Arch Linux Remote Desktop Guide

Complete beginner-friendly guide to remote desktop on Arch Linux, including VNC, RDP, SSH X11 forwarding, and remote access setup.

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Table of Contents

1. VNC Setup
2. RDP Setup
3. SSH X11 Forwarding
4. NoMachine
5. Troubleshooting

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VNC Setup

Install VNC

Install VNC server:

# TigerVNC
sudo pacman -S tigervnc

# Or TightVNC
sudo pacman -S tightvnc

Configure VNC

Setup VNC:

# Create VNC password
vncpasswd

# Start VNC server
vncserver :1

# Stop
vncserver -kill :1

VNC Client

Connect:

# Install client
sudo pacman -S tigervnc

# Connect
vncviewer server:5901

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RDP Setup

Install RDP

Install xrdp:

# Install xrdp
yay -S xrdp

# Enable service
sudo systemctl enable xrdp
sudo systemctl start xrdp

Connect to RDP

From Windows:

mstsc
# Enter server IP

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SSH X11 Forwarding

Enable X11 Forwarding

Configure SSH:

# Edit SSH config
sudo vim /etc/ssh/sshd_config

Enable:

X11Forwarding yes
X11DisplayOffset 10

Restart:

sudo systemctl restart sshd

Use X11 Forwarding

Connect:

# Connect with X11 forwarding
ssh -X user@server

# Run GUI app
firefox

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NoMachine

Install NoMachine

Install NoMachine:

# Install from AUR
yay -S nomachine

# Or download from nomachine.com

Configure NoMachine

Setup:

# NoMachine config
sudo /usr/NX/bin/nxserver --restart

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Troubleshooting

VNC Not Working

Check firewall:

# Allow VNC port
sudo ufw allow 5901/tcp

X11 Forwarding Issues

Check X11:

# Check X11
echo $DISPLAY

# Test
xeyes

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Summary

This guide covered VNC, RDP, SSH X11 forwarding, and NoMachine remote desktop setup.

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Next Steps

• Arch Linux Networking - Network setup
• Arch Linux Security Configuration - Security
• ArchWiki VNC: https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/TigerVNC

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This guide is based on the ArchWiki. For the most up-to-date information, always refer to the official ArchWiki.