TigerVNC remote setup in Ubuntu

README.md

TigerVNC Installer

Installation

# For server
sh -c "$(wget -O- https://gist.githubusercontent.com/elkuno213/4eb921b320c7a8c53ba72ec24e0b48b3/raw/tigervnc_install.sh)" -- <password> server [root|user]

# For client
sh -c "$(wget -O- https://gist.githubusercontent.com/elkuno213/4eb921b320c7a8c53ba72ec24e0b48b3/raw/tigervnc_install.sh)" -- <password> client

Usage

• Automatically configures systemd service
• Default password: password (change in script)
• Opens port 5901 (configure firewall if needed)

Connection Methods

[Optional] Copy the server's password file into the client:

scp -rp <server-user>@<server-ip>:~/.vnc/passwd $HOME/.vnc/passwd.<server-user>

1. Direct connection:

vncviewer localhost::5901 -via <server-user>@<server-ip> [-passwd $HOME/.vnc/passwd.<server-user>]

2. SSH Tunnel:

ssh -Y -L 5901:localhost:5901 <server-user>@<server-ip>             # Terminal 1
vncviewer localhost::5901 [-passwd $HOME/.vnc/passwd.<server-user>] # Terminal 2

Troubleshooting

• Gray screen: Ensure chmod +x ~/.vnc/xstartup on server
• Service status: systemctl status vncserver@1
• Connection issues: Verify SSH tunnel with netstat -tuln | grep 5901

Security

• Change default password in script (DEFAULT_PASSWORD)
• Use SSH tunnels instead of opening VNC ports
• Configure firewall to restrict access to port 5901

Supports: Ubuntu/Debian (apt)

tigervnc_install.sh

#!/bin/bash
#
# TigerVNC Installer Script
# -----------------------
# This script installs and configures TigerVNC server or client based on the provided arguments.
#
# Usage: ./install_vnc.sh <password> server [root|user]
#        ./install_vnc.sh <password> client

# Usage information
usage() {
    echo "Usage: $0 <password> [server|client] [root|user]"
    echo "  <password> - VNC password to set (first argument, required)"
    echo "  server     - Install and configure TigerVNC server"
    echo "    root     - Install VNC server as root user (requires third argument)"
    echo "    user     - Install VNC server for current user (requires third argument)"
    echo "               If run with sudo, installs for the user who invoked sudo"
    echo "  client     - Install and configure TigerVNC client"
    echo ""
    echo "Examples:"
    echo "  $0 mypassword server user"
    echo "  $0 mypassword client"
    exit 1
}

# Check if minimum arguments are provided
if [ $# -lt 2 ] || [ $# -gt 3 ]; then
    usage
fi

# Store password from first argument
VNC_PASSWORD="$1"

# Check if server option requires third argument
if [ "$2" = "server" ] && [ $# -ne 3 ]; then
    echo "Error: 'server' option requires a third argument [root|user]"
    usage
fi

install_server() {
    local install_as="$1"

    # Validate the install_as argument
    if [ "$install_as" != "root" ] && [ "$install_as" != "user" ]; then
        echo "Error: Invalid installation type. Must be 'root' or 'user'."
        exit 1
    fi

    # Determine the actual user and home directory
    if [ "$install_as" = "user" ]; then
        # Get the actual user (handle sudo case)
        if [ -n "$SUDO_USER" ]; then
            ACTUAL_USER="$SUDO_USER"
            ACTUAL_HOME=$(eval echo ~$SUDO_USER)
            ACTUAL_UID=$(id -u $SUDO_USER)
            ACTUAL_GID=$(id -g $SUDO_USER)
        else
            ACTUAL_USER="$USER"
            ACTUAL_HOME="$HOME"
            ACTUAL_UID=$(id -u)
            ACTUAL_GID=$(id -g)
        fi
        echo "Installing TigerVNC server for user: $ACTUAL_USER"
    else
        ACTUAL_USER="root"
        ACTUAL_HOME="/root"
        echo "Installing TigerVNC server as root..."
    fi

    # Determine package manager and install tigervnc server
    if command -v apt-get &> /dev/null; then
        apt-get update
        apt-get install -y xfce4 xfce4-goodies
        apt-get install -y tigervnc-standalone-server tigervnc-common tigervnc-xorg-extension
    else
        echo "Unsupported package manager. Please install TigerVNC server manually."
        exit 1
    fi

    # Create necessary directories
    mkdir -p $ACTUAL_HOME/.vnc
    if [ "$install_as" = "user" ] && [ -n "$SUDO_USER" ]; then
        chown -R $ACTUAL_UID:$ACTUAL_GID $ACTUAL_HOME/.vnc
    fi

    # Set up VNC password
    echo "Setting up VNC password..."
    echo "$VNC_PASSWORD" | tigervncpasswd -f > $ACTUAL_HOME/.vnc/passwd
    chmod 600 $ACTUAL_HOME/.vnc/passwd
    if [ "$install_as" = "user" ] && [ -n "$SUDO_USER" ]; then
        chown $ACTUAL_UID:$ACTUAL_GID $ACTUAL_HOME/.vnc/passwd
    fi
    echo "VNC password set successfully."

