Contents
Introduction
This document describes how to install and configure Nomachine FreeNX version 3.5.0 client and server on Mageia. It has been tested on Mageia versions 1,2, 3 and 4.
"Nomachine" is a collection of software for Linux (and other OS) which provides a "terminal server" using ssh as the client/server connection.
The terminal server function lets you access a "desktop-within-a-window" from your client.
Benefits of this include:
- Capability to connect and disconnect without stopping the remote desktop thus maintaining state of the remote desktop and your work context.
- client/server connection uses SSH encrypted network connection
Step 1: Verify ssh server is installed and running
$ rpm -qa | grep -q openssh-server && echo Good news: openssh is installed
Good news: openssh is installed
If ssh-server is not installed, install with:
# /usr/sbin/urpmi openssh-server
Check ssh server is running:
$ /sbin/service sshd status || echo ssh-server not running, start with: service sshd start sshd is stopped ssh-server not running, start with: /sbin/service sshd start # /sbin/service sshd start Starting sshd: [ OK ]
Step 2: Verify firewall allows inbound ssh on port 22/tcp
Normally, Mageia runs shorewall firewall which blocks all inbound connections unless you specify differently.
The following screenshots show how to configure the firewall to allow port 22/tcp inbound.
There are two ways to invoke firewall configuration:
a) from command line:
# /usr/sbin/drakfirewall # launch Mageia firewall configuration
b) via Mageia Control Center:
From the "Security" tab of Mageia Linux Control Center, click on "Set up your personal firewall":
Complete the subsequent screens.
Step 3: Download and install Nomachine rpms
Reference: "NX Free Edition for Linux"
i586 | 32-bit | http://www.nomachine.com/download-package.php?Prod_Id=3775 |
x86_64 | 64-bit | http://www.nomachine.com/download-package.php?Prod_Id=3772 |
Run the following commands as root to download and install Nomachine client, node, and server rpms.
# Download and install NoMachine FreeNX version 3.5.0 RPMs - updated 2013_12_20 # (copy & paste, run as root) d=/usr/local/downloads/nomachine_3.5.0 mkdir -p ${d} && chmod 750 ${d} && cd ${d} arch=$(echo $(uname -m) | sed -e "s/i./i3/") # determine architecture: 32 or 64 bit case ${arch} in i386 ) urlbase=ftp://ftp.is.co.za/mirror/pclinuxos.com/pclinuxos/apt/pclinuxos/2010/RPMS.retro/ ;; x86_64 ) urlbase=ftp://ftp.ntua.gr/pub/linux/pclinuxos/pclinuxos/apt/pclinuxos/2011/RPMS.retro/ ;; esac wget -N ${urlbase}/nxclient-3.5.0-7.${arch}.rpm # d/l client wget -N ${urlbase}/nxnode-3.5.0-9.${arch}.rpm # d/l node wget -N ${urlbase}/nxserver-3.5.0-11.${arch}.rpm # d/l server genhdlist2 . # generate urpmi index files /usr/sbin/urpmi.addmedia nomachine ${d} # add urpmi media source for downloaded nomachine rpms /usr/sbin/urpmi nxclient nxnode nxserver # install rpms # check for and, if needed, create the authorised keys symbolic link ( cd /usr/NX/home/nx/.ssh && if [ ! -f authorized_keys ]; then if [ -f authorized_keys2 ]; then echo ln -s authorized_keys2 authorized_keys ln -s authorized_keys2 authorized_keys fi else echo authorized keys file OK fi ) # end copy & paste
The installation will also automatically start the nxserver.
Step 4: Run Nomachine client
From command line:
$ /usr/NX/bin/nxclient
From Gnome desktop: Applications -> Internet -> NX Client for Linux
Remote desktop within desktop. :-)
Repeat step 1 (above) on each machine you wish to make a remote desktop connection to.
There is also a Nomachine nxclient for windows so you can access your Linux desktop.
Troubleshooting
authorized_keys
On a recent install of Nomachine, I encountered problems with nx connection failure:
NX> 203 NXSSH running with pid: 11879 NX> 285 Enabling check on switch command NX> 285 Enabling skip of SSH config files NX> 285 Setting the preferred NX options NX> 200 Connected to address: 192.168.1.4 on port: 22 NX> 202 Authenticating user: nx NX> 208 Using auth method: publickey NX> 204 Authentication failed.
It seems that nxserver used "authorized_keys2" rather than "authorized_keys". The solution is to create a symbolically linked "authorized_keys":
# cd /usr/NX/home/nx/.ssh # ln -s authorized_keys2 authorized_keys
RPMs
It seems that the Nomachine FreeNX version 3.5.0 RPMs are no longer available from http://www.nomachine.org.
An alternative source has been found and is detailed here: https://wiki.mageia.org/en/Nomachine_appendix_a
Links
Nomachine | http://www.nomachine.com/ |
NX technology | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NX_technology |