Remote connection programs on Ubuntu 20.04 are useless

Question

I would like to know what is the best working option for a remote display program for Ubuntu 20.04. I found the following programs annoying.

1- Anydesk: Although via the command anydesk --get-id I get the ID and the password has been set properly, when I use that number, the program stuck at "waiting for image". It seems that remote monitor has to be turned on [1].

2- TightVNC + GNOME: On Ubuntu 20.04 it is not able to start a gnome session and I see a grey screen. I tried multiple ~/.vnc/xstartup configurations but wasn't successful [2].

3- TightVNC + XFCE4: That works but the the window decoration button like "close" button are missed and I am not able to resize the windows [3][4].

4- TigerVNC + GNOME: I didn't find a viewer program on windows. I also tried using TightVNC viewer program but it doesn't connect to the server although the port numbers are the same (both TigerVNC and TightVNC use 5901). It also stuck at an annoying "color authentication" windows [5].

What is a working solution then?

Answer 1

What you probably want is xrdp Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) server

You can install it like so:

sudo apt install xrdp

After that, use Windows remote desktop app if connecting from windows or remmina if connecting from Ubuntu as clients.

Please see extra information on xrdp homepage page

---

Notice:

By default xrdp will create a new session when you remotely connect and the local user must be logged out first for this to work or otherwise you will see a blank screen when you connect remotely.

To have xrdp log you in to the existing active logged-in local session instead, follow these steps:

First, enable screen sharing in Ubuntu settings and set a password.

Then, edit /etc/xrdp/xrdp.ini like so:

sudo nano /etc/xrdp/xrdp.ini

Then, copy and paste the following at the end of the file:

[xrdp1-loggedin]
name=Local Active Session
lib=libvnc.so
username=na
password=ask
ip=127.0.0.1
port=5900

Then, save the file and close the editor by pressing Ctrl + x then y then Enter

Finally, run in the terminal:

gsettings set org.gnome.Vino require-encryption false

Next, connect from a remote machine and choose Local Active Session from the Session drop-down menu when you see this screen:

Then, enter the password you set for screen sharing and click the OK button when you see the password field that looks like this:

Answer 2

Jeez. This is a pretty miserable admission that there is no really decent remote desktop access in Ubuntu, at least not with Gnome from Windoze. Not for Ubuntu 20.04, anyway.

The answer given does seem to allow a remote login to some sort of desktop, but it is not the standard desktop that you get with Gnome. I agree with the orignal poster that most other supposed solutions do not work, at least they haven't for me. For example, I've never been able to get vnc to work -- the best I can get is a completely grey screen, assuming the login actually completes. Teamviewer does give something of a solution, but it comes with its own drawbacks, and in any case is not open software.