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Currently on x11vnc, looking for reliable VNC solution?
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piorunz
Sep 6, 2022, 5:00:05 PM9/6/22
to
Hi all,
For years, out of inertia, I have been using x11vnc in a screen session
to provide remote desktop access to my local home server. So simply
speaking I see my logged in X session, with my desktop and running
programs, and I can manage it remotely from another machine.
my x11vnc in screen is as follows:
x11vnc -rfbauth ~/.vnc/passwd -shared -forever -loop -noipv6 -repeat
-timeout 60 -ncache_cr -noxfixes -find
This works all year round, but for last couple of months (or more?) its
randomly dropping the connection and I have to start over. This is some
bug in x11vnc, because otherwise server's reliability is excellent, and
all other services are working very well. When it drops, screen session
says:
caught XIO error:
06/09/2022 21:31:50 deleted 60 tile_row polling images.
And it just starts over because is has -repeat option. It happens every
few minutes, very frequently when I am typing, and almost not at all
when I am doing nothing apart from having remote session fired up.
I'd like to finally fix it (anyone knows what's wrong?), or replace
x11vnc with something else. Preferably some systemd service. And I want
full desktop access to my machine, I know that some other remote clients
are logging me in as a new user or something, with empty desktop, that's
not what I want.
Specs:
Clean Debian GNU/Linux 11 (bullseye) x86_64 with x11vnc package
installed. Xorg and LXQt as desktop environment, on NVIDIA GeForce GT
710 on nouveau driver. Everything is stable apart from this issue.
Any suggestions welcome!
--
With kindest regards, Piotr.
⢀⣴⠾⠻⢶⣦⠀
⣾⠁⢠⠒⠀⣿⡁ Debian - The universal operating system
⢿⡄⠘⠷⠚⠋⠀ https://www.debian.org/
⠈⠳⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀
For years, out of inertia, I have been using x11vnc in a screen session
to provide remote desktop access to my local home server. So simply
speaking I see my logged in X session, with my desktop and running
programs, and I can manage it remotely from another machine.
my x11vnc in screen is as follows:
x11vnc -rfbauth ~/.vnc/passwd -shared -forever -loop -noipv6 -repeat
-timeout 60 -ncache_cr -noxfixes -find
This works all year round, but for last couple of months (or more?) its
randomly dropping the connection and I have to start over. This is some
bug in x11vnc, because otherwise server's reliability is excellent, and
all other services are working very well. When it drops, screen session
says:
caught XIO error:
06/09/2022 21:31:50 deleted 60 tile_row polling images.
And it just starts over because is has -repeat option. It happens every
few minutes, very frequently when I am typing, and almost not at all
when I am doing nothing apart from having remote session fired up.
I'd like to finally fix it (anyone knows what's wrong?), or replace
x11vnc with something else. Preferably some systemd service. And I want
full desktop access to my machine, I know that some other remote clients
are logging me in as a new user or something, with empty desktop, that's
not what I want.
Specs:
Clean Debian GNU/Linux 11 (bullseye) x86_64 with x11vnc package
installed. Xorg and LXQt as desktop environment, on NVIDIA GeForce GT
710 on nouveau driver. Everything is stable apart from this issue.
Any suggestions welcome!
--
With kindest regards, Piotr.
⢀⣴⠾⠻⢶⣦⠀
⣾⠁⢠⠒⠀⣿⡁ Debian - The universal operating system
⢿⡄⠘⠷⠚⠋⠀ https://www.debian.org/
⠈⠳⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀
piorunz
Sep 6, 2022, 5:10:06 PM9/6/22
to
I thought of one more thing:
This could be remote client causing this. I almost exclusively use KRDC
client to log into this VNC server, so maybe something is there which
cause this. But I am willing to change a VNC server rather than debug a
client - simply because a server should never crash.
This could be remote client causing this. I almost exclusively use KRDC
client to log into this VNC server, so maybe something is there which
cause this. But I am willing to change a VNC server rather than debug a
client - simply because a server should never crash.
Alexander V. Makartsev
Sep 7, 2022, 12:20:05 AM9/7/22
to
On 07.09.2022 01:49, piorunz wrote:
> Hi all,
> ...
>
> Any suggestions welcome!
>
I've switched to NoMachine [1] a long time ago.
