Arch Linux

Hantabaru

Member

Registered: 2009-02-25

Posts: 58

How 2 remote desktop access pc through router without access to router

Hi

I want to be able to administer my sister-in-laws pc while she is at University and generally show her how to do things when she needs help.

I have configured her linux mint desktop to allow remote access with a password and I can access it with vnc while we are on the same network so I know it works.

The problem I have is she lives in a rented apartment several hundred km north of where we live and accesses the internet via a wireless router, which she does not appear to have access to to enable port forwarding or set-up DynDNS .

My question is therefore, is there some way I can connect to her desktop using vnc through a firewall that I can't configure?

I had looked at logmein.com but that does not have a linux client is there an alternative that I could use?

Appreciate any help

eldragon

Member

From: Buenos Aires

Registered: 2008-11-18

Posts: 1,029

Re: How 2 remote desktop access pc through router without access to router

setup a ssh server on your computer.

add an account for her to login remotely.

open port 22 in your router (and learn how to secure it correctly, ie, only SSH_key login)

make her do:

$ ssh -R 5900:localhost:5900 sister_in_law@you

then you will be able to connect to her computer through localhost port 5900

ps. its really important to secure your computer if you will be opening port 22

lifeafter2am

Member

From: 127.0.0.1

Registered: 2009-06-10

Posts: 1,332

Re: How 2 remote desktop access pc through router without access to router

ps. its really important to secure your computer if you will be opening port 22

I highly recommend using a non-standard port for your ssh server.  It is almost common practice now as far as I am concerned.

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z0id

Member

From: Romania

Registered: 2010-02-02

Posts: 122

Re: How 2 remote desktop access pc through router without access to router

I think TeamViewer works on Linux.

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Hantabaru

Member

Registered: 2009-02-25

Posts: 58

Re: How 2 remote desktop access pc through router without access to router

setup a ssh server on your computer.

add an account for her to login remotely.

open port 22 in your router (and learn how to secure it correctly, ie, only SSH_key login)

make her do:

$ ssh -R 5900:localhost:5900 sister_in_law@you

then you will be able to connect to her computer through localhost port 5900

ps. its really important to secure your computer if you will be opening port 22

Thanks for the help, I have a few questions:

1. The account I make for her, I take it, is just done in the usual manner on my pc, but should it have any special groups or are the groups not important.

2. If I change the port on the router does that mean she does:

$ ssh -p port -R 5900:localhost:5900 sister_in_law@you

3. When I then connect to her desktop, do I do:

$ vncviewer localhost:5900

?

dyscoria

Member

Registered: 2008-01-10

Posts: 1,007

Re: How 2 remote desktop access pc through router without access to router

If you want to be even more secure, use port knocking server written by the creator of Arch Linux: knockd.

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eldragon

Member

From: Buenos Aires

Registered: 2008-11-18

Posts: 1,029

Re: How 2 remote desktop access pc through router without access to router

setup a ssh server on your computer.

add an account for her to login remotely.

open port 22 in your router (and learn how to secure it correctly, ie, only SSH_key login)

make her do:

$ ssh -R 5900:localhost:5900 sister_in_law@you

then you will be able to connect to her computer through localhost port 5900

ps. its really important to secure your computer if you will be opening port 22

Thanks for the help, I have a few questions:

1. The account I make for her, I take it, is just done in the usual manner on my pc, but should it have any special groups or are the groups not important.

2. If I change the port on the router does that mean she does:

$ ssh -p port -R 5900:localhost:5900 sister_in_law@you

3. When I then connect to her desktop, do I do:

$ vncviewer localhost:5900

?

1. her account doesnt have to be special. just add a strong password or use ssh key login only. and generate her public/private key pairs.

2. that is correct. but i believe port hoping is security through obscurity. better setup fail2ban or something similar.

3. that is correct

EDIT: knockd is not relevant to this case use.

Last edited by eldragon (2011-01-04 18:34:33)

choener

Member

Registered: 2008-01-10

Posts: 22

Re: How 2 remote desktop access pc through router without access to router

Neither knockd, nor fail2ban should be required. It should be enough to start sshd only when work is required (assuming that happens only once in a while).