8 Remote desktop

Maemo PC Connectivity provides tools to access the desktop of a remote machine from a local machine over network. That is, you can get the desktop GUI of your maemo device displayed at your host PC and vice-versa. For that, you need to install maemo-pc-connectivity meta package on maemo device and host-pc-connectivity package on host PC (Linux, Windows and Mac OS). Bellow, it will be described how to use the remote desktop tools available on Maemo PC Connectivity. To simplify, it is assumed that you already have a Usb network between maemo device and host PC.

8.1 X11VNC

With X11VNC server, it is possible to share the GUI (Graphical User Interface) of your maemo device with your host PC. That is, you can access the desktop of your maemo device remotely (from host PC) as you were physically in front of it. Bellow, it will be described how to configure your maemo device and host PC.

8.1.1 Configuring Maemo

You can configure X11VNC server through PC Connectivity Manager applet, as described:

• Run Settings - Control Panel - Connectivity - PC Connectivity Manager
• Click on ``Advanced'' button
• Select ``Tool Manager'' tab
• Now, you can enable/disable X11VNC server, change UDP port and set the loop mode
  
• Click on ``Apply'' button

Also, you can start X11VNC server manually from ``Extras'' menu.

As X11VNC server is not launched automatically when you turn the maemo device on, you need to start it following the steps above. You can use PC Connectivity Manager applet or X11VNC shortcut from ``Extras'' menu.

8.1.2 Configuring Linux

If you installed host-pc-connectivity package, your Linux host PC already has a VNC client.

Otherwise, you should install the VNC client manually:

$ sudo apt-get install xtightvncviewer

You can launch your maemo device through xtightvncviewer application giving its IP address:

$ xtightvncviewer 192.168.2.15

8.1.3 Configuring Windows

If you installed host-pc-connectivity package, your Windows host PC already has a VNC client.

Otherwise, you can download and install TightVNC manually from here. You can launch your maemo device as described bellow:

• Run Start - Programs - TightVNC - TigthtVNC Viewer
  
• Type the IP address of your maemo device and press ``Connect'' button
• Now, you should see the desktop of your maemo device on host PC screen
  

8.1.4 Configuring Mac OS

The host-pc-connectivity package already installs a VNC client on your Mac OS host PC. So, your host PC is ready.

Otherwise, you can download and install TightVNC manually:

• Download TightVNC from here(Java version)
• Create a new folder and uncompress the zip file

  $ mkdir ~/tightvnc
  $ mv tightvnc-1.3.10_javabin.tar.gz ~/tightvnc
  $ cd ~/tightvnc
  $ tar -zxvf tightvnc-1.3.10_javabin.tar.gz
  

You can launch your maemo device through TightVNC application giving its IP address and port:

$ java VncViewer HOST 192.168.2.15 PORT 5900

8.1.5 Troubleshoot

The current X11VNC server (0.9.3-maemo4) available on Diablo may crash if a key is pressed on host PC keyboard and there is no mapping for that key on maemo device. A workaround is to add manually missing key mappings as described below:

• You should install xev application on host PC to discover the key code which is crashing the maemo device:

  $ sudo apt-get install x11-utils
  

• Execute xev application on host PC:

  $ xev
  

• Type the key is crashing the maemo device on host PC. You will get something like this on xev output:

  KeyPress event, serial 31, synthetic NO, window 0x2000001,
  root 0x3f, subw 0x0, time 2488134890, (-257,171), root:(294,445),
  state 0x10, keycode 48 (keysym 0xfe51, dead_acute), same_screen YES,
  XLookupString gives 2 bytes: (c2 b4) "´"
  XmbLookupString gives 0 bytes:
  XFilterEvent returns: True
  

• Get the key code name. In this example, it is ``dead_acute''
• On maemo device, map this key to ``None'' in ``/usr/share/applications/hildon/x11vnc.desktop'' file. Add the key map ``dead_acute-None'' as described bellow:

  Exec=/usr/bin/x11vnc -display :0 -nowf -noxdamage -noscr -remap
  dead_acute-None,<key_name_1>-None,<key_name_N>-None
  

• On maemo device, restart X11VNC server and check if the problem is fixed

8.2 RDESKTOP

RDESKTOP is a client for remotely accessing your Windows host PC from your maemo device. Bellow, it will described how to enable Remote Desktop on your Windows host PC and how to use your maemo device to access the desktop of your Windows host PC.

8.2.1 Configuring Windows

You must enable the Remote Desktop feature on your Windows host PC so that you can control it remotely from maemo device. For that, you must be logged on as an administrator or a member of the Administrators group to enable Remote Desktop on your Windows host PC. To setup your Windows host PC:

• Click ``Start'', point to ``Settings'', click ``Control Panel'', and then double-click the ``System'' icon
• On the ``Remote'' tab, select the ``Allow users to connect remotely to this computer'' check-box, as shown below
  
• Ensure that you have the proper permissions to connect to your host PC remotely. For that, click ``Select Remote Users...'' button to give access to your user account
• Click ``OK'' button
• Leave your host PC running and connected to the network with Internet access

Note: if you are running Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) and you enable Remote Desktop, Windows Firewall will be automatically configured to allow Remote Desktop connections to your host PC. However, Remote Desktop will not work if you have Windows Firewall configured to allow no exceptions. To allow exceptions in Windows Firewall, in the control panel open the ``Security Center'', click ``Windows Firewall'' and clear the check-box next to ``Don't allow exceptions''.

8.2.2 Configuring Maemo

Once you installed maemo-pc-connectivity meta package, the maemo device is ready to access your Windows host PC through RDESKTOP application:

• Open Utilities - X Terminal
• Execute RDESKTOP application:

  $ rdesktop-cli -u <windows_user> -p <windows_password> <windows_ip_address>
  

  You should pass the user name and password to access the given Windows host PC

• Now, you will see the desktop of your Windows host PC on the screen of your maemo device

8.3 X Tunneling

With X Tunneling, it is possible to execute an application on your maemo device and display its GUI on your host PC over SSH and vice-versa. Next, it will be described how to forward X11 GUI in both ways:

• You should follow the next steps to display the GUI of your maemo device on your host PC. It works with Linux and Mac OS
  

  On host PC:

  $ Xephyr :3 -ac -dpi 96 -screen 800x480x16  -host-cursor &
  $ ssh -l <maemo_device_user> -R 6002:<host_pc_ip>:6003  <maemo_device_ip> 
  $ export DISPLAY=:2
  $ /usr/lib/sapwood/sapwood-server &
  $ <run_application>
  

• You should follow the next steps to display the GUI of your host PC on your maemo device. It works only with Linux
  

  On maemo device:

  $ ssh -l <host_pc_user> -R 6000:<maemo_device_ip>:6000 -X <host_pc_ip>
  $ <run_application>