It has all features I need, which are multi-platform and cross-OS
support, public key authentication, reliable file transfer between
hosts, and completely free no strings attached license for personal use.
[1] https://www.nomachine.com/
--
With kindest regards, Alexander.
⠈⠳⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀
> Hi all,
> ...
>
> Any suggestions welcome!
>
I've switched to NoMachine [1] a long time ago.
It has all features I need, which are multi-platform and cross-OS
support, public key authentication, reliable file transfer between
hosts, and completely free no strings attached license for personal use.
[1] https://www.nomachine.com/
--
With kindest regards, Alexander.
notoneofmyseeds
Sep 7, 2022, 1:00:06 AM9/7/22
to
On 07.09.22 06:19, Alexander V. Makartsev wrote:
I've switched to NoMachine [1] a long time ago.
It has all features I need, which are multi-platform and cross-OS support, public key authentication, reliable file transfer between hosts, and completely free no strings attached license for personal use.
and the there's anydesk, with conditions just as nomachine.
[1] https://www.nomachine.com/
piorunz
Sep 7, 2022, 4:50:05 AM9/7/22
to
I just need reliable LAN access from one machine to another, as for WAN
access I already have ssh tunnel which tunnels all traffic I want if
need be. So, I don't think I need external, commercial, not open source
solution for my simple remote access. I'd rather fix VNC server I have
right now, or switch to different VNC server. Anyone has experience with
VNC, or similar LAN protocols, which work? Thanks in advance.
--
With kindest regards, Piotr.
⢀⣴⠾⠻⢶⣦⠀
⣾⠁⢠⠒⠀⣿⡁ Debian - The universal operating system
⢿⡄⠘⠷⠚⠋⠀ https://www.debian.org/
⠈⠳⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀
Stanislav Vlasov
Sep 7, 2022, 5:00:05 AM9/7/22
to
ср, 7 сент. 2022 г. в 13:41, piorunz <pio...@gmx.com>:
compatibility list (https://wiki.x2go.org/doku.php/doc:de-compat)
Work over ssh, can and do screen compression, forward sound (was try
only in browser), printers (from local to remote) and partially
clipboard (may be not partially, my instance outdated).
May use LAN with excellent image quality and edge modem with very low
bandwidth with low fps and jpeg aliases on image.
I'm use it on remote desktop server, so have no info on connecting to
normal session, but theirs wiki contain page
https://wiki.x2go.org/doku.php/doc:usage:desktop-sharing
Some colleagues use SPICE protocol, but i have no experience with it.
--
Stanislav
> > anydesk.com
> >> [1] https://www.nomachine.com/
>
> Thanks for your replies guys. These solutions are overkill to my needs,
> I just need reliable LAN access from one machine to another, as for WAN
> access I already have ssh tunnel which tunnels all traffic I want if
> need be. So, I don't think I need external, commercial, not open source
> solution for my simple remote access. I'd rather fix VNC server I have
> right now, or switch to different VNC server. Anyone has experience with
> VNC, or similar LAN protocols, which work? Thanks in advance.
You can try x2go as opensource child of nomachine, if DE in
> >> [1] https://www.nomachine.com/
>
> Thanks for your replies guys. These solutions are overkill to my needs,
> I just need reliable LAN access from one machine to another, as for WAN
> access I already have ssh tunnel which tunnels all traffic I want if
> need be. So, I don't think I need external, commercial, not open source
> solution for my simple remote access. I'd rather fix VNC server I have
> right now, or switch to different VNC server. Anyone has experience with
> VNC, or similar LAN protocols, which work? Thanks in advance.
compatibility list (https://wiki.x2go.org/doku.php/doc:de-compat)
Work over ssh, can and do screen compression, forward sound (was try
only in browser), printers (from local to remote) and partially
clipboard (may be not partially, my instance outdated).
May use LAN with excellent image quality and edge modem with very low
bandwidth with low fps and jpeg aliases on image.
I'm use it on remote desktop server, so have no info on connecting to
normal session, but theirs wiki contain page
https://wiki.x2go.org/doku.php/doc:usage:desktop-sharing
Some colleagues use SPICE protocol, but i have no experience with it.