    # Create a basic xstartup file if it doesn't exist
    if [ ! -f $ACTUAL_HOME/.vnc/xstartup ]; then
        cat > $ACTUAL_HOME/.vnc/xstartup << 'EOF'
#!/bin/sh
# Start up the standard system desktop
unset SESSION_MANAGER
unset DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS
/usr/bin/startxfce4
EOF
        chmod +x $ACTUAL_HOME/.vnc/xstartup
        if [ "$install_as" = "user" ] && [ -n "$SUDO_USER" ]; then
            chown $ACTUAL_UID:$ACTUAL_GID $ACTUAL_HOME/.vnc/xstartup
        fi
    fi

    # Create systemd service file for VNC based on specified installation type
    if [ "$install_as" = "root" ]; then
        # For root user
        cat > /etc/systemd/system/vncserver@.service << 'EOF'
[Unit]
Description=TigerVNC service
After=syslog.target network.target

[Service]
Type=simple
User=root
Group=root
WorkingDirectory=/root

PIDFile=/root/.vnc/%H:590%i.pid
ExecStartPre=-/bin/sh -c "/usr/bin/tigervncserver -kill :%i > /dev/null 2>&1"
ExecStart=/usr/bin/tigervncserver -fg -depth 24 -geometry 1920x1080 -localhost no :%i
ExecStop=/usr/bin/tigervncserver -kill :%i

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
EOF

        systemctl daemon-reload
        systemctl enable vncserver@1.service
        systemctl start vncserver@1.service
    else
        # For regular user
        mkdir -p $ACTUAL_HOME/.config/systemd/user
        if [ -n "$SUDO_USER" ]; then
            chown -R $ACTUAL_UID:$ACTUAL_GID $ACTUAL_HOME/.config
        fi

        cat > $ACTUAL_HOME/.config/systemd/user/vncserver@.service <<EOF
[Unit]
Description=TigerVNC service
After=syslog.target network.target

[Service]
Type=simple
WorkingDirectory=$ACTUAL_HOME

PIDFile=$ACTUAL_HOME/.vnc/%H:590%i.pid
ExecStartPre=-/bin/sh -c "/usr/bin/tigervncserver -kill :%i > /dev/null 2>&1"
ExecStart=/usr/bin/tigervncserver -fg -depth 24 -geometry 1920x1080 -localhost no :%i
ExecStop=/usr/bin/tigervncserver -kill :%i

[Install]
WantedBy=default.target
EOF

        if [ -n "$SUDO_USER" ]; then
            chown $ACTUAL_UID:$ACTUAL_GID $ACTUAL_HOME/.config/systemd/user/vncserver@.service
            # Run systemctl as the actual user
            su - $ACTUAL_USER -c "systemctl --user daemon-reload"
            su - $ACTUAL_USER -c "systemctl --user enable vncserver@1.service"
            su - $ACTUAL_USER -c "systemctl --user start vncserver@1.service"
        else
            systemctl --user daemon-reload
            systemctl --user enable vncserver@1.service
            systemctl --user start vncserver@1.service
        fi
    fi

    echo "TigerVNC server installed and configured successfully for user: $ACTUAL_USER"
    echo "The server is now running on display :1 (port 5901)"
    echo "VNC password has been set to the provided password"
    echo "Make sure your firewall allows connections to port 5901"
}

install_client() {
    echo "Installing TigerVNC client..."

    # Determine package manager and install tigervnc client
    if command -v apt-get &> /dev/null; then
        apt-get update
        apt-get install -y tigervnc-viewer
    else
        echo "Unsupported package manager. Please install TigerVNC client manually."
        exit 1
    fi

    # Create .vnc directory
    mkdir -p $HOME/.vnc

    echo "TigerVNC client installed successfully."
    echo
    echo "Configuration Instructions:"
    echo "--------------------------"
    echo "- Copy the server's password file:"
    echo "    $ scp -rp <server-user>@<server-ip>:~/.vnc/passwd $HOME/.vnc/passwd.<server-user>"
    echo
    echo "- Connection methods:"
    echo "    1. Direct connection:"
    echo "    $ vncviewer localhost::5901 -via <server-user>@<server-ip> -passwd $HOME/.vnc/passwd.<server-user>"
    echo
    echo "    2. SSH tunnel:"
    echo "    $ ssh -Y -L 5901:localhost:5901 <server-user>@<server-ip>"           # Terminal 1
    echo "    $ vncviewer localhost::5901 -passwd $HOME/.vnc/passwd.<server-user>" # Terminal 2
}

# Main script logic
case "$2" in
    server)
        # Validate third argument for server installation
        if [ "$3" != "root" ] && [ "$3" != "user" ]; then
            echo "Error: Third argument must be 'root' or 'user'"
            usage
        fi
        install_server "$3"
        ;;
    client)
        install_client
        ;;
    *)
        usage
        ;;
esac

exit 0