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How to Install and Configure VNC on Debian

How to Install and Configure VNC on Debian
Hostman Team
Technical writer
Debian
31.01.2025
Reading time: 9 min

The term Virtual Network Computing (VNC) refers to a system for remote access to a computer’s desktop environment. It allows users to interact with the interface, access files on storage, run applications, and modify operating system settings. A similar approach is used for managing virtual machines rented from providers like Hostman.

This guide will walk you through setting up a VNC server on a VPS/VDS running Debian, with a secure connection established over SSH. For this example, we’ll use the TightVNC utility, known for its reliable performance even over low-speed connections and seamless file transfers in both directions (to and from the server).

Technical Requirements

Before starting, ensure you have a prepared Debian server, either in the cloud or locally. Apart from having the operating system ready, it's recommended to configure both a root user and a sudo user (the former without privileges and the latter with them). Additionally, you must allow SSH connections through the firewall.

You will need the following:

  • A machine running Windows or macOS.
  • A pre-installed VNC client such as TightVNC, RealVNC, or UltraVNC on Windows, or Screen Sharing on macOS.
  • Alternatively, if you are using another Linux machine, you can install a VNC client such as Vinagre, KRDC, RealVNC, or TightVNC.

Installing the VNC Server and Desktop Environment

By default, a Debian server doesn’t have a graphical interface for easier management, nor does it include a remote management tool. Therefore, the first step is to install both. In this example, we’ll use the Xfce desktop environment and TightVNC, both of which are available in Debian’s official repository.

  1. Update the Package List

First, update the list of available packages on the host system by running:

sudo apt update
  1. Install the Xfce Desktop Environment

Next, install the Xfce desktop environment along with additional utilities:

sudo apt install xfce4 xfce4-goodies

During the installation, the system will prompt you to select a keyboard layout from the provided list. Choose the desired option and press Enter to continue. Once the installation is completed, proceed to install the VNC server.

  1. Install the TightVNC Server

Use the following command to install TightVNC:

sudo apt install tightvncserver

After the installation, you need to configure TightVNC by setting a security password and generating configuration files where connection parameters will be stored.

  1. Initial VNC Configuration

Run the following command to start configuring the VNC server:

vncserver

The program will prompt you to set a password for connecting to the remote system:

You will require a password to access your desktops.
Password:
Verify:

The password must be between 6 and 8 characters long. If a longer password is entered, it will be automatically truncated. Additionally, you can set up a view-only mode, where the connected user can only observe the desktop without being able to control the keyboard or mouse. This mode is useful for demonstrations.

After entering both passwords, the utility will generate a configuration file:

Would you like to enter a view-only password (y/n)? n
xauth:  file /home/username/.Xauthority does not exist

New 'X' desktop is your_hostname:1

Creating default startup script /home/username/.vnc/xstartup
Starting applications specified in /home/username/.vnc/xstartup
Log file is /home/username/.vnc/your_hostname:1.log

Configuring the VNC Server

The VNC server needs to be configured so that it knows what commands to execute upon startup—for example, specifying the desktop environment to be launched when a connection is established. These startup instructions are located in the xstartup file, which resides in the .vnc subdirectory of the home directory. This file is automatically created when you launch the vncserver for the first time. 

In this guide, we’ll modify the configuration to launch the Xfce graphical interface upon startup. By default, VNC communicates with remote hosts using port 5901, also known as the display port for "display 1". Additional instances can be started on ports 5902, 5903, etc.

  1. Stop the VNC Server

Before configuring VNC on Debian, stop the currently running instance with the following command:

vncserver -kill :1

The output will look something like this:

Killing Xtightvnc process ID 17648
  1. Backup the Original Configuration File

It’s a good practice to create a backup of the original xstartup file, so you can easily revert the settings if anything goes wrong:

mv ~/.vnc/xstartup ~/.vnc/xstartup.bak
  1. Create and Edit a New xstartup File

Now, generate a new xstartup file and open it for editing using a text editor (in this case, nano):

nano ~/.vnc/xstartup

The commands you add to this file will be automatically executed when the VNC server starts or restarts. Add the following lines to launch the Xfce desktop environment:

#!/bin/bash
xrdb $HOME/.Xresources
startxfce4 &

Here:

    • The first line specifies that the script should be executed using the bash shell.
    • The line with xrdb loads the .Xresources file, which defines terminal colors, cursor themes, font rendering, and other desktop appearance settings.
    • The line startxfce4 & launches the Xfce graphical interface.
  1. Make the xstartup File Executable

After editing the configuration file, make it executable by running:

sudo chmod +x ~/.vnc/xstartup
  1. Restart the VNC Server

Finally, restart the VNC server:

vncserver

You’ll see the following output on the screen:

New 'X' desktop is your_hostname:1
Starting applications specified in /home/username/.vnc/xstartup
Log file is /home/username/.vnc/your_hostname:1.log

Configuring the VNC Desktop

By default, TightVNC establishes a connection without encryption. However, for our purposes, we require a secure tunnel using the SSH protocol. This involves creating a secure connection on the client side, which forwards data to localhost for handling by the VNC utility.

You can achieve this by running the following command in the terminal (Linux or macOS):

ssh -L 5901:127.0.0.1:5901 -C -N -l user your_server_ip
  • The -L option specifies port forwarding. The default configuration uses port 5901 on both the remote and local hosts.

  • The -C option enables compression, which reduces the size of data sent between the client and server.

  • The -N option tells the SSH protocol that no remote commands will be executed and that it is only being used for port forwarding.

  • The -l option specifies the username for the remote connection.

