Top RDP Clients for Linux in 2025: Remote Access Tools for Every Use Case
Infrastructure
09.06.2025
6 min read
Share
RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) is a proprietary protocol for accessing a remote desktop. All modern Windows operating systems have it by default. However, a Linux system with a graphical interface and the xrdp package installed can also act as a server. This article focuses on Linux RDP clients and the basic principles of how the protocol works.
Remote Desktop Protocol
RDP operates at the application layer of the OSI model and is based on the Transport Layer Protocol (TCP). Its operation follows this process:
- A connection is established using TCP at the transport layer.
- An RDP session is initialized.
- The RDP client authenticates, and data transmission parameters are negotiated.
- A remote session is launched: the RDP client takes control of the server.
- The server is the computer being remotely accessed.
- The RDP client is the application on the computer used to initiate the connection.
During the session, all computational tasks are handled by the server. The RDP client receives the graphical interface of the server's OS, which is controlled using input devices. The graphical interface may be transmitted as a full graphical copy or as graphical primitives (rectangles, circles, text, etc.) to save bandwidth. By default, RDP uses port 3389, but this can be changed if necessary.
A typical use case is managing a Windows remote desktop from a Linux system. From anywhere in the world, you can connect to it via the internet and work without worrying about the performance of the RDP client.
Originally, RDP was introduced in Windows NT 4.0. It comes preinstalled in all modern versions of Windows. However, implementing a Linux remote desktop solution requires special software.
RDP Security
Two methods are used to ensure the security of an RDP session: internal and external.
-
Standard RDP Security: This is an internal security subsystem. The server generates RSA keys and a public key certificate. When connecting, the RDP client receives these. If confirmed, authentication takes place.
-
Enhanced RDP Security: This uses external tools to secure the session, such as TLS encryption.
Advantages of RDP
- RDP is network-friendly: it can work over NAT, TCP, or UDP, supports port forwarding, and is resilient to connection drops.
- Requires only 300–500 Kbps bandwidth.
- A powerful server can run demanding apps even on weak RDP clients.
- Supports Linux RDP connections to Windows.
Disadvantages of RDP
- Applications sensitive to latency, like games or video streaming, may not perform well.
- Requires a stable server.
- File and document transfer between the client and server may be complicated due to internet speed limitations.
Configuring an RDP Server on Windows
The most common RDP use case is connecting to a Windows server from another system, such as a Linux client.
To enable remote access, the target system must be configured correctly. The setup is fairly simple and works "out of the box" on most modern Windows editions.
- Enable remote desktop access via the Remote Access tab in System Properties.
- Select the users who can connect (by default, only administrators).
- Check firewall settings. Some profiles like “Public” or “Private” may block RDP by default. If the server is not in a domain, RDP might not work until you allow it manually via Windows Firewall → Allowed Apps.
- If behind a router, you might need to configure port forwarding via the router’s web interface (typically under Port Forwarding). Recall that RDP uses TCP port 3389 by default.
Best RDP Clients for Linux
Remmina
- Website: remmina.org
Remmina is a remote desktop client with a graphical interface, written in GTK+ and licensed under GPL. In addition to RDP, it supports VNC, NX, XDMCP, SPICE, X2Go, and SSH.
One of its key features is extensibility via plugins. By default, RDP is not available until you install the freerdp plugin. After installing the plugin, restart Remmina, and RDP will appear in the menu.
To connect:
- Add a new connection.
- Fill in connection settings (you only need the remote machine's username and IP).
- Customize further if needed (bandwidth, background, hotkeys, themes, etc.).
- Save the connection — now you can connect with two clicks from the main menu.
If you need to run Remmina on Windows, a guide is available on the official website.
FreeRDP
-
Website: freerdp.com
FreeRDP is a fork of the now-unsupported rdesktop project and is actively maintained under the Apache license.
FreeRDP is a terminal-based client. It is configured and launched entirely via the command line. Its command structure is similar to rdesktop, for example:
xfreerdp -u USERNAME -p PASSWORD -g WIDTHxHEIGHT IP
This command connects to the server at the given IP using the specified credentials and screen resolution.
KRDC
-
Website: krdc
KRDC (KDE Remote Desktop Client) is the official remote desktop client for KDE that supports RDP and VNC protocols.
It offers a clean and straightforward interface consistent with KDE's Plasma desktop environment.
KRDC is ideal for users of KDE-based distributions like Kubuntu, openSUSE KDE, and Fedora KDE Spin. It integrates well with KDE's network tools and provides essential features such as full-screen mode, session bookmarking, and network browsing via Zeroconf/Bonjour.
KRDC is actively maintained by the KDE community and is available through most Linux package managers.
