July 2008
We have a user who wants to access her Windows computer
while sitting behind her Linux computer
.
remote desktop
on a Windows computer and accessing it from Linux.
Log in on the Linux computer
, open a shell, and type hostname -f.
The answer is the FQDN of the Linux computer. Write it down for later reference.
Also type hostname -i. This is the IP number of the Linux computer. Write it down, too
Log in on the Windows computer
, open a shell (click Start
, Run...
, type “cmd”, click Ok
), and type “ipconfig”.
The IP number of the Windows computer is now listed behind “IP Address...”.
Write it down.
To translate the IP number of the Windows computer
to its FQDN, log in on the Linux computer
, and type host ip-number-of-windows-machine
, with “ip-number-of-windows-machine” replaced by the actual IP number you wrote down.
Start the Windows computer, log in, and do the following:
Right-click the My Computer
icon on the desktop, click Properties
, and then click the Remote
tab.
Turn on Remote Desktop
by selecting the check box Allow users to remotely connect to this computer
.
Designate users by clicking the
button. (In my case, I didn't need to add any users, as the account I logged on with was already enabled.)
Click Ok
Log in on the Windows computer
Right-click the My Computer
icon, click services
(Scroll down and) right-click Terminal Services
, click properties
.
Set Startup type
to “automatic”, and click the Start
button.
Click Ok
.
Log in on the Windows computer
and do the following:
Click Start
, Settings
, Control Panel
.
Doubleclick the Windows Firewall
icon, then the Exceptions
tab.
Select the Remote Desktop
checkbox.
Now click the Edit...
button, then click Change scope...
.
Choose the Custom list:
option, and fill in the IP number of the Linux computer
.
Click Ok
thrice.
Leave the Windows computer
running, but do log off.
Have your systems administrator install the rdesktop
program for you.
Log in on the Linux computer
and start a shell.
Type rdesktop -g 1024x786 ip-number-of-windows-computer
, with “ip-number-of-windows-computer” replaced by the actual IP number of the Windows computer
you wrote down.
The “-g 1024x786” sets the resolution rdesktop shows Windows in.
You may want to fiddle with it a bit.
Log in and use your Windows PC from behind your Linux PC.
![]() | Warning |
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It appears that Windows on some machines will not serve rdesktop without trouble, stating that “rdpdd.dll failed to load” in the |
![]() | Note |
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There exists a nice description of how to tunnel |
![]() | Note |
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There is also a description of remotely executing scripts. It amounts to this:
|
![]() | Warning |
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If you still have another session active on the target computer, the |
![]() | Warning |
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As an aside to the above note, be aware that if you run one application. e.g. |