Remote desktop solution for headless server and multiple client including mobile

[boris_net]

Hi all,

I was wondering how people here deal with the challenge of offering a remote desktop solution on an headless FreeBSD server to multiple clients including mobile.

I have been using VNC and SSH X forwarding, but since the client space is richer and richer, I am after a way to offer remote desktop including resolution update across:
- Windows (7, 8 and 10) clients
- MacOS clients
- Android client (tablet and phones)
- Iphone/Ipad client

When using VNC, I never found a way to get a proper re-dimensioning of the resolution between clients, like leaving a windows desktop and opening this on a MacOS client having a smaller screen resolution.

If anybody has a solution for at least Win and Mac client with different screen resolutions, that would be a start. Mobile clients are nice-to-have at this stage.

Thanks all in advance !

 

[boris_net]

Answering to myself for the benefit of others

Install net/xdrp: pkg install xrdp

Pay attention to the instructions:

XRDP has been installed.

There is an rc.d script, so the service can be enabled by adding this line
in /etc/rc.conf:

xrdp_enable="YES"
xrdp_sesman_enable="YES" # if you want to run xrdp-sesman on the same machine

Do not forget to edit the configuration files in "/usr/local/etc/xrdp"
and the "/usr/local/etc/xrdp/startwm.sh" script.

I modify startwm.sh to get my preferred WM.
I launched the service after having modified.

I tried:
Remote desktop client (windows client) from MacOS to FreeBSD - Works at multiple resolution
Detach and reattach in a different resolution - Works as well
Tried from my mobile phone - Work-ish only as I cannot type in anything in the term window (not that I care much at this stage as my main goal was to get support for multiple resolutions)

Thanks.

 

[freethread]

I used net/xrdp to access a remote desktop client from Windows, I not found a solution for non US keyboard, that is, I have Italian keyboard, installing, for example, KDE on the machine, it see the keyboard correctly, when accessed this desktop machine from remote (using XRDP) the keyboard layout is US. You know how to set it the right one?

This issue is known to the net/xrdp developer(s), on the web site there are some notes about this but not a solution (this is what I know).

 

[boris_net]

I used net/xrdp to access a remote desktop client from Windows, I not found a solution for non US keyboard, that is, I have Italian keyboard, installing, for example, KDE on the machine, it see the keyboard correctly, when accessed this desktop machine from remote (using XRDP) the keyboard layout is US. You know how to set it the right one?

Unfortunately not. I am in Canada and use US keyboard.

I actually have a weird behaviour, the mouse wheel only works going up and not going down... Will see if there is a fix for that.