GNOME Connections
-
Website: gnome-connections
Vinagre was the former GNOME desktop's default remote desktop client. GNOME Connections, a modernized remote desktop tool for GNOME environments, has since replaced it.
GNOME Connections supports RDP and VNC, providing a simple and user-friendly interface that matches the GNOME design language. It focuses on ease of use rather than configurability, making it ideal for non-technical users or quick access needs.
Features:
- Bookmarking for quick reconnections
- Simple RDP session management
- Seamless integration into GNOME Shell
Connections is maintained as part of the official GNOME project and is available in most distribution repositories.
Apache Guacamole
-
Website: guacamole.apache.org
This is the simplest yet most complex remote desktop software for Linux.
- Simple because it works directly in a browser — no additional programs or services are needed.
- Complex because it requires one-time server installation and configuration.
Apache Guacamole is a client gateway for remote connections that works over HTML5. It supports Telnet, SSH, VNC, and RDP — all accessible via a web interface. Although the documentation is extensive, many ready-made scripts exist online to simplify basic setup.
To install:
wget https://git.io/fxZq5 -O guac-install.sh
chmod +x guac-install.sh
./guac-install.shAfter installation, the script will provide a connection address and password.
To connect to a Windows server via RDP:
- Open the Admin Panel, go to Settings → Connections, and create a new connection.
- Enter the username and IP address of the target machine — that's all you need.
The connection will now appear on the main page, ready for use.
Conclusion
RDP is a convenient tool for connecting to a remote machine running Windows or a Linux system with a GUI. The server requires minimal setup — just a few settings and firewall adjustments — and the variety of client programs offers something for everyone.
Infrastructure
09.06.2025
6 min read
Share
Similar
Infrastructure
Private Cloud In Cloud Computing: Benefits and When To Use
What is a cloud? It’s virtualized server resources: RAM, processor power, disk space, and installed applications. The main advantage of the cloud-based approach to infrastructure is flexibility. If you need more performance, you can easily add memory or connect additional processing power when the load increases.
Difference Between Private, Public, and Hybrid Clouds
Below is the standard classification of cloud services:
Private Cloud: The infrastructure is used by only one organization. The equipment can be located either at the provider’s site or on the user’s premises.
Public Cloud: The infrastructure is shared by all registered users. Examples include Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Hostman.
Hybrid Cloud: A combination of private and public infrastructure. Part of the equipment may be located with the user, and part with the provider.
From this classification, it’s clear that hybrid clouds are a compromise solution. However, using them isn’t always justified. To understand this better, let’s compare all three types across several parameters.
Comparison Table
Parameter
Private
Public
Hybrid
Complexity
High level of complexity. Requires selecting equipment and developing architecture.
Low level of complexity. You choose a suitable service and pay for it.
High level of complexity. You need to configure the private part and connect it with the external infrastructure.
Cost
Expenses are borne by the owner of the equipment and licenses.
Expenses are borne by the provider; the user pays a service fee.
Expenses are partly on the user, partly on the provider.
Maintenance
The organization must monitor the system and fix failures itself.
The provider manages the infrastructure.
The organization must monitor its private part.
Scalability
Additional resources must be purchased and configured manually.
Additional resources are available on demand.
Additional resources are available on demand.
Security
High, as everything is under the owner’s control.
Lower level of control; many security aspects remain the provider’s responsibility.
High level of security with proper architecture, when all critical nodes are located in the private cloud.
Private Cloud Advantages and Disadvantages
The comparison table above clearly shows the pros and cons of private clouds. Let’s look at them in more detail.
Advantages:
Physical access to the equipment usually remains only with the owner. It’s also possible to limit internet connections to prevent unauthorized data access.
You can save on physical equipment by investing in the development of a virtual infrastructure instead.
Flexible configuration of resources and computing power for different departments within the company.
Disadvantages:
Requires significant financial investment: you can’t build it without purchasing or renting equipment.
System design and deployment take a lot of time.
Scalability is limited by the available physical resources. If more capacity is needed, new equipment must be purchased.
When to Create a Private Cloud
Now that we understand what a private cloud is and what its pros and cons are, let’s figure out when companies choose this approach.
The main scenario comes from how a private cloud operates. Large organizations often have enough resources to purchase equipment, design a well-thought-out architecture, and fund teams of specialists to maintain the system. Such companies also tend to handle large volumes of data that require a high level of security.
Based on this scenario, the main users of private clouds are:
Mobile network operators
Banks
Insurance companies
Gas and oil enterprises
Retail companies
The types of data that companies host in their private cloud environments can vary, but they generally fall into two main categories:
Confidential or proprietary information, for which the organization must retain full control. Security policies or internal regulations may prohibit the use of public cloud servers, leaving private infrastructure as the only viable option.
