[FreeNX-kNX] Unexpected timeout connecting

[Gian Filippo Pinzari]

Geoff Hoff wrote:
> This is how it works as I understand it based on reading the scripts,
> the log files, and some tcpdump output.

I sent a few mails to the FreeNX developers and to other developers
interested in implementing a free version. I did that to clarify
the small bits, whenever the bits were not obvious. More extensive
documentation is in my TODO list. I plan to finish it as soon as
the NX software works perfectly and I can stop mucking things :-).

> First the client connects to remote server via ssh and logs in as nx
> using ssh keys.  The client then sends username and password to
> nxserver script which is running as nx.  Then there is a second ssh
> connection from the server running as nx to the server and logs in
> using your id and runs the nxnode command.  The nxnode command starts
> the requested service.  Probably most often it starts nxagent (which
> is the virtual X server) and also starts your desktop which displays
> to nxagent.  Nxnode then reports the port on which nxagent is running.
>  At this point back on the client end nxproxy is started and connects
> to the nxagent session on the remote server and displays your remote
> session.

That's all.

> The nx at remote -> user at remote ssh is transparent to the process and may
> not be used in the commercial version.  

May you better explain this point? As far as I understand you are
talking about the way FreeNX is implemented in the latest version.
Sorry if I get this incorrectly. Just guessing from previous mes-
sages in this list.

In the latest version FreeNX logs in to the node using the real
password of the user instead of the private server key. This is
problematic because the NX server doesn't store the password
and so it would not be able to perform any scheduled maintenance
once the user has disconnected from the node.

> Also if using vnc or rdp instead of your X desktop replace nxproxy
> with nxviewer or nxdesktop respectively.

Replace nxagent, instead ;-). nxagent, nxviewer and nxdesktop
all use nxcomp/nxproxy to implement the NX transport, while the
other nxproxy peer runs on the client.

/Gian Filippo.