Installing and Configuring TightVNC Server with Xfce on Ubuntu

This guide will walk you through the installation and configuration of TightVNC Server with Xfce on an Ubuntu server, and how to connect to the desktop remotely using a VNC client.

Prerequisites

• Ubuntu server (latest version recommended)
• Root or sudo access to the server
• A VNC client on your local machine (such as RealVNC or TigerVNC)
• Port 5901 open on the firewall

Update Your System

First, ensure that your system is up to date by running the following commands:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

This will update the package lists and upgrade any outdated packages.

Install the Required Packages

Next, install the Xfce desktop environment and TightVNC Server. You can do this by running the following command:

sudo apt install xfce4 xfce4-goodies tightvncserver

• xfce4: Installs the core Xfce desktop environment.
• xfce4-goodies: Installs additional utilities for Xfce.
• tightvncserver: Installs the VNC server software.

Configure VNC Server Password

After the installation, set up the VNC password by running:

vncserver

This will prompt you to enter a password that you’ll use to connect to the VNC server. You can also set a view-only password, but it’s optional.

Check the VNC Server Logs

Once the VNC server starts, it will create a log file that you can use to verify its status. To check the log:

cat ~/.vnc/$(hostname):1.log

If you see an error like:

xrdb: can't open file '/root/.Xresources'
Terminated

This indicates that the .Xresources file is missing, and you need to fix it.

Kill the VNC Server to Modify Configuration

Before you can make the necessary changes, stop the VNC server:

vncserver -kill :1

The :1 refers to the display number, which corresponds to port 5901 for VNC. Adjust if your VNC session uses a different display number.

Modify the xstartup Script

Edit the xstartup file located in the ~/.vnc/ directory:

nano ~/.vnc/xstartup

Add the following content to the xstartup script to start Xfce:

#!/bin/sh

# Set up the resources for X applications
xrdb "$HOME/.Xresources"

# Set the root window background color (optional)
xsetroot -solid grey

# Fix for GNOME if needed
export XKL_XMODMAP_DISABLE=1

# Start Xfce desktop environment
startxfce4 &

Ensure the script is executable:

chmod +x ~/.vnc/xstartup

Create or Modify .Xresources (Optional)

You may need to create or modify the .Xresources file, which handles the default font and other display settings for X applications.

Create a file called .Xresources in your home directory:

nano ~/.Xresources

Add the following configuration to the file:

! Set the default font
Xft.dpi: 96
Xft.antialias: 1
Xft.hinting: 1
Xft.hintstyle: hintslight
Xft.rgba: rgb

! Set font for X applications (optional)
XTerm*faceName: Monospace
XTerm*faceSize: 12

! Colors and Appearance for XTerm (optional)
XTerm*background: black
XTerm*foreground: white
XTerm*cursorColor: white
XTerm*highlightColor: yellow
XTerm*highlightText: black

! For VNC desktop background color (optional)
*background: #2e3436
*foreground: #ffffff
*borderWidth: 1
*iconBackground: #555555
*iconForeground: #ffffff
*loginShell: true

! Set default window size and appearance (optional)
xterm*VT100.geometry: 80x24

This file configures fonts, colors, and the general appearance of the Xfce environment.

Restart the VNC Server

Once you’ve made the changes, start the VNC server again:

vncserver :1

This will restart the VNC server on display :1 (port 5901). You will see output like the following:

New 'X' desktop is mytest-machine.com:1
Starting applications specified in /root/.vnc/xstartup
Log file is /root/.vnc/mytest-machine.com:1.log

Connecting to the VNC Server

To connect to the VNC server, use a VNC client (like RealVNC, TigerVNC, or VNC Viewer).

Download and install TigerVNC from here.. https://sourceforge.net/projects/tigervnc/files/stable/1.15.0/

The connection string will be:

mytest-machine.com:1

or

[Server_IP_Address]:5901

Enter the password you set earlier when prompted to log in.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues such as a gray screen or black screen, check the following:

• Ensure the ~/.vnc/xstartup file is properly configured to start Xfce.
• Check the VNC server logs located in ~/.vnc/ for any errors.
• Make sure that all required dependencies for Xfce are installed.

Additional Notes

• Firewall Configuration: If you’re running a firewall, make sure to allow VNC traffic by opening port 5901 (for display :1) on the server:

sudo ufw allow 5901/tcp

• VNC Server Displays: If you need multiple VNC sessions, you can run multiple instances of the VNC server on different display numbers (e.g., vncserver :2, vncserver :3, etc.). Each display corresponds to a different port (e.g., 5902, 5903).
• Killing VNC Sessions: You can kill any running VNC session by using the command:

vncserver -kill :1

Conclusion

You have successfully installed and configured TightVNC Server with Xfce on your Ubuntu server. You can now access the server’s desktop remotely using a VNC client.