Patreon Logo Support us on Patreon to keep GamingOnLinux alive. This ensures all of our main content remains free for everyone. Just good, fresh content! Alternatively, you can donate through PayPal Logo PayPal. You can also buy games using our partner links for GOG and Humble Store.
Title: remote desktop software?
Jarmer 27 Oct 2024
User Avatar
Hi everyone, just wondering what do you all use for unattended remote desktop access software? After all these years on linux, this is really the ONLY thing I continue to struggle with. It's such a pain point, and I have yet to figure out something that consistently works. Here's my setup:

HTPC in living room: popos (gnome variant) running plex. I need to remote into (unattended) the desktop to open filezilla and download stuff.
Client pc in office: opensuse tumbleweed (kde plasma).

I have tried SO MANY different things, and they never work consistently over time (like for months on end). I've tried:

1- regular ol built in vnc (with open port) - over time this will stop working for what reason I do not know - just says "client refused connection" and a reboot will fix it

2- nomachine - randomly crashes over time, requires reboot to reinitialize server side software. Also struggles with UI scaling, sometimes making it almost impossible to use (things will be scaled to 4k resolution and scaling won't change)

3- teamviewer - constantly complained about using wayland, sometimes worked, sometimes not

4- rustdesk - honestly I can't remember why this didn't work, but I did try it and got nowhere

5- anydesk - tried this last year at the same time as rustdesk, also couldn't get working but I don't remember why.

I think that's it. So what do you all use?? Any suggestions would be appreciated!
whizse 27 Oct 2024
User Avatar
The built in remote desktop in GNOME should be using RDP by default. Have you tried that?
Jarmer 27 Oct 2024
User Avatar
I tried just now. Using Remmina as the client to connect to the server via RDP, the connection is accepted after supplying credentials, but instantly closes. I can see some form of open window for like half a second, then it's gone. No clue. Also tried via VNC but it says "client refused connection".
mr-victory 27 Oct 2024
Thinlinc.
If the server does not have static IP, Thinlinc agent must be configured to redirect to the new IP each time IP changes, also there is no Wayland support. And Thinlinc is proprietary software. Other than these Thinlinc has been great for me, my connection was stable and fast where xrdp and xvnc struggled. It made a night and day difference.

Last edited by mr-victory on 27 Oct 2024 at 4:16 pm UTC
whizse 27 Oct 2024
User Avatar
Quoting: JarmerI tried just now. Using Remmina as the client to connect to the server via RDP, the connection is accepted after supplying credentials, but instantly closes. I can see some form of open window for like half a second, then it's gone. No clue. Also tried via VNC but it says "client refused connection".
Odd. It might work better with GNOME Connections?
Jarmer 27 Oct 2024
User Avatar
Quoting: mr-victoryThinlinc.
If the server does not have static IP, Thinlinc agent must be configured to redirect to the new IP each time IP changes, also there is no Wayland support. And Thinlinc is proprietary software. Other than these Thinlinc has been great for me, my connection was stable and fast where xrdp and xvnc struggled. It made a night and day difference.
I'm using Wayland, so I suppose that is out. But thank you for the suggestion.
mr-victory 27 Oct 2024
Thinlinc creates a headless session for streaming. I could use Plasma Wayland on my PC and stream X.Org LXQT to iPad simultaneously.
LoudTechie 2 years 28 Oct 2024
The only thing I've used is team viewer(proprietary).
It works for my purposes although I'm slowly looking for a non-proprietary alternative.

Edit:
technically I've used openssh too, but that was on a local connection.

Last edited by LoudTechie on 28 Oct 2024 at 10:09 am UTC
lucinos 28 Oct 2024
If what you want to do can be done in terminal, just use ssh.

For remote desktop the last I've used was anydesk, was working pretty good back then.

Has anyone else tried RustDesk? I haven't tried it but it looks good. (I have not tried anything recently)

Last edited by lucinos on 28 Oct 2024 at 11:15 pm UTC
iwantlinuxgames 30 Oct 2024
User Avatar
i used to use X over ssh years ago...not sure how well it works in the age of wayland.

it would spawn a graphical interface from the remote node to your display, allowing you to use GUI apps from the remote machine and changes taking place on the remote machine...no need for a full desktop

you can try the directions found here"

https://www.baeldung.com/linux/forward-x-over-ssh

but like i said...i've no idea if it will still work in the age of wayland

Last edited by iwantlinuxgames on 30 Oct 2024 at 7:33 am UTC
whizse 30 Oct 2024
User Avatar
Quoting: iwantlinuxgamesi used to use X over ssh years ago...not sure how well it works in the age of wayland.

it would spawn a graphical interface from the remote node to your display, allowing you to use GUI apps from the remote machine and changes taking place on the remote machine...no need for a full desktop
The downside to X over the network is that you need to leave it running on the machine you're connecting from.

As soon as you close the connection the application lose contact with the X server and dies.
Jarmer 1 Nov 2024
User Avatar
over the terminal won't work for me since I also want to be able to update my steam games (my friends and I also game on that computer in the living room), and check files, etc... so I would want a GUI.

to update things from my side: I have basically gone back through all the tools, and thus far anydesk seems to be working. It definitely did NOT work last year when I tried it, so maybe some patches have helped it out, or some system updates on my end. Either way, it's working okay for now, so I will continue on with it. If it stops working for whatever reason I will give thinlinc a try.
BlackBloodRum 1 Nov 2024
I found this recently when looking for a way to remote-play games without requiring steam:
https://github.com/LizardByte/Sunshine

You can use it to control the desktop too, may be useful for you? :happy:

It works fairly well for letting me play a game on my laptop that's actually running on my desktop. :dizzy:
While you're here, please consider supporting GamingOnLinux on:

Reward Tiers: Patreon Logo Patreon. Plain Donations: PayPal Logo PayPal.

This ensures all of our main content remains totally free for everyone! Patreon supporters can also remove all adverts and sponsors! Supporting us helps bring good, fresh content. Without your continued support, we simply could not continue!

You can find even more ways to support us on this dedicated page any time. If you already are, thank you!
Login / Register
Register Forgot Login?
★ Support Us
Popular this week
Search or view by category
Contact
Latest Guides
MorrowindHow to setup OpenMW for modern Morrowind on Linux / SteamOS and Steam Deck
By Liam Dawe,
10
Hollow Knight: SilksongHow to install Hollow Knight: Silksong mods on Linux, SteamOS and Steam Deck
By Liam Dawe,
1
> View more Tips & Guides
Buy Games
Buy games with our affiliate / partner links:
Latest Forum Posts
Misc