Status: Deprecated
This article is deprecated and no longer maintained.
Reason
Ubuntu 12.04 reached end of life (EOL) on April 28, 2017 and no longer receives security patches or updates.
See Instead
This article may still be useful as a reference, but may not follow best practices or work on this or other Ubuntu releases. We strongly recommend using a recent article written for the version of Ubuntu you are using.
If you are currently operating a server running Ubuntu 12.04, we highly recommend upgrading or migrating to a supported version of Ubuntu:
Introduction
VNC stands for Virtual Network Computing, which allows you to connect to your server remotely, and be able to use your keyboard, mouse, and monitor to interface with that server.
Step 1 - Install VNC server and XFCE 4 desktop.
To get started, we will install a VNC server on Ubuntu 12.10 x64 Server droplet. Login as root and install packages:
apt-get -y install ubuntu-desktop tightvncserver xfce4 xfce4-goodies
Step 2 - Add a VNC user and set its password.
adduser vncpasswd vncIf you would like to get root as user vnc you would have to add it to sudoers file. Make sure you are logged in as root:echo "vnc ALL=(ALL) ALL" >> /etc/sudoersSet user vnc’s VNC Server password:su - vncvncpasswdexitThis step sets the VNC password for user ‘vnc’. It will be used later when you connect to your VNC server with a VNC client:
Now you can login as user ‘vnc’ and obtain root by running ‘sudo su -‘ and entering your password:
Step 3 - Install VNC As A Service
Login as root and edit /etc/init.d/vncserver and add the following lines:
#!/bin/bash
PATH="$PATH:/usr/bin/"
export USER="vnc"
DISPLAY="1"
DEPTH="16"
GEOMETRY="1024x768"
OPTIONS="-depth ${DEPTH} -geometry ${GEOMETRY} :${DISPLAY}"
. /lib/lsb/init-functions
case "$1" in
start)
log_action_begin_msg "Starting vncserver for user '${USER}' on localhost:${DISPLAY}"
su ${USER} -c "/usr/bin/vncserver ${OPTIONS}"
;;
stop)
log_action_begin_msg "Stoping vncserver for user '${USER}' on localhost:${DISPLAY}"
su ${USER} -c "/usr/bin/vncserver -kill :${DISPLAY}"
;;
restart)
$0 stop
$0 start
;;
esac
exit 0
Edit /home/vnc/.vnc/xstartup and replace with:
#!/bin/sh
xrdb $HOME/.Xresources
xsetroot -solid grey
startxfce4 &
Update file permissions and allow any user to start X Server:
chown -R vnc. /home/vnc/.vnc && chmod +x /home/vnc/.vnc/xstartup
sed -i 's/allowed_users.*/allowed_users=anybody/g' /etc/X11/Xwrapper.config
Make /etc/init.d/vncserver executable and start VNC server:
chmod +x /etc/init.d/vncserver && service vncserver start
Add your VNC server to automatically start on reboot:
update-rc.d vncserver defaults
Step 4 - Connect to your droplet with TightVNC
TightVNC is a great VNC client that allows SSH tunnel. It can be downloaded from http://www.tightvnc.com/download.php
Make sure to use IP::port as your remote host, where IP is your droplet’s IP and port is 5901:
You will be asked for VNC password that you specified in step 2 with vncpasswd:
And now you are connected:
Step 5 - Secure your VNC server session with encryption
A basic VNC server setup has no encryption, which makes it vulnerable to snooping.
We will create an SSH tunnel with Putty and connect to VNC via this tunnel.
First, we need to make sure VNC server only listens on localhost.
Edit /etc/init.d/vncserver and add -localhost to OPTIONS:
OPTIONS="-depth ${DEPTH} -geometry ${GEOMETRY} :${DISPLAY} -localhost"
Restart VNC server:
/etc/init.d/vncserver restart
Make sure VNC server is only listening on localhost IP:
netstat -alpn | grep :5901
Download Putty from http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/download.html
For Windows: http://the.earth.li/~sgtatham/putty/latest/x86/putty.exe
Start Putty and enter your droplet IP under Session:
Don’t connect just yet.
Scroll down to Connection -> SSH -> Tunnels and Add New Forwarded Port and click Add:
Now you can connect by clicking Open. You can login as user vmc:
Make sure you don’t close this SSH session, as it creates a tunnel between your PC (localhost) and your droplet, mapping ports 5901 on both ends.
Connect with TightVNC to localhost::5901
Enter your VNC password from Step 3 above:
And you are now connected via a secure connection:
And you are all done!
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Thanks, superb article. Perhaps a custom image could be available with VNC? Would go in line with DO’s mission of simplicity.
Photos missing?!? Love the concept but would love to see the screenshots too.
I’m stuck at Step 4. I get this error message:
root@VNC:~# edit /etc/init.d/vncserver Warning: unknown mime-type for “/etc/init.d/vncserver” – using “application/octet-stream” Error: no “edit” mailcap rules found for type “application/octet-stream” root@VNC:~# Warning: unknown mime-type for “/etc/init.d/vncserver” – using “application/octet-stream” Warning:: command not found root@VNC:~# Error: no “edit” mailcap rules found for type “application/octet-stream”^C
@josephs.julian: You have to use a text editor to edit a file. I suggest nano - it’s more user friendly than other alternatives such as vim or emacs:
nano /etc/init.d/vncserver
Thanks, very great and helpful tutorial, i only have one problem, i still have open port on my IP:5901
When i follow your steps and type netstat -alpn | grep :5901 i get both 127.0.0.1:5901 MYIP:5901
alexandar.n - did you follow the ‘Recommended Step’ ? You have to restart the VNC server after you edit config. Make sure you have “-localhost” added to OPTIONS in “/etc/init.d/vncserver”.
