Connecting via Windows "Remote Desktop Connection" to a VNCserver

thesun · #1 5th April 2012, 02:43 PM

I have started a job where they're very particular about which programs I can install on my machine, which is (currently) Windoze XP. In the past I used putty and RealVNC (or TightVNC) and made an ssh tunnel home to my VNCserver. Works like a charm.

However now, the IT dept says that Putty is okay, but VNC is forbidden. Even the viewer. Their suggestion was to "Use Windows Remote Desktop Connection" to connect home, but then I said "I run Linux." And of course they shrugged and said "You're boned."

But am I really? Is there a way to set up VNCserver so that it can talk to XP's "Remote Desktop Connection"? Can I do this securely via a putty ssh tunnel? Any NON-VNCviewer ways to connect to a VNCserver?

Thanks for any and all help. Sucks to be away from my Linux box for 9 hours every workday...

:-)

lpshark · #2 5th April 2012, 04:42 PM

Hi. Your IT department tells you that it's OK to putty to your home system??? Are they willing to open up a special outbound firewall rule just for you??? Not trying to be a smart-alec, but just find that a bit interesting? In any case, to answer your question, I do not know of a way to connect Windows to a VNC server without using a VNC client on the Windows box. But if your IT department is going to open up their outbound lanes for you to SSH into your Linux box, then your all set. At least from a command line perspective.

However, fear not... there still may be a way to get GUI I suspect you'd prefer. Now, I haven't tried this out yet, but if you can install the Chrome browser on both systems, you can use the chrome RDP extension to connect to you home machine.

1. install chrome on both boxes
2. enter the chrome preferences tab on both boxes
3. select extensions on both boxes
4 choose "get more extensions" on both boxes
5. search "rdp" on both boxes
6. install `chrome remote desktop beta` on both boxes
7 try it out.

good luck.

acebrain01 · #3 30th August 2012, 10:28 PM

Joined just to answer this or at least try to.
http://ubuntuwiki.net/index.php/Xrdp,_installing
worked for me on Ubuntu.

maxcp · #4 30th August 2012, 10:37 PM

luck has nothing to do with it. m$-programs are widely known for not telling you everything... but back to the topic:.install and use rdesktop. call the program with

Code:

rdesktop <IP-address-of-windows-box>

AFTER having initiated an vpn-connection, which you can easily do by using NetworkManager-applet-> VPN-connections-> configure vpn-> add-> point-to-point-tunneling-protocol (PPTP).

...using "pptp" is important as this is, what microsoft uses.