Install and Connect to a VNC Viewer over SSH

tight_vnc_logo_1

This post shows how to install and setup a VNC connection over an SSH tunnel.

1. Log in to the server over SSH. You can set up something like this in .ssh/config:

Host *
  ServerAliveInterval 60

Host snoopy
  HostName xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx
  User plc2
  IdentityFile ~/.ssh/keys/key1/openssh.key1.priv

2. Install tightvncserver

sudo apt-get install vncserver
sudo apt install xfce4 xfce4-goodies tightvncserver

3. Start the vncserver:

vncserver -geometry 1280x1024

… and set the password

vncpasswd

4. Note the display:

It may be:

name:1

or

name:2

etc…

5. Set up ssh port forwarding.

If you have a display on name:1 then you’ll use 5901, if you have a display on name:2 you’ll use port 5902

A general note from link:

ssh -L x:localhost:y snoopy

Means “Start an SSH connection to snoopy, and also listen on port x on my machine, and forward any connections there to port y on snoopy.”

Specifically if you’re connecting to a display name:1 on snoopy you’ll use:

ssh -L 5901:localhost:5901 snoopy

ssh -L 5901:localhost:5901 snoopy

If you’re connecting to a name:2 you’ll use:

6. Install vncviewer on the computer you’re connecting to the server

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install vncviewer

7. Now call

vncviewer

And specify

localhost:5901

References

  • Tightvnc logo is from link.