GROUP TEST REMOTE DESKTOP CLIENTS REMOTE DESKTOP CLIENTS GROUP TEST Tired of hopping from one computer to another, Mayank Sharma tests options that allow him to control all his computers remotely. On Test Remote desktop clients hen you think of remote remote desktop. For this group test Remmina access the first thing we’ve set up the Vino VNC server URL http://freerdp.github.io/Remmina Wthat comes to mind is on a Linux Mint machine and a VERSION 1.1.1 SSH. System admins have been TightVNC server on a Raspberry Pi LICENCE GNU GPL using it since time immemorial to and on a Windows 8.1 box. Many of Can this do-it-all software ward off the mount remote directories, back up the clients on test support multiple competition? remote servers, spring-clean protocols. The exceptions are the remote databases, and even run two proprietary clients, which we’ll KRDC remote GUI apps. You probably use connect to with their own servers. URL www.kde.org/applications/ SSH to interact with your Raspberry A good remote desktop client internet/krdc Pi anchored behind the TV. should be responsive, and we’ll rate VERSION 4.14.1 However, there are times when it higher than a client that does a LICENCE GNU GPL you need to remotely access the wonderful job of replicating the Does KDE’s default app do enough? complete desktop session rather remote desktop in true colour but than just a single app. Perhaps you takes ages to register clicks and Vinagre want to handhold the person on key presses. We’ll also keep an eye the other end through installing and out for related features such as the URL https://wiki.gnome.org/Apps/ using a complex piece of graphical ability to encrypt connections and Vinagre VERSION 3.12.2 software, or want to tweak settings transfer files and audio along with LICENCE GNU GPL on a Windows machine from the the remote desktop. ...does Gnome’s? comfort of your Linux distro. That’s The clients and servers are where remote desktop software all running inside our network comes in handy. Using these nifty connected via Wi-Fi. While for TightVNC little applications you can remotely maximum performance you’d URL www.tightvnc.com access and operate a computer want them to be connected via VERSION 2.7.10 from all sorts of devices. Gigabit LAN cables, it rules out the LICENCE GNU GPL There are various protocols that all-important convenience factor for Is the once popular Java app keeping up are designed to interact with a most readers. with the times? NoMachine NX “There are times when you need to access URL www.nomachine.com the whole desktop, not just one app.” VERSION 4.3.30 LICENCE Freeware Is it the best NX client out there? Protocol soup VNC or Virtual Network Computing is vendor. Then there’s Microsoft’s one of the most popular mechanisms proprietary Remote Desktop Protocol TeamViewer for accessing a remote desktop. At its (RDP). While the RDP server is only URL www.teamviewer.com heart is the RFB (Remote Framebuffer) available for the Windows platform, protocol, which works at the framebuffer there are clients for Windows, Linux, VERSION 10.0 level and is therefore supported by all Mac OS X, Android, iOS and other License: Freeware platforms. One big advantage of the platforms. Besides these, several Does it offer more than just protocol is that you can connect to a proprietary remote desktop solutions convenience? VNC server with a client from a different have their own proprietary protocols. 58 www.linuxvoice.com REMOTE DESKTOP CLIENTS GROUP TEST Getting started with desktop sharing The basics behind this essential technique. remote desktop sharing session desktop. The remote machine can host this remote desktop servers work on different involves a server and a client. The connection on a local network or even over ports. For example, by default the VNC Aserver component is installed on the the internet. Furthermore, the host computer server listens on port 5900 for connections remote machine that you want to access can also hand over control of the keyboard and on port 5800 for download requests. and the client component is installed on the and mouse to the other party. In this case, all If you use a router, you must configure local machine, or even on a mobile device keystrokes and mouse clicks on the client it to forward connections if you want to such as a tablet. are registered on the server as if they were connect to a remote desktop over the In a typical desktop sharing session, the actually performed on the remote machine. internet. Remember that in order to remote computer (also known as the host, You’ll also have to poke holes in the establish a remote connection, both as it’s hosting the session) enables a user to firewall on the remote host machine to make the host and the client have to use the view the contents of the host computer’s sure it allows the client to connect. Different same protocol. Remmina Maximum performance. ne of the best things about Remmina is that the app supports a variety of Oprotocols including VNC, RDP, NX, SSH and more. It has a simple interface, and maintains a list of profiles, and you can organise connections in separate groups. Before you begin, you’ll have to create a profile and define the parameters before you can connect to a remote server. At the very least, you’ll have to select a protocol from a drop-down list and enter the IP address of the server. Optionally you can define other parameters as well that vary depending on Remmina is a GTK app and will bring along a lot of baggage when installed on a KDE desktop. the protocol being used. For example, for VNC connections, you can optionally choose the remote connection. There’s a hidden Conversely, when connected to a dual- the colour depth and quality of the toolbar at the top of the screen which gets core Mint box with full-HD resolution, the connection. You also get checkboxes to you all this control in the full-screen mode. game was playable even at the best quality toggle some quick settings like starting a Remmina houses default remote setting. However, video playback wasn’t simple View Only session, disable connection settings under its Preferences watchable at any quality setting – at the encryption, and more. If you’re connecting to window. Here you can tweak some auto lowest quality level the video was less jerky a NX or a RDP server, you can also specify a save settings for the connections, define but the colours were all wrong; at the other resolution for the remote desktop. default connection resolution and custom end of the quality setting the colours were You can use the app in window mode as hotkeys. RDP users gets a bunch of perfect but the the video was skipping well as full-screen mode. Remmina has a additional options to help trim down the frames. Also Remmina doesn’t transfer audio tabbed interface that enables you manage size of the remote desktop stream, such as and lacks the ability to transfer files. multiple remote desktop sessions from a the ability to turn off the wallpaper, menu We could easily scroll through lightweight single window. When connected you get a animations, cursor shadow and more. PDFs at best quality, while PDFs with lots bunch of buttons for common tasks such of images were best scrolled through at as switching to full-screen mode, or to the Stable performer lower quality levels and were readable at the scaled mode in case the remote desktop To test its responsiveness, we tried playing a lowest setting. Remmina is available in the doesn’t fit. You also get a button to change Snake-like game on the remote desktop. official repositories of most popular distros. the quality of the connection. Unlike other When connected to the puny little Raspberry open source apps, Remmina changes the Pi, the game was playable but the VERDICT Impresses with its list of colour depth of the remote desktop of the fly, keystrokes were delayed by a block or two. supported protocols, which is a definite plus. There’s also a button Changing to a lower quality level didn’t have features and performance. that sends all the keyboard commands to any noticeable impact on this delay. www.linuxvoice.com 59 GROUP TEST REMOTE DESKTOP CLIENTS Krdc Krude but effective. rdc is KDE’s default remote And that’s it. Depending on the three desktop client and supports the settings, Krdc works out the other KVNC and RDP protocols. The details for the connection. The app’s app does a nice job of handling set of choices is rather limited, but you connections, with the main interface do get the option to manually specify a showing a history of connections with resolution for the session. the recently accessed servers at the Krdc lists all connected remote top. You can also arrange the list by the computers in different tabs. From number of visits to a server. You can within a connection, you get buttons to even bookmark connections you want switch to full screen, scale the remote to use more often. display to fit the local resolution, take Krdc doesn’t offer the option to route the connection Although the main interface might a screenshot of the remote display, through a SSH channel. seem overwhelming to a new user, with change the session into a view-only a handful of menus and buttons, it’s mode, and send all keyboard inputs to test PDFs were readable and scrolled fairly simple to operate.