I have followed every step from tutorial, and it was showing both ip’s on service restart, but i rebooted server and now is showing only on localhost. Again, great tutorial!
How can I do step 4 (Edit /home/vnc/.vnc/xstartup and replace with:) without having xfce4 installed??? Just because I prefer the ubuntu’s desktop
@felipe.campos replace startxfce4 with startunity - let me know if it works.
when I type in “edit /etc/init.d/vncserver” while logged into vnc, it said no permissions to edit. so i used “chown -R vnc. /etc/init.d” to see if that would work (I have no idea what I’m doing). it seemed to work, but then I recieved the error “Warning: unknown mime-type for “/etc/init.d/vncserver” – using “application/octet-stream” Error: no “edit” mailcap rules found for type “application/octet-stream””
What am I doing wrong? Everything worked up until that point.
Sorry for the comment spam. It doesn’t appear that I have a vncserver file in /etc/init.d/ I’ve followed each step up until Step 4.
@jumpy.core what’s the output of “lsb_release -a”? “chown -R vnc. /etc/init.d” probably broke all of the permissions so you have to restore from a backup or find another way to fix /etc/init.d’s permissions.
“What am I doing wrong?” You’re running commands you don’t understand as root ;)
lsb_release -a No LSB modules are available. Distributor ID: Ubuntu Description: Ubuntu 12.04.2 LTS Release: 12.04 Codename: precise
There’s no actual vncserver file in init.d
Fortunately, If I messed it up that bad I’ll just wipe since it’s a pretty fresh install.
I recommend starting from scratch if you don’t have any data on this droplet yet. Let me know if it works on the new droplet :]
Hi, I’m having a similar problem to jumpy.core.
When I get to step 4 there’s no existing vncserver file to edit. “lsb_release -a” gives the following:
No LSB modules are available. Distributor ID: Ubuntu Description: Ubuntu 12.10 Release: 12.10 Codename: quantal
I’ve tried searching for vncserver but to no avail.
On my droplet I’m running Ubuntu 12.10 Server x64, and prior to following this tutorial the only command I;ve run is “apt-get update”
Any ideas what might be the problem?
@lifeofdave the file shouldn’t be there by default - you have to create it as “Step 4 - Install VNC As A Service” says.
Ahhhh. See thats what my problem was. It didn’t exist. The tutorial says to edit, which implies it already existed. I wiped for nothing xD
Okay everything is installed. I’m getting a connection actively refused when trying to connect via TightVNC & PuTTy. When I tried to restart vncserver i got this:
Killing Xtightvnc process ID 2920
- Starting vncserver for user ‘vnc’ on localhost:1… xauth: timeout in locking authority file /home/downloader/.Xauthority xauth: timeout in locking authority file /home/downloader/.Xauthority
@jumpy.core you didn’t wipe for nothing, /etc/init.d was messed up ;)
The solution for the .Xauthority timeout can be found here: https://www.digitalocean.com/community/questions/timeout-in-locking-authority-file-home-username-xauthority
it seems like vnc was not installed, because there is no /etc/init.d/vncserver appeared…
I’m getting a weird black-grey screen on login instead of the blue one depicted here[see the picture in the attachment]
@sscarl2417: Is your droplet based on a Desktop image? If not, did you install the necessary packages for a gui?
- Starting vncserver for user ‘vnc’ on localhost:1… Couldn’t start Xtightvnc; trying default font path. Please set correct fontPath in the vncserver script. Couldn’t start Xtightvnc process.
Can somebody help me?
@Kammal : What is that suppose to mean ? Yes, I did. Like I said I followed your tutorial and that shit screen appears everytime.
@sscarl2417: Try rebooting the droplet, does that fix it?
Did you follow this step:
Edit /home/vnc/.vnc/xstartup and replace with:
#!/bin/sh xrdb $HOME/.Xresources xsetroot -solid grey startxfce4 &
Try sshing into your droplet and running “startxfce4 &” manually, does that fix it?
I try to follow your tutorial without any results.
I found the following and it is work perfectly. http://rbgeek.wordpress.com/2012/06/25/how-to-install-vnc-server-on-ubuntu-server-12-04/
@tjcrandall: Install Cinnamon:
<pre> sudo add-apt-repository ppa:gwendal-lebihan-dev/cinnamon-stable sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install cinnamon </pre>
And replace all occurrences of ‘startxfce4’ with ‘cinnamon’.
Let me know if that works.
I’v been followed all your steps(except the encryption steps) to install the vncserver on the remote, and tightvnc on my local machine. I can sucessfully login to the vnc port, but i cant input anything into the the terminal but the input can be done in the Firefox explore. Do you hv any ideas about this?
@francy.fu: Are you still experiencing this? Did you try rebooting your droplet?
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