Difference between revisions of "FreeNX"
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| − | + | NX is a technology for secure remote access - for example, you may want to run your Amahi Server headless (no monitor) and access a full graphical desktop environment on your server from another computer such as a Windows, Apple or Linux machine. NX provides both security and near local speed application responsiveness over high latency, low bandwidth links. The core libraries for NX are provided by NoMachine under the GPL. FreeNX is a GPL implementation of the NX Server and NX Client Components. More information can be found [http://freenx.berlios.de FreeNX open source page] or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NX_technology Wikipedia]. | |
| + | Some users have found FreeNX gives far superior responsiveness to alternative VNC remote access approaches. | ||
| + | |||
| + | =Installation - FreeNX Server= | ||
| + | |||
| + | Here are the steps to get FreeNX up and running. It is fairly straight forward and easy, although there is one point that can be a little confusing but that is during the client setup, not the server. Basically, you need to install the FreeNX | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Fedora== | ||
First, log into your hda and open a terminal window. | First, log into your hda and open a terminal window. | ||
| Line 23: | Line 30: | ||
And add the following to the end of the file: | And add the following to the end of the file: | ||
{{Text|Text=COMMAND_MD5SUM<nowiki>=</nowiki>"md5sum"}} | {{Text|Text=COMMAND_MD5SUM<nowiki>=</nowiki>"md5sum"}} | ||
| + | . | ||
| + | ===Alternative Approach - Install NoMachine NX Free Server=== | ||
| + | '''In case you receive any error messages or notification from Fedora that some applications (like gnome-settings-daemon) crashed, you might want to install free NX server from Nomachine web site.''' Note the main difference with this software is that NX Free Edition is licensed as proprietary ( 2 connections limit) unlike FreeNX which is completely Free Open Source Software | ||
| − | + | Go to Nomachine's web site and download NoMachine NX Free Server (http://www.nomachine.com/download-package.php?Prod_Id=1352) for Linux i386 RPM. It consists of three separate downloads: client RPM, node RPM and Server RPM. You can read on their web site detailed info on how to install it and in what order - pretty straightforward. Here is what you need to do to get it installed on Fedora 12: | |
| − | |||
| − | Go to Nomachine's web site and download | ||
1) Uninstall completely FreeNX server from your HDA (use Add/Remove software); | 1) Uninstall completely FreeNX server from your HDA (use Add/Remove software); | ||
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It may complain something about permissions for CUPS that you may just ignore. Or if you want, you can follow the instructions the installer gives you, and fix permission problem and re-install. Keep in mind, that these three packages are easily removable thru Add/Remove interface in System Preferences. | It may complain something about permissions for CUPS that you may just ignore. Or if you want, you can follow the instructions the installer gives you, and fix permission problem and re-install. Keep in mind, that these three packages are easily removable thru Add/Remove interface in System Preferences. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Ubuntu== | ||
| + | |||
| + | You are in luck! A chap named Shannon VanWagner created a script that makes the installation and configuration on Ubuntu 12.04 super easy. His page (including instructions on how to install manually) and the link for the script can be found at [http://www.humans-enabled.com/2012/05/how-to-install-freenx-on-ubuntu-1204.html FreeNX How to Install FreeNx on Ubuntu 12.04] | ||
| + | |||
| + | To Run Script: | ||
| + | # Download script to the Amahi Server | ||
| + | # Extract script from downloaded tar file | ||
| + | #Open terminal window, go to director with the script and type | ||
| + | {{Code|sudo sh heInstallFreeNX.sh}} | ||
| + | |||
| + | If the script runs successfully, it should return a message saying | ||
| + | '''Script Complete! Now you should be able to connect to this server using qtnx or the NX free client from nomachine.com.''' | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | =FreeNX Client Installation= | ||
