Linux Viewer (Debian)

[markd89]

Hi,

I am now using Debian Linux as my main machine to provide support to users using Single Click, under Windows.

I'd like to use a Linux VNC Viewer but I can't seem to get it to work. I have successfully used UltraVNC (non-SC) server to connect to xtightvncviewer in listen mode, but have not got SC to connect.

Any suggestions on a combination that would work?

If not, any other suggestions for fast remote control using Linux as the viewer?

Thanks!
Mark

[Charles]

I run the UltraVNC viewer in listen mode under WINE on Ubuntu for that -- been doing it that way for years. Occasionally there are weird things -- for instance, if you try fullscreen mode you'll be chasing the floating title bar all over the screen -- but most of the time it works well.

I found that putting it directly in my startup caused problems. I don't recall if it didn't work right, or if it was just that the systray icon didn't show up consistently if it launched too soon (Now I'm using the Unity interface which disables it anyway...) but for whatever reason, I've always had it delay startup by requiring user confirmation; this is what I actually have executed in my "startup applications":

Code: Select all

bash -c "zenity --info --title='UltraVNC Viewer (Listen)' --text='Press [Enter] to place icon in system tray.'; /usr/local/bin/vncviewer-listen"

/usr/local/bin/vncviewer-listen contains:

Code: Select all

wine 'C:\UltraVNC\vncviewer.exe' /listen

[markd89]

Thanks, Charles.

I haven't tried Wine yet, but looks like I should try it. I did run the viewer in UVNC VMWare Unity and saw the weird title bar chasing behavior.

How is the performance?

After much work, I found Tiger VNC. It also didn't work.

UVNCSC sends version 3.16 and Tiger VNC doesn't know how to handle that. I found some discussions on hacks to override the viewer to use v 3.3 of the protocol. I'm glad to say that UVNCSC works nicelyt. The Viewer does not have file transfer or some of the other goodies of the Windows version but I find it to be faster than running through VMWare.

I could not get compilation to work using Debian. I ended up spinning up a Ubuntu VM, compiling there and then copying the binary to my Debian machine. This worked.

In case you (or others who find this may want to try this), the procedure would be:

1. Download the Tiger VNC Source (I used 1.70)
2. Install dependencies needed to build.
3. Edit the following part of Tiger VNC's source: common/rfb/CConnection.cxx

Add the following:

//Mark's Hack
if (cp.minorVersion==16)
{
cp.setVersion(3,3);
vlog.info("Hack #1 for 3.16");
cp.minorVersion=3;
}

Right after this part:

vlog.info("Server supports RFB protocol version %d.%d",
cp.majorVersion, cp.minorVersion);

4. Build according to the instructions provided by Tiger VNC.
5. Run the viewer with the command line option listen.