X Server

[Stiffler]

How can XFree86 be setup so that X Server connections can be made to it from Windows? Yes, I know about VNC, so please no posting about that.

I have X-Win32; it's supposed to be the best. It has three different connection options, but I forget what they are. I am looking for the best option to use the X Server. My linux machine only has about 8 feet of network cable between it and my MS Windows machine over 100 Mega bits, so I can get better performace. I want to use an X Server, because I have more options than VNC, like displaying a single app, you stuff like that.

What I really want to do is get Citrix MetaFrame for Unix running on my Linux machine, because it has more features than VNC and X Server combined. Plus it has high compression, so it seems like you are at the computer physically even over a telephone dial up. (I tried that with the ECEs Citrix Server). For more info on that click here. The ECE department has Citrix MetaFrame XP 1.0 on their only Windows 2000 Server and it works great. I think the CS Depart should get Citrix for Unix Solaris addition and put it on solar.

Well, enough rambling,
Jon

[Peter Motyka]

The Cygwin distro comes with a full XFree port to win32.  This combined with xdmcp gives you the ability to connect to a remote UNIX system and use X as if you are sitting at its console.  It is very fast on local network but performs poorly over WAN links (cable,dsl anything less than 128K/s or so).  Install Cygwin and then give the forum a post when it is done, I will guide you through the X setup and perhaps we can turn it into a how-to. BTW, Cygwin is free ;)

http://www.cygwin.com/xfree/

Peter

oops, this isnt going to give you the ability to run a single app.  This is much like vnc, you get a whole desktop.

[Stiffler]

I thought you could run out a single app with cygwin. Anyways, I had cygwin installed before, but I couldn't use it very easily. Since I already have X-Win32, How do I setup X11 so I can use an X Server?

Jon

[William Grim]

Yeah, you can run a single app over cygwin, but you won't have a windowing system unless you start one of those first.  We've got blackbox on solar, which is lightweight.

Also, when connecting to solar using putty, enable X11 forwarding.

[Peter Motyka]

I have never tried X11 forwarding over ssh, I just redefine my DISPLAY env variable.  You can do this with the shell command "export DISPLAY=12.34.56.78:0".  This is not the most secure way to do it, that is why ssh supports X forwarding.  If you get single window x stuff working with cygwin, enlighten me on how that works.  I would love to be able to run a X app without having to have a seperate XFree window running.

Peter

[Stiffler]

How come y'all are avoiding the actual topic to my help question? I don't want to use VNC nor cygwin. All I want to know is, how do I Configure X11 on my Linux machine, so a X Server can connect to it?

Jon

[Peter Motyka]

I think this is what you are looking for.  This allows a Xserver to connect to a remote machine and manage all the Xwindow content within this session.  If all you are wanting to do is redirect your X output, use the DISPLAY env.

http://www.linuxplanet.com/linuxplanet/tutorials/3165/1/

If I am still off, give us a better explanation of your problem.  Perhaps an example narrative of what you are trying to achieve...

Peter

[Stiffler]

Thank you! That is what I was looking for.

Jon

[Stiffler]

Does anybody want to post a tutorial on how to get an X session via VNC, cygwin (along with getting a single app), and X Server? I think that would be  benificial to all the users here.

Jon

[Stiffler]

Ok, here are the three methods that X-Win32 support:
1) rsh
2) rexec
3) XDMCP

What do they mean, and which method is better?

Jon

[Victor Cardona]

It has been a while since I have done this, but basically you need to allow the remote computer to connect. On your Linux box as root type in xhost +. Then you should be able to log in with your Xserver or ssh in and use a shell to launch your Xclients.

Victor

[Victor Cardona]

XDMCP would be the fastest. They are all insecure though, and if you are doing this on the campus network then people will be able to log your keystrokes by sniffing the network.

You might be able to substitute ssh for rsh though.

Victor