--
Stanislav
Dashamir Hoxha
Sep 7, 2022, 6:10:06 AM9/7/22
to
On Wed, Sep 7, 2022 at 10:41 AM piorunz <pio...@gmx.com> wrote:
Thanks for your replies guys. These solutions are overkill to my needs,
I just need reliable LAN access from one machine to another, as for WAN
access I already have ssh tunnel which tunnels all traffic I want if
need be. So, I don't think I need external, commercial, not open source
solution for my simple remote access. I'd rather fix VNC server I have
right now, or switch to different VNC server. Anyone has experience with
VNC, or similar LAN protocols, which work? Thanks in advance.
I remember trying TigerVNC, which seems to have a better performance compared to x11vnc:
Xpra may also be very good, but I have never tried it in a scenario like that:
xrdp might also work, but seems to be a bit tricky:
x2go may also be a very good solution, as already mentioned.
Regards,
Dashamir
Alexander V. Makartsev
Sep 7, 2022, 11:30:05 AM9/7/22
to
On 07.09.2022 13:41, piorunz wrote:
> On 07/09/2022 05:58, notoneofmyseeds wrote:
>> On 07.09.22 06:19, Alexander V. Makartsev wrote:
>>
>>>>
>>> I've switched to NoMachine [1] a long time ago.
>>> It has all features I need, which are multi-platform and cross-OS
>>> support, public key authentication, reliable file transfer between
>>> hosts, and completely free no strings attached license for personal
>>> use.
>>
>> and the there's anydesk, with conditions just as nomachine.
>>
>> anydesk.com
>>
>>>
>>>
>>> [1] https://www.nomachine.com/
>
> Thanks for your replies guys. These solutions are overkill to my needs,
> I just need reliable LAN access from one machine to another,
NoMachine does exactly that.
> On 07/09/2022 05:58, notoneofmyseeds wrote:
>> On 07.09.22 06:19, Alexander V. Makartsev wrote:
>>
>>>>
>>> I've switched to NoMachine [1] a long time ago.
>>> It has all features I need, which are multi-platform and cross-OS
>>> support, public key authentication, reliable file transfer between
>>> hosts, and completely free no strings attached license for personal
>>> use.
>>
>> and the there's anydesk, with conditions just as nomachine.
>>
>> anydesk.com
>>
>>>
>>>
>>> [1] https://www.nomachine.com/
>
> Thanks for your replies guys. These solutions are overkill to my needs,
> I just need reliable LAN access from one machine to another,
> as for WAN
> access I already have ssh tunnel which tunnels all traffic I want if
> need be. So, I don't think I need external, commercial, not open source
> solution for my simple remote access.
nag you about license or anything.
It is a completely self-hosted solution and doesn't require Internet
access to work. You setup your own SSH keys and\or passwords, ports,
settings, etc.
For me at home NoMachine provides a physical-like-access experience to
all my Linux and Windows hosts and IMO was a major step forward from
slow, ancient and insecure VNC.
> I'd rather fix VNC server I have
> right now, or switch to different VNC server. Anyone has experience with
> VNC, or similar LAN protocols, which work? Thanks in advance.
--
With kindest regards, Alexander.
⢀⣴⠾⠻⢶⣦⠀
Dashamir Hoxha
Sep 7, 2022, 12:20:05 PM9/7/22
to
On Wed, Sep 7, 2022 at 5:24 PM Alexander V. Makartsev <avb...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> [1] https://www.nomachine.com/
>
> Thanks for your replies guys. These solutions are overkill to my needs,
> I just need reliable LAN access from one machine to another,
NoMachine does exactly that.
It seems to be very nice and easy (user friendly).
The only downside is that it does not seem to be open source.
Dashamir
David
Sep 7, 2022, 7:50:05 PM9/7/22
to
On Thu, 8 Sept 2022 at 02:49, Chuck Zmudzinski <brch...@netscape.net> wrote:
> On 9/7/2022 12:13 PM, Chuck Zmudzinski wrote:
> > I use the tigervnc-standalone-server which is in the Debian packages
> > archives. I use it only on a trusted LAN network so I don't need an
> > encrypted vnc connection either, and I can access it remotely from the
> > Internet by connecting to the LAN using a VPN (I use strongswan/IKEv2
> > for the VPN server). The main configuration files are at ~/.vnc, and
> > there are tools to configure it such as vncpasswd. The most important
> > configuration file is ~/.vnc/xstartup, where you launch your DE or
> > window manager of your choice.
