WebVNC

The WebVNC package is for easily setting up a web-page that let's readers access a Java applet for VNC connections. VNC is, simply put, graphical remote control desktop software. With a Fedora-based Amahi install, it takes a few steps on the server to 1) install the package, 2) turn on desktop sharing.

Note: The procedure below allows anyone in your network to access this machine to connect to your session, if they know the password. Be sure this is what you want.

Install the Package

• Goto http://setup
• Select the applications tab
• Click on WebVNC
• Click the install icon to install it on your HDA

NOTE: a very common issue is that you must have a desktop session open on your HDA to be able to open a WebVNC session. If you have a headless HDA server, see below.

Setup VNC Server

Sorry, some manual work needed to run the server

• Log into the computer running HDA, e.g. as a normal user
• Edit the file /etc/sysconfig/vncservers (with your favorite text editor). Set the lines starting with VNCSERVER to read (remove the # at the start of the line) where yourusername is the desktop user you use to access your HDA desktop.

VNCSERVERS="1:yourusername"
VNCSERVERARGS[1]="-geometry 1024x768 -depth 16"

Turn on Desktop Sharing

Unless you do this, your VNC session or your desktop will have a message asking someone to accept or refuse connections, and your client will be stuck waiting!

• Log into the computer running HDA, e.g. as a normal user
• Select SYSTEM menu, then Preferences, then Internet and Network, then Remote Desktop
• Turn on the top two "sharing" options, turn off the "Ask for confirmation" option, but set a password below it.

NOTE: This allows anyone with network access to this machine to connect to your session, if they know the password. Be sure this is what you want.

Using the App

You should now be able to access: http://webvnc. Give it a minute to start up, then enter your password.

Reminder: You must have a desktop session started on your HDA for WebVNC to display.

• Leave any questions or discussion on the Talk:WebVNC page.

• Screenshot of desktop sharing setup below (sorry it's so huge).

Troubleshooting

• A very basic issue -- you must have a desktop session open on your HDA to be able to open a WebVNC session.

• Two typical scenarios pop up as problematic:

1. Make sure you have a password defined as above.
2. Ensure the confirmation checkbox is deactivated, unless you are sitting in front of the HDA itself. Otherwise it will just sit there indefinitely waiting for someone to click a button on the screen of the HDA.

• Please note that at the present time, and according to the above, only port 5900 (VNC display :0) is supported. If you want to change that, then manually edit /var/hda/web-apps/webvnc/html/index.html and change 5900 to desired number (e.g. :1 = 5901, :2=5902, etc).

• If when trying to connect with WebVNC you get a message on the Amahi box "Enter password for default keyring to unlock" then you need to delete or rename the default keyring:

To delete:

rm ~/.gnome2/keyrings/default.keyring

or backup:

mv ~/.gnome2/keyrings/default.keyring ~/.gnome2/keyrings/default.keyring.bak

Headless Servers

If your HDA server is headless, then WebVNC is not for you (because you will not have a desktop session running). Instead, install a VNC client on your remote computer and VNC Server on the HDA.