In the above command, replace user with the username (typically a non-privileged root user) and your_server_ip with the actual IP address of the remote host.

If you are using Windows, you can create the SSH tunnel using PuTTY, a popular SSH client with a graphical interface. In PuTTY, you need to:

  1. Enter the IP address of the remote host.
  2. Configure port forwarding by adding localhost:5901 as the new port for data redirection.
  3. Save the session settings and initiate the connection.

Once you initiate the connection, the system will prompt you to enter the password you set during the initial VNC server configuration. The tunnel will only be activated after successful user authentication. Once connected, you will see the Xfce graphical interface as configured in the .Xresources file.

You can finalize the desktop setup by selecting "Use default configuration" in the menu. To end the SSH session, press the key combination Ctrl+C. This will close the tunnel and terminate the remote session.

Running VNC as a System Service

In the final step, we will configure VNC Server as a system service on Debian, enabling you to start, stop, and restart it just like other system services. This ensures that the utility starts automatically with the server. To do this, we'll edit the configuration file /etc/systemd/system/[email protected]:

sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/[email protected]

The @ symbol is used as an argument to modify the service parameters. It is applied when you need to specify the display port used by the VNC utility. Add the following lines to the file (replace user, group, workingdirectory, and username with your own values):

[Unit]
Description=Start TightVNC server at startup
After=syslog.target network.target

[Service]
Type=forking
User=username
Group=username
WorkingDirectory=/home/username

PIDFile=/home/username/.vnc/%H:%i.pid
ExecStartPre=-/usr/bin/vncserver -kill :%i > /dev/null 2>&1
ExecStart=/usr/bin/vncserver -depth 24 -geometry 1280x800 :%i
ExecStop=/usr/bin/vncserver -kill :%i

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

The ExecStartPre command allows you to stop the VNC server if it is already running. The ExecStart command will restart the server and set the resolution to 1280x800 with 24-bit color.

After editing the file, apply the changes and inform the system about the new file:

sudo systemctl daemon-reload

Next, enable the service:

sudo systemctl enable [email protected]

The 1 after the @ represents the display number where the service should be activated. It will always be "1" unless you change the default configuration, but you can specify another number if needed.

Now, stop the active instance of the VNC server and start the new service:

vncserver -kill :1
sudo systemctl start vncserver@1

You can check if the VNC server is running with:

sudo systemctl status vncserver@1

The result will look like this:

[email protected] - Start TightVNC server at startup
   Loaded: loaded (/etc/systemd/system/[email protected]; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
   Active: active (running) since Wed 2018-09-05 16:47:40 UTC; 3s ago
  Process: 4977 ExecStart=/usr/bin/vncserver -depth 24 -geometry 1280x800 :1 (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)
  Process: 4971 ExecStartPre=/usr/bin/vncserver -kill :1 > /dev/null 2>&1 (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)
  Main PID: 4987 (Xtightvnc)
...

After these steps, the VNC server will be available after the system restarts. Now, initiate the SSH tunnel again:

ssh -L 5901:127.0.0.1:5901 -C -N -l username your_server_ip

This command will create a connection using the client application that forwards the connection from localhost:5901 to your local machine.

Conclusion

We have completed configuring and launching a secure VNC server on a Debian system. Now, you can perform all usual operations: installing and uninstalling software, configuring programs, managing files, surfing the web, etc.

Debian
31.01.2025
Reading time: 9 min

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Data Management with Docker Volumes Docker volumes are responsible for managing data and its storage in a separate location from the container. This allows the container to access and utilize the data. Volumes act as external directories, separate from the container's file system, that can be accessed and utilized by the container. The data stored in a volume will remain even if the container is stopped or removed, making it particularly valuable for databases that require persistent storage even when the container is not running. Docker volumes can be generated by the Docker command line interface or with Dockerfile. Each volume is assigned a name and is stored in a designated location on the host system. This approach to managing volumes makes them easier to identify and access. Volumes can be shared among multiple containers to access data by different containers. Mounting volumes to containers involves linking volumes to containers, enabling them to access and utilize the data stored inside. This can be done dynamically through the Docker CLI during runtime or by specifying it in Dockerfile. This allows for data to be exchanged between the container and the host machine, as well as among multiple containers. Mastering Docker on Debian To become a proficient user of Docker on Debian, it is essential to explore its advanced options, such as orchestration for effectively managing and coordinating multiple containers. The use of Docker Swarm, the native orchestration tool, is fully compatible with Debian and enables the creation of highly available and scalable applications. Docker Swarm on Debian allows for the deployment and management of containers across multiple hosts, making it a valuable asset in production environments. Docker is able to create lightweight and disposable environments, making it easier to set up new machines for development. It is also useful for establishing a consistent and reproducible environment for continuous integration and deployment. In addition, the extensive selection of packages offered by Debian allows users to effortlessly construct customized images tailored to their specific requirements. Conclusion Docker is an impressive utility that enables the creation, deployment, and management of applications on Debian. Its versatility, scalability, and effectiveness make it an invaluable resource for developers, system administrators, and businesses alike. With its ever-evolving capabilities and endless potential, we have provided a guide on how to install Docker on Debian. By incorporating Docker into your workflow, you can streamline and optimize your development and deployment process. The potential of Docker on Debian is constantly expanding as it continues to evolve. One particularly valuable advantage for developers is its ability to create a uniform testing and deployment environment. Through Docker, applications and their necessary components can be bundled into a single image, simplifying the process of reproducing and testing on various systems. This promotes better collaboration among team members, as everyone is operating within the same environment. By the way, Hostman offers cloud servers starting from just $4 per month, in case you were wondering.
14 June 2024 · 10 min to read

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