> > You can launch the server from a terminal logged in as an ordinary user
> > and the server runs as an ordinary user in the background so after you
> > start the server in a terminal you can exit that terminal session.
> Actually, you *should* exit that terminal session, especially if it is
> a terminal window running in the same kind of session (gnome, lxde, etc)
> and as the same user that you plan to run in the VNC server. This is
> another limitation of the tigervnc-standalone-server: it does not connect
> to an already running X11 session but instead launches a new session as
> an ordinary user as specified in ~/.vnc/xstartup.
> I have found that if I try to run two sessions as the same user, one over
> VNC and one on the local desktop, it does not work too well, at least
> with the current version of gnome, probably because there is not good
> enough separation of the various user processes that gnome starts for
> each user session.
Hi,
Regarding your final sentence, I wonder if installing dbus-x11 instead of
dbus-user-session would improve that situation.
Because of what I read in the 'Description' in the output of
'apt show dbus-user-session'.
> On 9/7/2022 12:13 PM, Chuck Zmudzinski wrote:
> > I use the tigervnc-standalone-server which is in the Debian packages
> > archives. I use it only on a trusted LAN network so I don't need an
> > encrypted vnc connection either, and I can access it remotely from the
> > Internet by connecting to the LAN using a VPN (I use strongswan/IKEv2
> > for the VPN server). The main configuration files are at ~/.vnc, and
> > there are tools to configure it such as vncpasswd. The most important
> > configuration file is ~/.vnc/xstartup, where you launch your DE or
> > window manager of your choice.
> > You can launch the server from a terminal logged in as an ordinary user
> > and the server runs as an ordinary user in the background so after you
> > start the server in a terminal you can exit that terminal session.
> Actually, you *should* exit that terminal session, especially if it is
> a terminal window running in the same kind of session (gnome, lxde, etc)
> and as the same user that you plan to run in the VNC server. This is
> another limitation of the tigervnc-standalone-server: it does not connect
> to an already running X11 session but instead launches a new session as
> an ordinary user as specified in ~/.vnc/xstartup.
> I have found that if I try to run two sessions as the same user, one over
> VNC and one on the local desktop, it does not work too well, at least
> with the current version of gnome, probably because there is not good
> enough separation of the various user processes that gnome starts for
> each user session.
Hi,
Regarding your final sentence, I wonder if installing dbus-x11 instead of
dbus-user-session would improve that situation.
Because of what I read in the 'Description' in the output of
'apt show dbus-user-session'.
David
Sep 7, 2022, 10:20:05 PM9/7/22
to
On Thu, 8 Sept 2022 at 11:44, Chuck Zmudzinski <brch...@netscape.net> wrote:
> I have both dbus-user-session and dbus-x11 installed:
>
> chuckz@debian:~$ dpkg-query -l dbus*
> Desired=Unknown/Install/Remove/Purge/Hold
> | Status=Not/Inst/Conf-files/Unpacked/halF-conf/Half-inst/trig-aWait/Trig-pend
> |/ Err?=(none)/Reinst-required (Status,Err: uppercase=bad)
> ||/ Name Version Architecture Description
> +++-=======================-============-============-=================================================================
> ii dbus 1.12.20-2 amd64 simple interprocess messaging system (daemon and utilities)
> un dbus-bin <none> <none> (no description available)
> un dbus-daemon <none> <none> (no description available)
> un dbus-session-bus <none> <none> (no description available)
> un dbus-session-bus-common <none> <none> (no description available)
> un dbus-system-bus <none> <none> (no description available)
> un dbus-system-bus-common <none> <none> (no description available)
> ii dbus-user-session 1.12.20-2 amd64 simple interprocess messaging system (systemd --user integration)
> ii dbus-x11 1.12.20-2 amd64 simple interprocess messaging system (X11 deps)
>
> I don't know how systemd handles the case when one user has two gnome sessions running at the same time or if it is possible to make it behave better in that case. I also don't know if installing dbus-session-bus or dbus-system-bus might help. If anyone has any tips to improve the way it runs in that case, I could try them out.
