How to get remote GUI into a linux server
Say you have a server running at your home, and you want to access the GUI from another machine.
You can achive this using XRDP, X.ORG and XFCE.
XRDP
It’s an open source implementation of Microsoft’s Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) server. It allows the users to connect to the server using any RDP client.
XORG (X.Org Server)
Xorg is open source implementation of X window system. It provides fundamental framework for a GUI environment on Unix-like systems.
Xorg manages the display, keyboard, and mouse input. It communicates with the hardware to draw the windows, handle input events and display graphical elements on the screen.
XFCE
XFCE is a lightweight, open-source desktop environment for Unix-like operating systems. You can use other desktop environment as well with XRDP, but XFCE is supposed to consume less resource and might work better when connecting over network.
Tying everything together
When you set up remote desktop access on a Linux machine using XRDP, Xorg, and XFCE, here’s what happens:
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Xorg handles the graphical interface, providing the necessary framework for drawing windows and handling input events from your keyboard and mouse.
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XFCE runs on top of Xorg, providing a complete desktop environment that is lightweight and user-friendly. This is the interface you see and interact with when you log in.
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XRDP acts as the bridge between your remote device and the Linux machine. It listens for incoming RDP connections and, when one is detected, it creates a session for the user. This session uses Xorg to manage the display and XFCE to provide the desktop environment.
When you connect from a remote device using an RDP client (like Microsoft Remote Desktop), XRDP handles the connection and starts a new Xorg session with the XFCE desktop environment. This allows you to use your Linux machine remotely as if you were sitting in front of it.
Installations
1. Install xrdp and a Desktop Environment
# Update your package list
sudo apt update
# Install XRDP
sudo apt install xrdp -y
# Install XFCE
sudo apt install xfce4 xfce4-goodies -y
# Configure XRDP to use XFCE
# Create or edit the `.xsession` file in your home directory to start XFCE when connecting via xrdp:
echo "xfce4-session" > ~/.xsession
# Add the xrdp user to the `ssl-cert` group
sudo adduser xrdp ssl-cert
# Restart the XRDP service
sudo systemctl restart xrdp
2. Allow xrdp through the Firewall
If you have a firewall enabled, you need to allow traffic on port 3389 (the default xrdp port).
# Allow xrdp through the firewall
sudo ufw allow 3389
# Reload the firewall
sudo ufw reload
3. Connect to xrdp
Now you can connect to your server from the local area network. To access your server from external world, you have few ways.
Port forwarding in router
You can set up port forwarding in your router (check your router settings to see if it is supported).
Forward port and TCP protocol to your local area network server.
The default port for xrdp is 3389.
Only challange you will face here is that your router’s ip address will keep on changing. If you have a way to find the router’s ip address when you are external, only then this would work.
Use VPN
You should be able to use a paid vpn service and set it up. I have not personally done it, so I lack experience here.
Once the RDP server is up and running, use RDP client for your OS and connect.