HOWTO: Install FreeNX

[wickwire]

I've successfully managed to install, run and access this machine via FreeNX, all locally by now - however I thought I'd be able to log on to the NX server and view the currently running session. Instead it started a new session for my user.

I'm looking for something more along the lines of VNC, so FreeNX deals with remote logins but only for new X Sessions or am I missing something?

Thanks

[Marcos.Rufino]

I'm looking for something more along the lines of VNC, so FreeNX deals with remote logins but only for new X Sessions or am I missing something?

Thanks

Have you tried the VNC option in the FreeNX?
Using the client, go to the configuration dialog and choose "VNC" under the Desktop section.

[wickwire]

I hadn't spotted the option, thanks - I'm getting authentication error still but now I know it's just a configuration matter, thanks for the confirmation!

[LCole]

Hi All

I hope I'm not covering old ground here but I haven't found an answer yet so here goes...

I walked through the process of installing freenx on Breezy and everything seems to install fine. When I try to connect from any client (I've tried a win98 client and a local client on the same machine as the server) with exactly the same results. The connection goes through the authentication process with no problem then times out. The client error log is:


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NX> 203 NXSSH running with pid: 6200
NX> 285 Enabling check on switch command
NX> 285 Enabling skip of SSH config files
NX> 200 Connected to address: 140.252.38.32 on port: 22
NX> 202 Authenticating user: nx
NX> 208 Using auth method: publickey
HELLO NXSERVER - Version 1.4.0-45-SVN OS (GPL)
NX> 105 hello NXCLIENT - Version 1.5.0
NX> 134 Accepted protocol: 1.5.0
NX> 105 SET SHELL_MODE SHELL
NX> 105 SET AUTH_MODE PASSWORD
NX> 105 login
NX> 101 User: cole
NX> 102 Password:
NX> 103 Welcome to: dallas user: cole
NX> 105 listsession --user="cole" --status="suspended,running" --geometry="1600x1200x24+render" --type="unix-kde"
NX> 127 Sessions list of user 'cole' for reconnect:

Display Type Session ID Options Depth Screen Status Session Name
------- ---------------- -------------------------------- -------- ----- -------------- ----------- ------------------------------


NX> 148 Server capacity: not reached for user: cole
NX> 105 startsession --session="dallas" --type="unix-kde" --cache="16M" --images="128M" --cookie="******" --link="adsl" --kbtype="pc102/us" --nodelay="1" --encryption="1" --backingstore="when_requested" --geometry="800x600+400+261" --media="0" --agent_server="" --agent_user="" agent_password="******"" --screeninfo="800x600x24+render"

ssh_exchange_identification: Connection closed by remote host
Killed by signal 15.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


I enabled the server logging and the server error log shows:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NX SERVER START: -c /usr/lib/nx/nxserver
HELLO NXSERVER - Version 1.4.0-45-SVN OS (GPL)
NX> 105 hello NXCLIENT - Version 1.5.0
NX> 134 Accepted protocol: 1.5.0
NX> 105 SET SHELL_MODE SHELL
NX> 105 SET AUTH_MODE PASSWORD
NX> 105 login
NX> 101 User: cole
NX> 102 Password:
Info: Auth method: passdb
NX> 103 Welcome to: dallas user: cole
NX> 105 listsession --user="cole" --status="suspended,running" --geometry="1600x1200x24+render" --type="unix-kde"
NX> 127 Sessions list of user 'cole' for reconnect:

Display Type Session ID Options Depth Screen Status Session Name
------- ---------------- -------------------------------- -------- ----- -------------- ----------- ------------------------------


NX> 148 Server capacity: not reached for user: cole
NX> 105 startsession --session="dallas" --type="unix-kde" --cache="16M" --images="128M" --cookie="******" --link="adsl" --kbtype="pc102/us" --nodelay="1" --encryption="1" --backingstore="when_requested" --geometry="800x600+400+261" --media="0" --agent_server="" --agent_user="" agent_password="******"" --screeninfo="800x600x24+render"