The 'Description' to which I referred you says:
To retain dbus' traditional session semantics, in which login sessions
are artificially isolated from each other, remove this package and install
dbus-x11 instead
Note: "remove this package".
>
> chuckz@debian:~$ dpkg-query -l dbus*
> Desired=Unknown/Install/Remove/Purge/Hold
> | Status=Not/Inst/Conf-files/Unpacked/halF-conf/Half-inst/trig-aWait/Trig-pend
> |/ Err?=(none)/Reinst-required (Status,Err: uppercase=bad)
> ||/ Name Version Architecture Description
> +++-=======================-============-============-=================================================================
> ii dbus 1.12.20-2 amd64 simple interprocess messaging system (daemon and utilities)
> un dbus-bin <none> <none> (no description available)
> un dbus-daemon <none> <none> (no description available)
> un dbus-session-bus <none> <none> (no description available)
> un dbus-session-bus-common <none> <none> (no description available)
> un dbus-system-bus <none> <none> (no description available)
> un dbus-system-bus-common <none> <none> (no description available)
> ii dbus-user-session 1.12.20-2 amd64 simple interprocess messaging system (systemd --user integration)
> ii dbus-x11 1.12.20-2 amd64 simple interprocess messaging system (X11 deps)
>
> I don't know how systemd handles the case when one user has two gnome sessions running at the same time or if it is possible to make it behave better in that case. I also don't know if installing dbus-session-bus or dbus-system-bus might help. If anyone has any tips to improve the way it runs in that case, I could try them out.
The 'Description' to which I referred you says:
To retain dbus' traditional session semantics, in which login sessions
are artificially isolated from each other, remove this package and install
dbus-x11 instead
Note: "remove this package".
piorunz
Feb 25, 2023, 7:50:06 AM2/25/23
to
On 07/09/2022 09:41, piorunz wrote:
>> and the there's anydesk, with conditions just as nomachine.
>>
>> anydesk.com
>>
>>>
>>>
>>> [1] https://www.nomachine.com/
>
> Thanks for your replies guys. These solutions are overkill to my needs,
> I just need reliable LAN access from one machine to another, as for WAN
> access I already have ssh tunnel which tunnels all traffic I want if
> need be. So, I don't think I need external, commercial, not open source
> solution for my simple remote access. I'd rather fix VNC server I have
> right now, or switch to different VNC server. Anyone has experience with
> VNC, or similar LAN protocols, which work? Thanks in advance.
Hi all,
>> and the there's anydesk, with conditions just as nomachine.
>>
>> anydesk.com
>>
>>>
>>>
>>> [1] https://www.nomachine.com/
>
> Thanks for your replies guys. These solutions are overkill to my needs,
> I just need reliable LAN access from one machine to another, as for WAN
> access I already have ssh tunnel which tunnels all traffic I want if
> need be. So, I don't think I need external, commercial, not open source
> solution for my simple remote access. I'd rather fix VNC server I have
> right now, or switch to different VNC server. Anyone has experience with
> VNC, or similar LAN protocols, which work? Thanks in advance.
Just to let you know, I finally settled for commercial software -
RealVNC Connect account. Registered to anonymous details, this account
allows for up to three VNC servers within one account to be available
for free, with optional cloud access as well, protected by password and
2FA. I don't need to resort to SSH tunnel any more, but I still can if I
disable cloud access and tunnel a port through SSH instead.
And what a difference has it been! It's so much more efficient than
x11vnc I was using for last three years, I am very patient, I know haha.
Before, I had anywhere from 1 fps to 10 fps on a good day, recently
x11vnc was bugging even more and manipulating any window would slow it
down from typical 10 fps to 0.5 fps. Restarting, tweaking options, even
using all default options would not help, its just not mature enough and
has many bugs. This is all on gigabit LAN connection.
RealVNC server, for a change, is full 30 or 60 fps, I can't even tell,
but watching a video (just for experiment purposes) is possible where
previously it was a slideshow mess.
I only ever used remote access to my home server, I never knew that
nouveau-powered old Nvidia card, Xfce desktop, and the rest of the
system, is actually so responsive! Everything is so smooth and well
again, like I would sit in the front of it. Aside from cpu microcode,
RealVNC Server is the only proprietary package on this machine.
Compromise which I decided I had to do to regain control of my Debian
server.
Thanks for for participating in this thread!
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