Last step. Download and install NX client software (not the same as above) from the same Nomachine's web site. You need to install client software on the machine that you want to access your HDA from. In my case it's a Windows based laptop - so I chose Windows version. Once installed, you can run it with default Key and default settings. Just choose Configure button, and on General tab, choose UNIX---Gnome for the desktop. No need to export/import Keys - can run with default installed keys. For added security, you can later change Keys as described in their knowledge base (article #AR01C00126). | Last step. Download and install NX client software (not the same as above) from the same Nomachine's web site. You need to install client software on the machine that you want to access your HDA from. In my case it's a Windows based laptop - so I chose Windows version. Once installed, you can run it with default Key and default settings. Just choose Configure button, and on General tab, choose UNIX---Gnome for the desktop. No need to export/import Keys - can run with default installed keys. For added security, you can later change Keys as described in their knowledge base (article #AR01C00126). | ||
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When the gnome desktop loads, you will likely get a message that Gnome Power Manager crashed. Ignore it - everything works fine. | When the gnome desktop loads, you will likely get a message that Gnome Power Manager crashed. Ignore it - everything works fine. | ||
| − | + | =Troubleshooting NX= | |
#The /etc/hosts file must contain an entry for your HDA which may not be there. If NX is failing to connect to your HDA, check /etc/hosts for an entry as follows: [IP address] [localhost.localdomain] [localhost alias]. This info can be easily entered from your gnome desktop: System > Administration > Network > Hosts Tab. | #The /etc/hosts file must contain an entry for your HDA which may not be there. If NX is failing to connect to your HDA, check /etc/hosts for an entry as follows: [IP address] [localhost.localdomain] [localhost alias]. This info can be easily entered from your gnome desktop: System > Administration > Network > Hosts Tab. | ||
| − | #The default security keys should match in the server and client, but that could be a reason for not connecting. Check the documentation on the | + | #The default security keys should match in the server and client, but that could be a reason for not connecting. Check the documentation on the NoMachine website for how to copy the key. |
| − | #There is a detailed server administration manual on the | + | #There is a detailed server administration manual on the NoMachine website, but the information above is sufficient for an install with basic security. |
[[Category:Apps]] | [[Category:Apps]] | ||
Revision as of 00:05, 10 November 2012
NX is a technology for secure remote access - for example, you may want to run your Amahi Server headless (no monitor) and access a full graphical desktop environment on your server from another computer such as a Windows, Apple or Linux machine. NX provides both security and near local speed application responsiveness over high latency, low bandwidth links. The core libraries for NX are provided by NoMachine under the GPL. FreeNX is a GPL implementation of the NX Server and NX Client Components. More information can be found FreeNX open source page or Wikipedia.
Some users have found FreeNX gives far superior responsiveness to alternative VNC remote access approaches.
Contents
Installation - FreeNX Server
Here are the steps to get FreeNX up and running. It is fairly straight forward and easy, although there is one point that can be a little confusing but that is during the client setup, not the server. Basically, you need to install the FreeNX
Fedora
First, log into your hda and open a terminal window.
Second, run this command to install FreeNX:
| bash code |
|---|
yum install freenx-server
|
That's it. FreeNX should now be installed and running on your HDA. In order to use FreeNX, you will need a client to connect with. Go to http://www.nomachine.com/download.php and select the one for your appropriate operating system.
After downloading and installing the client, you will need to copy the client.id_dsa.key into the client. What I did was to scp the key from my server (/etc/nxserver/client.id_dsa.key) to my local system, open the file in a text editor, copy everything in it and paste it into the client. In my client this was under "Configure" then on the "General" tab, there is a button labeled "Key". This is where I pasted the client key information.
- NOTE* If you miss or overlook the step for the client key configuration, the client will attempt to use a default key for the HDA, and this does not work.
Finally, save the configuration, and then run the client to log into the HDA.
Since the Fedora 12 update some users have reported the following error when trying to log into their HDA after installing using the method above.
cat: /var/lib/nxserver/db/running/sessionId{(STDIN)}:
No such file or directory NX> 280 Exiting on signal: 15
A work around for this is to open:
/etc/nxserver/node.conf
And add the following to the end of the file:
| Text |
|---|
COMMAND_MD5SUM="md5sum"
|
.
