Access Your openSUSE Desktop from Anywhere Using FreeNX

FreeNX is the free version of NoMachine's NX Server, which makes fast, secure, remote X11 connections to enable users to access remote Linux and Unix desktop sessions over a data link such as LAN or Internet. The server has been developed in such way that it's fast enough even over a low bandwidth and high latency connection such as a dial-up link. This is one of the main reasons I will choose FreeNX over a common VNC program. FreeNX can be also set up as a proxy, so it will tunnel Remote Desktop Protocols and remote Virtual Network Computing sessions, giving them some of the same speed improvements. FreeNX uses high optimized techniques to compress the X11 data, minimizing the amount of data that needs to be transferred, providing a responsive and real-time remote desktop experience.

Installing FreeNX using YaST

- Open the main KDE menu, go to System and click on YaST Control Center
- Enter the root password, then click on Software Management
- Make sure the Filter spinner is set to Search and in the search box, type freenx
- In the results pane, check in the box next to FreeNX entry and press Accept. If you don't get any results, read at the end of this guide.
- Click Continue in the pop-up window and finish the installation. You now have FreeNX installed.

Setting up the openSUSE firewall to accept connections

- From the same YaST Control Center, go to Security and Users and click on Firewall
- Click on Allowed

Services in the left pane.
- Select External Zone for the Allowed Services for Selected Zone and SSH from the drop-down menu under Service to Allow. Click Add.
- Click Next and then Accept.

FreeNX Server Configuration

- Open a super user terminal terminal (KDE main menu / System / Terminal / Super User Mode). Enter the root password when prompted.
- In the super user terminal, run the following command:

- Type yes and press Enter when asked if you want to continue.

Your FreeNX server is now ready to accept connections.


Installing the NX Client on another Linux system

The NoMachine Linux NX client software is available in three flavors: as RPM, DEB and TAR. If the other Linux system is a RedHat/Fedora, openSUSE/SuSE or Mandriva, use the RPM package. For Debian systems, including Ubuntu, MEPIS, Linspire or Xandros, use the DEB package. For everything else, use the TAR archive.

- Go to NoMachine Linux Client Download Page and download the suitable package for your system. Install it using one of the guides:

For RPM:
- Open a root (super-user) terminal and type:

- Exit the root session or open another terminal, but this time as your normal user and type the following command to run the NX client:


For DEB
- Open a root terminal and type:

- Open a normal user terminal and type the following command to run the NX Client:


For TAR
- Open a root terminal and type:

- Open a normal user terminal and run the NX client by running the command:


NOTE: No matter what flavor you used to install, a NX Client shortcut is also available in KDE or Gnome main menu, but under different sections, so you can run NX Client from there as well.

Connecting to the SuSE Desktop using FreeNX

If it's the first time you run the NX Client on another Linux system, it's better to run the nxclient command with the -wizard option. So instead of:


RUN:


- You will be greeted with a wizard which will guide you through the rest of the process. Click Next on the first screen.
- On the second screen, type a custom name for the Session field. In the Host, type the hostname or IP address of the SuSE Desktop, while in the Port field enter the SSH port (normally 22).
- In the third screen, leave Unix/KDE unless you have Gnome running on the SuSE Desktop machine. As for the size, choose a size smaller or equal with the current one at most. Check Enable SSL encryption for all traffic.
- In the forth screen, check the Show Advanced Config box
- In the advanced settings dialog, click the Key button and either copy/paste the contents of the /etc/nxserver/users.id_dsa file from the SuSE Desktop or transfer that file from the SuSE Desktop to the current Linux machine and click the Import button and finally select the transferred file.
- Click Save and OK.
- In the connection dialog, type the username and password you want to login with and click Login.

In a few moments, you should be able to see and manage the SuSE Desktop.

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