Data governed by strict legal or industry-specific compliance requirements. For instance, certain privacy laws or standards (such as GDPR, HIPAA, or PCI DSS) require data to be stored in secure, controlled environments or within specific jurisdictions.
In such cases, a private cloud is often the most suitable solution. It provides greater control over security and compliance, reduces regulatory risks, and allows for certification under relevant industry standards.
Moreover, if the company later needs to expand its infrastructure to store or process less sensitive data, it can integrate a public cloud and adopt a hybrid model, combining flexibility with strong data protection.
17 October 2025 · 4 min to read
Infrastructure
Hardware Virtualization: What It Is, Its Types, and Benefits
Hardware virtualization allows creating virtual machines (VMs) on physical hardware while distributing resources as efficiently as possible. This article explains how it works, what types exist, and what advantages it provides for business.
How It Works
The basic level of any virtualization is the server. Data processing occurs on physical hardware, regardless of the level of abstraction.
In hardware virtualization, a hypervisor is installed on the server. This is software that creates sets of virtual resources. There are two main types of hypervisors: Type 1 (bare-metal), which runs directly on the hardware, and Type 2 (hosted), which runs on top of a host operating system. Both create and manage virtual machines, but Type 1 generally offers higher performance. We have covered hypervisors in detail in a separate article.
The top layer of abstraction is the virtual machine. At first glance, it does not differ from a traditional server. Essentially, a VM consists of a single virtual disk and files describing its configuration.
The virtual machine is installed on the hardware hypervisor. Once the VM is prepared, operating systems and application software can be installed on it.
A helpful analogy is a book. Imagine a physical server with installed software as a book on a shelf. You can pick it up and move it physically, but creating a copy to give to someone else requires significant effort: retyping or scanning each page, assembling the pages, and binding the book.
A configured VM with allocated resources and installed applications is like a digital version of the book. You can make unlimited copies with minimal time and effort. You can create a backup, transfer a copy to another machine, or share it with another user. Virtualization of CPUs and other resources enables this simplicity in deployment and management.
Hardware Support
For VMs to function efficiently, resource allocation must be supported at the processor level. Two major technologies exist from leading manufacturers: Intel VT and AMD-V.
Both technologies have multiple development directions. The primary one is CPU virtualization, which allows running multiple systems on a single processor, either in parallel or nested within each other.
Technologies for virtualized graphics and input/output are also advancing. They facilitate remote access and sharing of physical hardware, which is useful for remote workstations or online gaming.
These hardware extensions are particularly important for Type 1 hypervisors, allowing virtual machines to run at near-native performance without modifying the guest operating system.
Types of Hardware Virtualization
The main types of virtualization are:
Full virtualization: hardware is fully emulated. This creates an environment that can run on different servers without lengthy configuration.
Paravirtualization: a special version of the operating system is created for the virtual machine. It can be modified or recompiled based on the server's hardware resources. This method was historically used to improve performance, but modern hardware virtualization extensions have largely reduced its advantage.
Hardware-assisted virtualization: a fully virtualized VM is created using the computer's physical hardware with support from processor extensions (Intel VT/AMD-V).
The choice of type depends on the tasks to be solved.
Differences Between Hardware and Software Virtualization
Hardware virtualization is not the only approach. Software virtualization relies on a host system and adds an extra layer of abstraction:
Physical server with resources
Host operating system
Hypervisor installed on the host OS (Type 2 hypervisor)
Virtual machines installed and managed via the hypervisor
Adding this extra layer complicates the process and reduces hardware performance. Physical resources are consumed by both the host OS and the hypervisor. Other issues include:
If the host system fails, all VMs running on it lose access to physical resources.
Security risks become larger; if the host OS is compromised, all VMs are at risk.
Updating or reinstalling the host OS requires stopping the VMs.
Software virtualization is suitable for simple tasks, such as testing another operating system inside the main one, avoiding the need to install multiple OSes side by side.
For business purposes, hardware virtualization is preferred because it provides higher performance and security. The key is efficient resource usage.
Business Advantages
Virtualization technology offers several benefits:
Cost efficiency: reduces expenses for purchasing, configuring, and maintaining physical hardware. Instead of multiple servers, a single powerful machine can be used, with the virtualization system dividing resources among VMs performing different tasks.
Flexibility: VM configurations can be saved as images and deployed across different hardware or moved between servers.
Scalability: when workload increases, additional VMs can be quickly launched to add resources and stabilize operations.
