quite dissapointing. I was looking for something more along the lines of showing you how to initiate a remote desktop connection, an explanation of the vncviewer host:port command, secure it through ssh etc, use the terminal to do remote admin work.
What you have described is just a 2 minute scout around the desktop and a bit common sense. I hope you elaborate more on this cos I really like this site, just a bit let down by this article
Nice article. Do you have any advice on how this can be done via command line? I need to enable "share desktop" and disable the "ask for confirmation" features remotely.
Any idea why this setup is so God-awful slow? I've tried this on many different Ubuntu machines and it's never been a usable solution.
If I'm using an Ubuntu image from Amazon EC2 I will need to set it all up via command line. Then I would like to go in through remote desktop from my local machine at that point. How do I do that?
after i followup the procedure, and tried to connect ubuntu machine from windows mashine, didnt help.
How is this enabled in KDE or Kubuntu?
First install vncserver and give it a password
$ sudo apt-get install vncserver
Then run it like this
$ vncserver robert-desktop:0
Thanks, Robert.
Robert, thanks for the post… but I get a blank desktop when log in. Whats up with that?
I have installed vnc viewer in ubunthu , connection is ok ,
when iam connecting from windows xp with Tignt Vnc /Real Vnc its getting connection
But the problem , my remote desktopnot refreshing .
each time i have to connect and disconnect toget next screen…
Im not so good in Linux , so please help me …
Great explanation… I had figured this part out at least… This only works for me when I have already logged into the pc. If I just power it on and it is at the initial login screen I can't connect. What are my options there?
Thanks for all your help.