Alternative Approach - Install NoMachine NX Free Server
In case you receive any error messages or notification from Fedora that some applications (like gnome-settings-daemon) crashed, you might want to install free NX server from Nomachine web site. Note the main difference with this software is that NX Free Edition is licensed as proprietary ( 2 connections limit) unlike FreeNX which is completely Free Open Source Software
Go to Nomachine's web site and download NoMachine NX Free Server (http://www.nomachine.com/download-package.php?Prod_Id=1352) for Linux i386 RPM. It consists of three separate downloads: client RPM, node RPM and Server RPM. You can read on their web site detailed info on how to install it and in what order - pretty straightforward. Here is what you need to do to get it installed on Fedora 12:
1) Uninstall completely FreeNX server from your HDA (use Add/Remove software);
2) Go to your System Preferences-->Add Remove Software and do search for "audiofile" (without quotes). It will find for you a piece of software "audiofile-1:0.2.6" and "audiofile-devel-1:0.2.6. Install both development files and a library (Note: this should no longer be necessary after release 3.5).
3) Do search (the same Add/remove software) for "libstdc". It will find C++ libraries, different versions. Install latest ones in case they are not yet installed;
4) Do search (same place) for "GLIBC" - it will find a few libraries there. Install the latest ones in case they are not yet installed
That's it. Then go to terminal and do "sudo rpm -i" command for all three packages that you downloaded before. Here are the commands (you need to run these from the folder where you have dowloaded them):
- [root@localhost ~]# cd /folder_where_files_were_downloaded, example
- cd /home/frank/Downloads/
- [root@localhost Downloads]# rpm -Uvh nxclient-3.4.0-5.i386.rpm
- [root@localhost Downloads]# rpm -Uvh nxnode-3.4.0-6.i386.rpm
- [root@localhost Downloads]# rpm -Uvh nxserver-3.4.0-8.i386.rpm
You need to install them in order: client, node, server.
It may complain something about permissions for CUPS that you may just ignore. Or if you want, you can follow the instructions the installer gives you, and fix permission problem and re-install. Keep in mind, that these three packages are easily removable thru Add/Remove interface in System Preferences.
Ubuntu
You are in luck! A chap named Shannon VanWagner created a script that makes the installation and configuration on Ubuntu 12.04 super easy. His page (including instructions on how to install manually) and the link for the script can be found at FreeNX How to Install FreeNx on Ubuntu 12.04
To Run Script:
- Download script to the Amahi Server
- Extract script from downloaded tar file
- Open terminal window, go to director with the script and type
| bash code |
|---|
sudo sh heInstallFreeNX.sh
|
If the script runs successfully, it should return a message saying
Script Complete! Now you should be able to connect to this server using qtnx or the NX free client from nomachine.com.
FreeNX Client Installation
Last step. Download and install NX client software (not the same as above) from the same Nomachine's web site. You need to install client software on the machine that you want to access your HDA from. In my case it's a Windows based laptop - so I chose Windows version. Once installed, you can run it with default Key and default settings. Just choose Configure button, and on General tab, choose UNIX---Gnome for the desktop. No need to export/import Keys - can run with default installed keys. For added security, you can later change Keys as described in their knowledge base (article #AR01C00126).
When the gnome desktop loads, you will likely get a message that Gnome Power Manager crashed. Ignore it - everything works fine.
Troubleshooting NX
- The /etc/hosts file must contain an entry for your HDA which may not be there. If NX is failing to connect to your HDA, check /etc/hosts for an entry as follows: [IP address] [localhost.localdomain] [localhost alias]. This info can be easily entered from your gnome desktop: System > Administration > Network > Hosts Tab.
- The default security keys should match in the server and client, but that could be a reason for not connecting. Check the documentation on the NoMachine website for how to copy the key.
- There is a detailed server administration manual on the NoMachine website, but the information above is sufficient for an install with basic security.