&session=dallas&type=unix-kde&cache=16M&images=128M&cookie=******&link=adsl& kbtype=pc102/us&nodelay=1&encryption=1&backingstore=when_reques ted&geometry=800x600+400+261&media=0&agent_server= &agent_user=&agent_password=******&screeninfo=800x 600x24+render&clientproto=1.5.0&user=cole&userip=1 40.252.38.32&uniqueid=729621A34353FD29CB3D918230CA 698F&display=1000
NX> 1004 Error: Session did not start.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The tail end (the first time I see errors in it) of the runlog file in my ~/.nx session directory looks like:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Fri Jan 27 23:01:13 2006]: Received line from nxssh process [startsession --session="dallas" --type="unix-kde" --cache="16M" --images="128M" --cookie="******" --link="adsl" --kbtype="pc102/us" --nodelay="1" --encryption="1" --backingstore="when_requested" --geometry="800x600+400+261" --media="0" --agent_server="" --agent_user="" agent_password="******"" --screeninfo="800x600x24+render"
] with code [-1]
[Fri Jan 27 23:01:13 2006]: Received code[-1]
[Fri Jan 27 23:01:13 2006]: Received line from nxssh process [
] with code [-1]
[Fri Jan 27 23:01:13 2006]: Received code[-1]
[Fri Jan 27 23:01:20 2006]: Received line from nxssh process [ssh_exchange_identification: Connection closed by remote host^M
] with code [-1]
[Fri Jan 27 23:01:20 2006]: Received code[-1]
[Fri Jan 27 23:02:10 2006]: printFatalError [Connection timeout]
[Fri Jan 27 23:02:10 2006]: KillAllComponents 0x86bd320
[Fri Jan 27 23:02:10 2006]: LoginDialog: stopAllTimers
[Fri Jan 27 23:02:10 2006]: LoginDialog: stopProgressTimer
[Fri Jan 27 23:02:10 2006]: LoginDialog::killAllComponents() stopping NXProtoSSH
[Fri Jan 27 23:02:10 2006]: LoginDialog::killAllComponents() stopping NXssh
[Fri Jan 27 23:02:10 2006]: NXProcessUnix::StopProcess process [nxssh] with pid [6200]
[Fri Jan 27 23:02:10 2006]: Received SIGCHLD
[Fri Jan 27 23:02:10 2006]: end of killAllComponents
[Fri Jan 27 23:02:10 2006]: LoginDialog::ShowConnectionStatus code=[268] str=[Connection timeout] error=[1]
[Fri Jan 27 23:02:10 2006]: ProgressDialog:rintNxStatus: [Connection timeout]
[Fri Jan 27 23:02:10 2006]: LoginDialog: isReconnecting() [0]
[Fri Jan 27 23:02:10 2006]: Logfile path [/home/cole/.nx/temp/6196/sshlog] exists.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It looks like there is something wrong with starting the X session from nx but I don't have a clue as to what is happening.

Again, I apologize if this has been covered somewhere else and I just missed it, but I've been trying to fix this problem for a couple of weeks with no luck. Assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Lonnie

[stoffe]

Got it up and running and it works very nicely - apart from that there seems to be stuff missing or looking strange. All folders and files look like "papers" for instance, and some applets and other things are missing. If this sounds familiar to anyone, can you point me to some documentation/solutions please?

[anaoum]

Got it up and running and it works very nicely - apart from that there seems to be stuff missing or looking strange. All folders and files look like "papers" for instance, and some applets and other things are missing. If this sounds familiar to anyone, can you point me to some documentation/solutions please?

The graphics in nx will look weird if you are logged onto the host pc with the same username. logout first

[mssm]

Hi,

If I want to run the server on my home machine which is behind a router with firewall, which port should I open and forward in the router's config.?

Update : Okay, I found it. It's raelly very easy compared to other programmes. I need not forward any port, since freenx uses port 22, same as ssh which has already been forwarded and opened in my router.

I must say that this is an excellent programme and I switched from vncserver to freenx, since it feesl really smooth. I can do anything without any jerks. Though, it is not necessary, just out of curiosity I tried to watch a movie on the remote machine. It started playing the movie smoothly on vlc but without any audio. Has anybody come across this problem? Surely, I shall not use freenx to watch movie.

Anyway, for this excellent how-to.

[stoffe]

The graphics in nx will look weird if you are logged onto the host pc with the same username. logout first

Hey, thanks! You are absolutely correct. Works now! Now I'm really hoping for better support for this OOTB.

[anaoum]

Hello,

If i try log on to freenx via LAN, everything works fine. However, if i try login via WAN the nx client gets to the authenication stage, then times out. Is anyone having the same problems? Does anyone know how to fix this?

Thanks,

[stoffe]

Hello,

If i try log on to freenx via LAN, everything works fine. However, if i try login via WAN the nx client gets to the authenication stage, then times out. Is anyone having the same problems? Does anyone know how to fix this?

Thanks,

I login fine via WAN (Actually, that is the only thing I have) - is there anything different in your WAN setup? All ports allowed etc?