HOWTO: Control the gnome VNC vino-server from the command line

[srf21c]

CAVEAT: A user must already be logged into the desktop on the target machine for this to work

Here is a cool trick for remotely enabling the gnome vino VNC server (assuming that it's already been installed and configured) on a box that you only have SSH access to.

Log into the target system using SSH, and run the following command:

gconftool-2 -s -t bool /desktop/gnome/remote_access/enabled true

You can also monkey with the vino server options by editing this file

/home/<userhomedir>/.gconf/desktop/gnome/remote_access/%gconf.xml

Let's say you want to disable the "Ask you for confirmation" setting, or change the password.

Easiest way to do it:

1) On your own Ubuntu box; Go to System => Preferences => Remote Desktop. and configure the Remote Desktop Preferences to your liking, then click close.

2) Navigate to ~/.gconf/desktop/gnome/remote_access/ in your home directory, open up the %gconf.xml file, and copy the contents.

3) Establish an SSH connection to the remote box, change directory to /home/<userhomedir>/.gconf/desktop/gnome/remote_access/ directory, and backup the existing %gconf.xml file.

mv %gconf.xml %gconf.xml.bak

4) Create a new %gconf.xml file,

vi %gconf.xml

then paste in the contents for your own %gconf.xml file that you copied in step number 2.

5) Stop and start the vino server from the command line

gconftool-2 -s -t bool /desktop/gnome/remote_access/enabled false
gconftool-2 -s -t bool /desktop/gnome/remote_access/enabled true

6) Connect to the target system using your vnc client. When I'm on my Ubuntu workstation, I prefer to connect securely via SSH with the following command

vncviewer -via username@somehost.com targetboxhostname:0

[motin]

Very interesting. Although I am in the same situation I cannot really use your guide, since I am using Putty from Windows... Can you maybe add some comments on how to achieve the same stuff in my situation? In case you know of course...

[srf21c]

You are perfectable capable of setting each value in the /home/<userhomedir>/.gconf/desktop/gnome/remote_access/%gconf.xml file manually using the gconftool-2 command.

I was unable to dig up any documentation on proper syntax of the %gconf.xml file so I did not feel qualified on delving into this method in more detail on my original post.

If you examine an existing %gconf.xml file, and compare that to the gconftool-2 command syntax that I have already posted, you should be able to figure out how to set the other parameters.

[motin]

I have come so far that the vino server asks me for a password. A password that I cannot remember at all.

The problem is that I cannot change it via CLI. It is not written in plain text in ~/.gconf/desktop/gnome/remote_access/%gconf.xml, so changing it to "qwerty" in the file doesn't help.

Also, the command:

gconftool-2 -s -t string /desktop/gnome/remote_access/vnc_password qwerty

Just does the same thing as changing the file manually - ie doesn't help.

Do you or someone else now in what hash-type the vino passwords are written in?

[motin]

I started a new thread on the matter (generating the password): http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=1592817

[srf21c]

Don't know what the vino server hash-type is, but here's the string I get after setting the vino password to "qwerty"

<entry name="vnc_password" mtime="1160442984" type="string">
<stringvalue>cXdlcnR5</stringvalue>
</entry>

[jdong]

Have you tried an htpasswd hash in there?

[frafu]

To open the "Login Window" preferences, you have to type into the terminal after opening your ssh -Y connection:

sudo gdmsetup

To open the "Remote Desktop" preferences, you have to type into the terminal:

sudo vino-preferences

But, the changes made in the forwarded preferences seem not to be effective in the session created by the auto-login at startup.

[frafu]

Do you have an X server running on your local machine? If so, try to connect through sh with the following command:

 
ssh -Y loginname@remotecomputerip

Because of the -Y option, the gui of the application started on your remote computer should be displayed on your local machine if there is a X server running on your local machine.

Particularly, you should be able to start the synaptic Package Manager and reinstall vino. Afterwards, you should start "vino-preferences" from the shell which should display the gui of the preferences on your local machine. There you should be able to enable vino (=vnc server of the remote machine)

Have a nice day.

[theQmaster]

I my windows' putty I typed the command by I get
ssh: connect to host localhost port 22: Connection refused

Originally Posted by frafu Do you have an X server running on your local machine? If so, try to connect through sh with the following command: ssh -Y loginname@remotecomputerip Because of the -Y option, the gui of the application started on your remote computer should be displayed on your local machine if there is a X server running on your local machine. Particularly, you should be able to start the synaptic Package Manager and reinstall vino. Afterwards, you should start "vino-preferences" from the shell which should display the gui of the preferences on your local machine. There you should be able to enable vino (=vnc server of the remote machine) Have a nice day.