Tutorial
Fedora 11 x86_64 Setup freeNX Server
Scenario / Question:
How do I setup freeNX on a remote server system running Fedora x86_64 4bit OS.
Solution / Answer:
Installing the freeNX server software on the remote server machine and using the NoMachine freenx client to connect to it from you local machine.
Installing freeNX Server:
On the server you want to control with freeNX
Install freenx using yum:
# yum install nx freenx
Copy minimal configuration file:
# cp /etc/nxserver/node.conf.sample /etc/nxserver/node.conf
Enable PASSDB for NX Database User Authentication pass-through:
Uncomment and change the following line in /etc/nxserver/node.conf
ENABLE_PASSDB_AUTHENTICATION="1"
Add a user account to the nxserver database ( the user account must already exist on the system as a standard linux user account):
# /usr/libexec/nx/nxserver --adduser <username>
Give the user a password:
# /usr/libexec/nx/nxserver --passwd <username>
Setup the FreeNX SSH Keys
You need to have nx create the ssh keys.
# /usr/libexec/nx/nxsetup --install --setup-nomachine-key
Setup GDM XDMCP access
You need to configure GDM config file /etc/gdm/custom.conf and add “Enable=true” to [xdmcp] and
# vi /etc/gdm/custom.conf # GDM configuration storage [xdmcp] Enable=true [chooser] [security] DisallowTCP=false [debug]
Installing freeNX NoMachine Client:
The NoMachine client needs to be downloaded from their site. Download the client that matches the operating system on your local machine.
http://www.nomachine.com/download.php
After installing the NoMachine client open the NX Connection Wizard.
Enter a Session Name, Hostname or IP of the remote server system, SSH Port number of the remote server system (usually 22), and select your connection type. Click Next
nx-connection-wizard
Select the connection type, desktop system and the size of the desktop. Click Next
nx-connection-wizard-1
Click Finish
nx-connection-wizard-2
freeNX SSH Keys configuration:
In order for freeNX to function securely we need to copy the ssh key from the remote server system to the local machines NoMachine client software.
On the remote server system copy the client.id_dsa.key contents (including the —BEGIN— and —- END— lines):
# cat /etc/nxserver/client.id_dsa.key
On the local client system open the NX client software and click on “Configure”:
nx
Under the General tab, click “Key”
nx-test1
Delete the contents and paste in the contents from the remote server system /etc/nxserver/client.id_dsa.key
general-key-management
Now connect using the username and password you created when you configured freeNX on the remote server system.
Common Errors:
The nx service is not available or the nx access was disabled
The issue with the above error is that you copied the wrong ssh key and most likely followed the process from an old tutorial that told you to copy the key from /etc/nxserver or told you to create your own key. The key you should copy is found at /etc/nxserver/client.id_dsa.key
Keyboard Layout Error
When connecting to FreeNX server your keyboard layout is giving errors. Typically the up arrow key is causing the print screen dialog to show. To correct problem you need to adjust Xorg on the client system.
Fedora:
Create xorg.conf:
# Xorg -configure :1
# cp /root/xorg.conf.new /etc/X11/xorg.conf
Add the following to xorg.conf:
Section "ServerFlags"
Option "AllowEmptyInput" "off"
Option "AutoAddDevices" "false"
Option "DontZap" "false"
EndSection
Restart Xorg:
ctrl-alt-backspace
I’m running Fedora 10, and this was working until recently. Apparently, some update hosed it. I completely uninstalled freenx and nx, and reinstalled it following your directions, but I get the same result: NX server is not available blah blah blah.
This is driving me nuts…
I’m running Fedora 11, and am having same problem as DaveyBob. I am as sure as I can be that I have copied the correct key over to the Windows Nomachine client. But still I get “The NX service is not available or the NX access was disabled on host xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx.”
Anybody got a clue?
@Knu-o2,
Have you tried rebooting the fedora 11 machine ?
Tell nx to install new key:
/usr/libexec/nx/nxsetup –install –setup-nomachine-key
I solved this problem!
I installed Ubuntu 9.04, and Remote Desktop stuff worked without a hitch right off the bat.
Probably not the fix you were looking for, but there it is. Works for me.
the problem with nx server not being available most of the time is related to wrong permissions on the key files and authorized_keys (or authorized_keys2) files.
here is what you have to do:
chmod 755 /var/lib/nxserver
chmod 755 /var/lib/nxserver/home
chmod 755 /var/lib/nxserver/home/.ssh
chmod 600 /var/lib/nxserver/home/.ssh/authorized_keys
or
chmod 600 /var/lib/nxserver/home/.ssh/authorized_keys2
chown nx /var/lib/nxserver/home/.ssh/authorized_keys2
or
chown nx /var/lib/nxserver/home/.ssh/authorized_keys
depending on your server’s sshd configuration!
after that, if you add your own id_dsa.pub to authorized keys:
1) generate your key :
cd ~/.ssh
ssh-keygen -t dsa
(press enter few times as answers to questions)
you will have two files there:
id_dsa and id_dsa.pub
copy the content of id_dsa.pub
ssh as root to your server machine (the one running nxserver) and copy and paste that into
/var/lib/nxserver/home/.ssh/authorized_keys
or
/var/lib/nxserver/home/.ssh/authorized_keys2
(depending which file is being used by sshd )
Arbaal
Fedora 11 worked like a breeze , THANKS !!!!!!
I am running freenx on ubuntu 9.04 amd64 server. I have 8 or so clients that connect using nx client from nomachines. There is a mixture of client oses – windows xp (mostly), mac, ubuntu.
This has happened to two different users: everything was working great, and then one day the nx connection timed out.
When it does not work it does not work from any client computer, so I don’t think the client nx program is the problem.
The latest versions of freenx server and nomachine client are installed on the server and on the client machines.
Has anyone else had a problem like this? Any suggestions?
g.