VNC using Remote Desktop Viewer (Vinagre) – For Ubuntu

This manual is written based on Ubuntu 18.04

Starting Spring 2021, Remote Desktop Connection must be connected via IIT VPN connection if you are outside of Illinois Tech Network

If you are inside of Illinois Tech Network, skip to Step 5

1. Visit https://ots.iit.edu/network-infrastructure/vpn-remote-access and follow instructions according to your computing environment. Please contact Support Desk directly at supportdesk@iit.edu for further assistance

2. Unzip the download file, install by executing /vpn/vpn_install.sh. Once installed, execute Cisco AnyConnect from your computer. In the address field, enter vpn.iit.edu. When prompts for Username and Password, enter your IIT Hawk email address (username@hawk.iit.edu) and password. It will perform an update in the first login process.

3. VPN program will now proceed to Illinois Tech Multi Factor Authentication process. On your phone, you will receive a notification from Okta app to approve this request. Click Yes to continue. If you still have trouble connecting to IIT-VPN, please refer to detailed steps from here (https://ots.iit.edu/network-infrastructure/vpn-setup-and-connect-using-cisco-anyconnect-windows) and/or contact OTS Support (supportdesk@iit.edu).

4. In any case the program alerts that the login does not work, please open up a ticket at OTS SupportDesk by emailing supportdesk@iit.edu. OTS will help your ID to work for VPN.

5. Open Terminal on your Ubuntu

6. ECE Server Systems (Saturn, Uranus and Endeavour) can be connected via SSH using Terminal. Type "ssh yourID@saturn.ece.iit.edu" or "ssh yourID@uranus.ece.iit.edu" or "ssh yourID@endeavour.ece.iit.edu". If it is the first time connecting to Saturn, Uranus or Endeavour, you'll encounter a message about RSA key fingerprint. Type "yes" and press enter, then type in your password.

7. Now, use your ID and password to login to Saturn, Uranus or Endeavour. If you see similar windows like the following figure, you are successfully logged in.

8. In order to start your remote session to Saturn, Uranus or Endeavour, you'll need to start VNCserver from your account. With VNCserver, you can choose your desired remote screen resolution. For example, if your desired remote screen resolution is 1920x1080, then type "vncserver -geometry 1920x1080" like the below figure:

9. Now, Saturn, Uranus or Endeavour will generate your virtual remote desktop on the server with a designated port number for your account. Any VNCserver port number for Saturn, Uranus and Endeavour will start with 59xx. In the below example, the generated port number is 9, thus your VNCserver port number will be 5909.

10. Lastly, you'll need to set up your VNCserver password. This should be done only once at first time using VNCserver. Type "vncpasswd" and type in your password. This password will be used to connect to your remote session. If you have set your VNCserver password previously, you don't need to do this again.

11. Now, your remote desktop session is created on Saturn, Uranus or Endeavour. You'll now need to open up this remote session using a remote desktop viewer. In this example, we will use Remote Desktop Viewer (Vinagre) on Ubuntu. Go to "Ubuntu Software and click on Search Button like the below figure:

12. Search for either "remote desktop viewer" or "vinagre" like the following figure. Click on the searched result:

13. Click Install to install this program on your Ubuntu. Once it is completed installation, click on Launch. You'll now see Remote Desktop Viewer opened. Click on Connect and following the figure below. Make sure the width and height matches your resolution from Procedure 4:

14.In the field next to "Computer:", type in the corresponding server address depending on your initial VNCserver setup. If you have followed Procedures 2 to 6 on Saturn, type in saturn.ece.iit.edu. If you have followed Procedures 2 to 6 on Uranus, type in uranus.ece.iit.edu If you have followed Procedures 2 to 6 on Endeavour, type in endeavour.ece.iit.edu.

15.Once you click "Connect", you'll see the following pop-up window:

16.Type in the port number generated from Procedure 6. In this example, port number is 5909. Type in the password generated from Procedure 7, and click OK.

17.Once you are successfully logged into the system, you'll see similar window like the following figure:

18.You can now use Saturn, Uranus or Endeavour using Remote Desktop Viewer (Vinagre).

19.Everytime when you are done with your session, be sure to close your current VNCserver by killing the process from PuTTY, by typing "vncserver -kill :port number". In this example, it would be vncserver -kill :9 like the following figure: