[FreeNX-kNX] Ubuntu Log in screen

[Mario Becroft]

Damian <damian at gingermagic.co.uk> writes:

> Hello all,
>
> I've been hearing great things about FreeNX, but before I install it on my
> Ubuntu box, could someone answer this question for me?
>
> Can I set up FreeNX so that I can connect (from UltraVNC on a Windows box) to
> Ubuntu's log in screen or can I only connect after a user has signed in? I'm
> happy enough with Ubuntu's default remote desktop setup, but I want to be able
> to log in if the machine reboots and goes back to the log in screen.
>
> Or maybe I should just set up auto-log in?

Hi Damian,

I think you may have a couple of slight misunderstandings about the way
FreeNX works, so let me try to help explain:

1. FreeNX is not related to VNC, and you cannot connect to a FreeNX
server using UltraVNC. You need to use the NX client. (The FreeNX server
does have the capability to act as a proxy connecting to a VNC server,
using the NX client, but this is the opposite of what you appear to
want.)

2. Normally, NX is used to enable users to remotely login to a server
and run applications or a whole desktop on it. When a user logs in, a
new application or desktop environment is started up for them (although
he may suspend his session and resume it later). Normally the remote
user invokes the NX client on his workstation, chooses which server to
login to and enters his username and password. He is then logged into a
new session on the server, or is given the option to resume his session,
if he had already logged in earlier and suspended a session.

3. The primary function of NX is not to connect to an already running X
session such as the console (whether logged in or not). However, FreeNX
does have a shadowing feature that should enable you to "shadow" a
running X session such as on the console. You may need a patch to enable
this feature as usually the shadowing feature is used only to shadow
other NX sessions. Note that the NX shadow feature is not really any
better than using VNC.

If you simply want to be able to remotely login to the machine to
administer it, then a standard FreeNX installation should do exactly
what you need. Forget about logging into the console; simply login to
the machine via NX whenever you want to. The only reason you might need
the shadowing feature is if you want to login on the console, start work
there and later login to the same session remotely to continue work.

-- 
Mario Becroft <mb at gem.win.co.nz>