Remote Access Software for your Laptop

You have several possibilities to work with your laptop and the Tardis Unix environment. The aim of this page is to present the software you can use for remote access, and its usage. On your laptop you have Windows or Linux installed. It is possible to connect from both OS to the Tardis Unix environment and vice versa.

Overview

After this overview you will find the intructions on how to install and configure the software.

Windows 2 Unix

We have two ssh-packages to connect your Laptop running under Windows to a Unix-machine. Putty and ssh-client. Together with the package Xwin-32 you are even able to start graphical programs (e.g. mozilla) on the Unix-machine and have the windows displayed on your laptop. With the aid of Putty or ssh-client you establish a secure connection to the Unix-machine, with Xwin-32 you forward the the displayed window to your laptop.

• VNC Viewer functions slightly different. This package opens a X-session inside a Windows application. This means that you see a Unix Desktop, as if you were really sitting in front of the Unix machine.

Unix 2 Unix

The easiest way to work with your laptop and the tardis unix environment is to run linux on your laptop. The connection is simply established with a ssh connection. There is also a VNC viewer like under Windows. You can start with it a complete X-session from the Unix machine inside a window on your laptop.

Unix 2 Windows

If you want to access your laptop when you are working on a Unix workstation use the VNC Viewer. Before you can do that you have to start a VNC server on your laptop running Windows. See below how that works.

Windows 2 Windows

Yes you did your homework, there is also the 4th combination. You can access anothers windows machine that is running a VNC server.

Installation and Configuration

Installation Windows

Install the following programs on your Windows laptop:

• Putty
• ssh-client
• Xwin-32
• VNC: tightvnc

Installation Linux

Install the following programs on your Ubuntu laptop (on other distributions the package names may vary):

• openssh-client
• VNC: xvnc4viewer

Configuration

Putty * Start Putty

• In the connection dialog: Tunnels -> click 'Enable X11 Forwarding'

• In Category 'Session' type login.ee.ethz.ch and click 'ssh'
• Click 'open'
• A 'xterm' appears and you can login to the unix machine

ssh-client * Start SSH client

• File -> Connect or click on the connect Icon

• Fill out the form with desired Host and User and connect

• Edit -> Profile Settings -> Tunneling -> click Tunnel X11 connections

Xwin-32 * Start X-config

• Make sure the box 'Access Control' is clicked in tab 'Security'
• Click OK
• Start Start X-Win32
• Now you can establish a ssh connection (see paragraph above) to the host you chose under 'host name' and start a graphical application like mozilla. In a pop-up window you will then be asked to accept the Xclient-connection. If it is from your machine, accept it.

VNC Server Windows * Start VNC Server: Start Win VNC

• Configure VNC Server: Start Win VNC-Defaults Settings Properties
• Set the password you want to use when you connect to your Laptop and click OK

VNC Viewer Windows * Start VNC Viewer: Start VNC Viewer

• Use host:diplaynumber to connect to a host running a VNC server unindependent whether the host is a Unix or a Windows machine

VNC Server Unix * Set the VNC Server password: vncpasswd

• Start the VNC Server on Unix machine: vncserver DISPLAY_NUMBER (e.g. vncserver :999)
• Optionally set the display's geometry as showed, e.g. vncserver -geometry 1400x1050 :999
• You can now connect to vnc from your cleint
• After use, terminate your vnc server: vncserver -kill :DISPLAY_NUMMER
• To Customize the window manager running in your vnc server: cd to ~/.vnc. There you will find the files passwd and xstartup.
• Edit xstartup.

VNC Viewer Unix * If you connect to a Windows VNC server: vncviewer host:IP-of-Windows-machine

• If you connect to a Unix VNC server: vncviewer host:SPECIALNUMBER

• SPECIALNUMBER is built as follows: 5900+DISPLAY_NUMBER -> if DIPLAY_NUMBER = 999 -> SPECIALNUMBER = 6899

• If VNC server is running on 'tardis-d15' on display 999 use: vncviewer tardis-d15:6899

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