[ubuntu-uk] Remote support using VNC over SSH (via another SSH server)

[Jon Spriggs]

Create a file (one on each end) called ~/.ssh/config as follows

# Remote machine
Host support
    HostName central.server.address
    IdentityFile ~/.ssh/private_key
    User username
    RemoteForward 12345 localhost:5900

# Your machine
Host support
    HostName central.server.address
    IdentityFile ~/.ssh/private_key
    User username
    LocalForward 5901 localhost:12345

The icon on her machine should perform ssh support. You can ssh
support as well. You would then VNC to localhost:5901.

This is mostly from memory, although I've checked a couple of my
config files - and I'm not using remoteforward anywhere, so the syntax
may be *slightly* wrong. If it's not right, swap the port numbers.
Also, if it's a shared box, don't use port 12345, as someone else
might be using it.

Just as a word of warning, I've found some issues when using desktop
effects with the built-in VNC server, so unless you need them to sell
the OS, turn them off.
-- 
Jon "The Nice Guy" Spriggs LPIC-1 Certified




On Fri, Mar 19, 2010 at 12:08 PM, Rob Beard <rob at esdelle.co.uk> wrote:
> Hi folks,
>
> I'm struggling here to configure VNC forwarding over SSH so I can
> provide remote support to my mum.
>
> Basically what I want to achieve is to be able for my mum to double
> click an icon on her desktop and have VNC sit there and wait for a
> connection from me.
>
> However, I'd like the connection to go via one of my virtual servers
> over an SSH connection.  I'd then like to be able to connect into my
> virtual SSH server from my laptop and have it pick up the VNC session.
>
> I want to do it this way so I'm not restricted to only one machine that
> can accept the remote connection, and I also want to be able to connect
> in and provide support when I'm out (say using public wifi or a 3G
> connection).
>
> I've tried it with Gitso but I can't get it to work, in fact I can't get
> Gitso to work without a third machine in the way.  I realise I could
> just open up some ports on my mum's router but I'd like to avoid that.
> I'd rather her machine connect to my server.
>
> I'm getting a bit confused with the way SSH forwarding works now.  For
> one I can't figure out what commands I need to use at each end.  I've
> tried using ssh -L on my laptop and ssh -R -g on the remote machine and
> also the other way around but I'm stumped now and wondering if it's even
> possible?
>
> I'm not sure if it's the right way of going about this but I guess I'd
> like the following to happen...
>
>
> ----------------        ----------        -------------
> | Mum's laptop |  --->  | Server |  <---  | My Laptop |
> ----------------        ----------        -------------
>
> Mum's laptop forwards it's port 5900 to my server via SSH.  My laptop
> then connects to my server via SSH, picks up my mum's port 5900 and then
> hands it over to vncviewer on my laptop.
>
> Does anyone know if this is possible?
>
> Ta,
>
> Rob
>
>
> --
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> https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk
> https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UKTeam/
>