How to setup FreeNX server and Client in Ubuntu 8.10 (Intrepid)
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Installing the FreeNX server in Ubuntu 8.10
You need to add the following source list to your /etc/apt/sources.list file
sudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.list
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/marceloshima/ubuntu intrepid main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/marceloshima/ubuntu intrepid maindeb http://ppa.launchpad.net/freenx-team/ubuntu intrepid main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/freenx-team/ubuntu intrepid main
Save and Exit the file
To add the public key of FreeNX PPA using the following command
sudo apt-key adv
--recv-keys--keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com 2a8e3034d018a4ce
Update the source list using the following comamnd
sudo apt-get update
Install FreeNX server using the following comamnd
sudo apt-get install freenx-server
Note:- Changing default ssh port is Optional
Install ssh in ubuntu
sudo apt-get install ssh
On some machines or networks, port 22 may be blocked or not allowed. For example, some providers block port 22. To make the SSH server listen on port 877, you can do the following
Edit the file /etc/ssh/sshd_config
sudo gedit /etc/ssh/sshd_config
Find
Port 22
and change it to
Port 877
You then need to restart SSHD. Try
sudo /etc/init.d/ssh restart
Edit the file /etc/nxserver/node.conf
sudo gedit /etc/nxserver/node.conf
Find
# The port number where local ’sshd’ is listening.
#SSHD_PORT=22
and change it to
# The port number where local ’sshd’ is listening.
SSHD_PORT=877
Save and exit the file That is, change the port number to the one that sshd is listening to, and uncomment the line.
If you want to start or stop Freenx server use the following commands
For start
sudo /etc/init.d/freenx-server start
For stop
sudo /etc/init.d/freenx-server stop
Install Freenx client in Ubuntu
Use the following comamnd to install freenx client in ubuntu
sudo apt-get insall nxclient
Opensource client
If you want to install opensource client for freenx use QTNX,QTNX NX client for QT install qtnx using the following command
sudo apt-get install qtnx
Install Freenx client in windows
You can download freenx windows client from here and install.
why would you use this instead of Ubuntu’s built in remote desktop vnc software?
In answer to the FreeNX is a faster and much more robust product. VNC (what ubuntu uses by default) is more of a home user type of thing but it does ok where as FreeNX is more of a business application. Sorta like the different between XP Home and XP Pro.
I should also add that depending on your implementation of VNC FreeNX can be MUCH more secure as well… If you’ve ever used VNC and felt that it was acting slowly this is a great reason to give FreeNX a try.
You’ve to put nx in sshd_config at AllowUsers and btw, PermitRootLogin should be set to no.
Seraphyn
why would you use ubuntu for this, why not mandriva, fedora or cent os
no doubt, I wouldn’t use ubuntu for anything but a desktop, if even that. use a real linux system for real work. mandriva fedora slackware, something thats been around awhile.
I have used FreeNX/Nx client for a while and it is sooo much faster than VNC it is not even funny. Once you get used to the speed and responsiveness, you don’t ever wanna go back to VNC. It is like broadband and dialup. 🙂
I work from home and my work computer is a CentOS box.
@name and @”bill clement”
You fanboys are killing Linux.
Please, grow up. Use whatever you like and leave the rest live with their own choices.
I have been using for about a month now. Works great and is quite speedy. I don’t notice much of a different between local on the lan or offsite. I have one question though, has anyone figured out do the drive mounting for file transfer?
I tested this on Ubuntu 8.04 (Hardy) and I managed to install QtNX with a few additional tweaks:
* Replace “intrepid” with “hardy” in sources.list
* sudo apt-key adv
--recv-keys--keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com ED649F97DE6BFD99Hi Brett,
I updated sources.list and added the key as you have shown. I then tried to do a reload using sanaptic packet manager but I get the following
error:
W: GPG error: http://ppa.launchpad.net intrepid Release: The following signatures couldn’t be verified because the public key is not available: NO_PUBKEY ED649F97DE6BFD99
Is there a way I can fix this and install freenx?
Thanks for a great article.
Theo – follow this link and it should help you out.
http://www.mepis.org/docs/en/index.php/Public_key_not_available_error
Love FreeNX….it’s a great app, just trying to get File Transfer / Sharing working….What ports have to be opened to allow File Sharing over the Internet?
Jean-Claude,
If you leave the default encryption of everything alone, nothing except the ssh port needs to be let through the firewall, on the server side.
(under advanced tab, make sure “dsable encryption” box at top is -not- checked)
If you leave it at the default “encrypt all traffic”, it will push X, file shares, etc. all across ssh, somewhat akin to how Microsoft RDP pushes file shares across it’s own encrypted port (3389 tcp for them).