Re: newbie Xlib install/configure question

[Stefan O'Rear <stefanor@cox.net>]

On Wed, Sep 01, 2004 at 07:06:13PM -0400, Mark D. Hansen wrote:
> Thanks!  Great advice.  I've got the VNC suggestion working.  But, it
> would be cooler to do it the SSH/X11 way.  I'm just a little reluctant
> to install the Cygwin stuff on all my Windows boxes.  Is there any other
> way to do this, like in an SSH client like PuTTY ??  Or do I really need
> a Windows Xserver?
To use X11 forwarding:

1. Debian SSH daemon must support it. Woody openssh does, but it is
   disabled by default (presumably for security). To enable it, add
   "X11Forwarding yes" to your /etc/ssh/sshd_config. 

2. The SSH client must support it. I've never used PuTTY, so check the
   manual. Probable cases:

   1. No support. Go with plain network X11 (very highly discouraged for
      connecting over the Internet, good for firewalled LANs, and
      somewhere in between for wireless LANs), or use a different SSH.
   
   2. TCP level. PuTTY will offer X forwarding if you are running an
      Xserver on localhost.

   3. X forwarding will be done, and converted into MS Windows calls.

   If (1) or (2), you'll need an X11 server. He mentioned there was an X
   server for Cygwin.  Google is your friend. (I vaguely remember
   reading something about a commertial product called Reflection X,
   incase it helps.)

> On Wed, Sep 01, 2004 at 02:36:17PM -0400, Mark D. Hansen wrote:
> > snippage
> 1. the SSH/X11 way
> 
>    Get a windows Xserver.
> 
>    cygwin$ X :0 &
>    cygwin$ DISPLAY=:0 ssh -X debian01
>    debian01$ xterm&
> 
>    You will get X11 windows on your Windows desktop.
> 
> 2. the TCP X11 way
> 
>    Get a windows Xserver.
> 
>    cygwin$ X :0 &
>    cygwin$ ssh debian01
>    debian01$ DISPLAY=winblowsbox:0 xterm&
> 
>    You will get X11 windows on your Windows desktop.
>    
> snippage
> > 
> > You tried to run an complete X session. For this you need the X server
> > to be installed. I don't even know if it works like this over SSH at
> > all.
> No, by default startx looks for /usr/bin/X, which (by debian policy) is
> an Xserver that talks to the keyboard/monitor/mouse connected to the
> computer X was run on.
> 
> > > What have I done wrong?  Can I run X11 over an SSH connection from a
> > > MS Windows machine?
> > 
> > Perhaps you could use VNC instead.
> Or use SSH X forwarding (solution #1)
> 
> If you want the minimum work, I'd suggest #3.  Windows VNC clients are
> fairly easy to come by.

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