Fault tolerance: VM snapshots can be created at any time. Copies can be distributed geographically, so even if part of the hardware fails, the infrastructure continues to function. The load on active components can be managed by adding extra resources.
Security: VMs are isolated from each other. Compromising one VM does not affect others.
Conclusion
With hardware virtualization, external applications cannot distinguish virtual machines from physical servers. Guest operating systems run on the CPU without knowledge of other OSes sharing the same hardware. This isolation helps maintain high security.
Virtualization is used by large companies, small and medium businesses, and individual users. It enables building a flexible infrastructure of any size that can be easily scaled and protected against internal and external threats.
17 October 2025 · 5 min to read
Infrastructure
What Is a Virtual Data Center (vDC): Its Capabilities and Purpose
Virtual Data Center is infrastructure resources in the “cloud” allocated for business needs. Physically, the equipment is located in traditional data centers. The provider rents it out using virtualized space.
A virtual data center (vDC) can be managed from anywhere in the world via a console. At the same time, the flexibility of such a solution is higher than that of a traditional data center. There are also advantages in terms of cost efficiency, scalability, and security, which we will discuss below.
Virtualization Layers
A virtual data center is a multi-layered system, where virtualization is applied at each level. There are five main layers:
Network. Virtualization allows configuring communication between multiple servers to build a unified infrastructure.
Storage. Administrators manage file placement at this level, which is convenient even if the data is stored on different devices.
Resources. Virtualization enables flexible adjustment of available computing power, changing resource usage based on business needs.
Applications. Virtualization solves compatibility issues, allowing applications to run independently of the host operating system.
Access. User rights management, for example, for remote system access.
These layers are interdependent. A virtual data center operates correctly only if interactions between the layers are properly configured.
vDC Capabilities
The main advantage of a virtual data center is the ability to quickly scale resources up or down, allowing businesses to address various tasks without contacting the service provider. Other important capabilities include:
Data protection. Storing information in a vDC significantly reduces the risk of data loss, especially when backups are properly configured and geographically distributed.
Disaster recovery. With a simple and fast backup system, the infrastructure can be restored within minutes.
Flexibility. IT teams can automate routine tasks, quickly implement and test new systems and features.
Reliability. Providers use high-performance equipment and maintain the physical infrastructure of the vDC.
Control. All monitoring and management tools are available to the customer who ordered and paid for the resources.
Cost savings on hardware. There is no need to buy, configure, or maintain physical equipment; the provider handles this. Customers pay only for the resources they use.
Another important aspect is the availability of different billing models. Customers can either pay a fixed monthly amount for allocated resources or only for the resources actually consumed. Both models guarantee that the provider will allocate the requested resources, preventing situations where the client requests capacity but does not receive it in full.
Scalability Features
One of the main advantages of a virtual data center is rapid scalability. When demand increases, add resources; when demand decreases, reduce unused capacity to save costs.
Scalability can be of two types:
Horizontal scaling: new elements are added. For example, if an application normally runs on two servers but user demand increases fivefold, additional servers can be added and users distributed among them.
Vertical scaling: additional resources are added to an existing server. For instance, RAM can be increased, storage expanded, or the server replaced with a more powerful one if the CPU cannot handle the load.
Horizontal and vertical scaling are not mutually exclusive and often complement each other. Horizontal scaling is usually used for expanding server clusters, while vertical scaling is applied when increasing load without adding new servers.
A single task can be addressed with either horizontal or vertical scaling in a vDC.
Example: A web server hosting a website experiences increased traffic. Vertical scaling would involve adding CPU, RAM, or storage to the existing server. Horizontal scaling would involve cloning the server and distributing the load across multiple virtual machines.
Use Cases
A virtual data center can fully replace physical infrastructure and help address almost any business task. Common scenarios include:
Data storage
Software development and testing
Increasing capacity using reserve resources during peak loads
Creating a backup data center that fully replicates the main data center
Setting up remote workstations
These are just a few typical use cases. In practice, vDCs can be beneficial in many situations. However, this solution is not suitable for everyone, partly because vDCs are usually more expensive than standalone cloud servers.
Suitable for:
Medium or large companies planning or already migrating some processes to the cloud.
Companies with seasonal fluctuations or plans to increase load.
Startups that need to minimize infrastructure costs initially but be prepared for rapid growth.
The final decision on whether to deploy a virtual data center should involve IT specialists, economists, analysts, and managers responsible for strategic development, so everyone understands what a vDC is and the risks and benefits of its implementation.
16 October 2025 · 4 min to read
Do you have questions,
comments, or concerns?
Our professionals are available to assist you at any moment,
whether you need help or are just unsure of where to start.
whether you need help or are just unsure of where to start.
