Skip to content

11-remote-desktop.md

Latest commit

 

History

History
250 lines (163 loc) · 6.89 KB

11-remote-desktop.md

File metadata and controls

250 lines (163 loc) · 6.89 KB
Raw

Module 11 – Remote Desktop (xRDP)

← Module 10: Swap & Performance | Back to Course Home | Next Module: Applications & Monitoring →

Learning Objectives

By the end of this module you will be able to:

  • Install the Xfce lightweight desktop environment on Ubuntu Server
  • Install and start the xrdp service
  • Configure xrdp and set the session manager
  • Connect to the server graphically from Windows, macOS, or Linux
  • Troubleshoot common xRDP connection issues

Estimated time: 45 minutes

11.1 What is xRDP?

xRDP is an open-source implementation of Microsoft's Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) for Linux. It allows you to connect to a Linux server's graphical desktop using the standard Windows Remote Desktop client or any compatible RDP application.

xRDP overview

Why Use xRDP?

Reason Detail
Familiar interface Uses the same RDP protocol as Windows Remote Desktop
Graphical administration Run GUI applications on the server from anywhere
Low bandwidth RDP compresses the display efficiently
Cross-platform Clients available for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android

xRDP uses port 3389 by default. Ensure this port is open in UFW before connecting.

11.2 Step 1 – Update the Server

Always update before installing new software:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

11.3 Step 2 – Install the Xfce Desktop Environment

Ubuntu Server has no graphical interface by default. Xfce is a lightweight, fast desktop environment well suited for server use.

sudo apt install xfce4 xfce4-goodies -y

During installation you may be asked to choose a display manager. Select lightdm for a lightweight option or leave the default and press Enter.

Installation downloads approximately 200–400 MB and takes several minutes.

11.4 Step 3 – Install xRDP

sudo apt install xrdp -y

After installation, verify xrdp is running:

sudo systemctl status xrdp

Expected output includes:

● xrdp.service - xrdp daemon
     Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/xrdp.service; enabled; ...)
     Active: active (running) since ...

If xrdp is not running, start it:

sudo systemctl start xrdp

Enable it to start automatically at boot:

sudo systemctl enable xrdp

11.5 Step 4 – Configure the Session Manager

Create a .xsession file in your home directory to specify which desktop environment xrdp should launch:

echo "xfce4-session" | tee ~/.xsession

This tells xrdp to start an Xfce session when you connect. Without this file, the RDP connection will open a blank or broken session.

Restart xrdp to apply the configuration:

sudo systemctl restart xrdp

11.6 Step 5 – Open the Firewall for RDP

Allow RDP traffic through the UFW firewall:

sudo ufw allow 3389

Verify the rule was added:

sudo ufw status

11.7 Step 6 – Find the Server's IP Address

ip addr show

Note the inet address (e.g., 192.168.1.105). You will use this in your RDP client.

11.8 Step 7 – Connect via RDP

From Windows

  1. Press Win+R, type mstsc, and press Enter
  2. In the Remote Desktop Connection window, enter your server's IP address
  3. Click Show Options if you want to pre-fill the username
  4. Click Connect
  5. Accept the certificate warning (click Yes or Connect Anyway)

RDP Windows login

  1. In the xRDP login screen, enter your Ubuntu username and password
  2. Click OK

xRDP login screen

You should now see the Xfce desktop:

Xfce Desktop

From macOS

  1. Install Microsoft Remote Desktop from the Mac App Store
  2. Click + → Add PC
  3. Enter the server's IP address as the PC Name
  4. Click Add
  5. Double-click the new PC entry and enter your credentials

From Linux

Install remmina:

sudo apt install remmina remmina-plugin-rdp -y

Open Remmina, create a new connection:

  • Protocol: RDP
  • Server: 192.168.1.105
  • Username: your Ubuntu username
  • Password: your Ubuntu password

11.9 Reviewing the xRDP Configuration

The xrdp configuration file is at /etc/xrdp/xrdp.ini:

sudo nano /etc/xrdp/xrdp.ini

Key configuration sections:

Section Purpose
[Globals] Port, max sessions, log level
[Logging] Log file location and verbosity
[Channels] Clipboard, audio, drive redirection
[Xorg] Session type (Xorg, used by default)

Default port is 3389. To change it, update the port= value under [Globals] and remember to update the firewall rule.

11.10 Troubleshooting

Problem Cause Solution
Connection refused xrdp not running sudo systemctl start xrdp
Blank / black screen No session manager set Verify ~/.xsession contains xfce4-session
"Authentication is required" popup polkit agent issue Install xfce4-polkit or dismiss the popup
Slow performance High latency or low bandwidth Lower colour depth in RDP client settings
Port 3389 blocked UFW blocking sudo ufw allow 3389
Certificate error Self-signed cert (normal) Accept / trust the certificate in the RDP client

Check xRDP Logs

sudo tail -50 /var/log/xrdp.log
sudo tail -50 /var/log/xrdp-sesman.log

11.11 Module Summary

  • xrdp provides an RDP server for Linux, enabling graphical remote desktop access
  • Install Xfce as the desktop environment before installing xrdp
  • Create ~/.xsession containing xfce4-session to set the session manager
  • Open port 3389 in UFW before attempting to connect
  • Connect from Windows with the built-in Remote Desktop Connection (mstsc), from macOS with Microsoft Remote Desktop, and from Linux with Remmina

Knowledge Check

  1. What port does xRDP use by default?
  2. Why do you need to create the ~/.xsession file?
  3. What command verifies that xrdp is running?
  4. How do you open the Windows Remote Desktop client?
  5. Where are xRDP log files stored?

(Answers: 1. Port 3389 | 2. It tells xrdp which desktop session to launch; without it, the session fails or shows a blank screen | 3. sudo systemctl status xrdp | 4. Press Win+R, type mstsc, press Enter | 5. /var/log/xrdp.log and /var/log/xrdp-sesman.log)

← Module 10: Swap & Performance | Back to Course Home | Next Module: Applications & Monitoring →