Question

12

Remote x-server with ssh -X

rated 0 times [ 12] [ 0] / answers: 1 / hits: 74624 / 1 Year ago, wed, april 12, 2023, 10:46:28

I am trying to start a remote gnome session using: ssh -X [email protected] gnome-session

Both client and server are Ubuntu version 12.04

I get the following (and not a lot happens)...

GNOME_KEYRING_CONTROL=/tmp/keyring-3aeNAh

GPG_AGENT_INFO=/tmp/keyring-3aeNAh/gpg:0:1

GNOME_KEYRING_PID=3573

GNOME_KEYRING_CONTROL=/tmp/keyring-3aeNAh

GPG_AGENT_INFO=/tmp/keyring-3aeNAh/gpg:0:1

GNOME_KEYRING_CONTROL=/tmp/keyring-3aeNAh

GPG_AGENT_INFO=/tmp/keyring-3aeNAh/gpg:0:1

SSH_AUTH_SOCK=/tmp/keyring-3aeNAh/ssh

GNOME_KEYRING_CONTROL=/tmp/keyring-3aeNAh

GPG_AGENT_INFO=/tmp/keyring-3aeNAh/gpg:0:1

SSH_AUTH_SOCK=/tmp/keyring-3aeNAh/ssh



(gnome-settings-daemon:3572): color-plugin-WARNING **: failed to get contents of /sys/class/dmi/id/board_version: Failed to open file '/sys/class/dmi/id/board_version': No such file or directory



** (gnome-settings-daemon:3572): WARNING **: You can only run one xsettings manager at a time; exiting



** (gnome-settings-daemon:3572): WARNING **: Unable to start xsettings manager: Could not initialize xsettings manager.

compiz (core) - Error: Screen 0 on display "localhost:10.0" already has a window manager; try using the --replace option to replace the current window manager.

Initializing nautilus-gdu extension

Created new window in existing browser session.

** Message: applet now removed from the notification area

** Message: using fallback from indicator to GtkStatusIcon



(gnome-settings-daemon:3572): keyboard-plugin-WARNING **: Failed to set the keyboard layouts: GDBus.Error:org.freedesktop.Accounts.Error.PermissionDenied: Not authorized



** (gnome-settings-daemon:3572): WARNING **: Failed to connect context: Connection refused



(gnome-settings-daemon:3572): clipboard-plugin-WARNING **: Clipboard manager is already running.



(gnome-settings-daemon:3572): color-plugin-WARNING **: failed to create device: GDBus.Error:org.freedesktop.ColorManager.Failed: failed to obtain org.freedesktop.color-manager.create-device auth



(gnome-settings-daemon:3572): color-plugin-WARNING **: GDBus.Error:org.freedesktop.ColorManager.Failed: failed to obtain org.freedesktop.color-manager.create-profile auth



(gnome-settings-daemon:3572): color-plugin-WARNING **: no xrandr-Samsung Electric Company-SAMSUNG device found: Failed to find output xrandr-Samsung Electric Company-SAMSUNG

Shutting down nautilus-gdu extension



** (gnome-settings-daemon:3572): WARNING **: Failed to connect context: Connection refused

Connection failure: Connection refused

pa_context_connect() failed: Connection refused

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fotres

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2 Years ago

answered 1 Year ago eving · Accepted Answer

I assume that what you are trying to do is start a complete remote Gnome session displaying on your local machine. This fails because you already have a local session manager controlling your X server display.

Your options are:

Simply start individual remote applications using ssh -X [email protected] xclock

Assuming XDMCP is enabled on the remote machine...

2a. Use Xnest -query 192.168.1.107 -geometry 1024x768 :1 to start a remote login session in a local window.

2b. Use Xephyr :1 -screen 1024x768 -query 192.168.1.107 which is a better X server than Xnest

Also assuming XDMCP on the remote machine, configure your local machine to use the XDMCP chooser instead of the standard greeter on startup.

Enabling XDMCP is simply a case of putting

[xdmcp]

Enable=true

in /etc/gdm/custom.conf and restarting gdm or rebooting (assuming you are running gdm).

If you only intend to run a few applications remotely, then option 1 is simplest and continues to use SSH encrypted traffic, which none of the others do (so they are best only used on a trusted local network).

If you need to so something more complicated, then 2b (Xephyr) is may be better, but I've usually found just using ssh -X ... & for multiple remote applications to be adequate.

If you are doing everything remotely, i.e. the local machine is just a display server and doesn't do anything itself, then you need to look into using option 3, starting the XDMCP chooser instead of the standard login.

PS: As noted in the comments, both Xnest and Xephyr are applications which handle the X server protocol and put the entire session into a window. Xnest uses the functions provided by the local X server while Xephyr handles much more of the server protocol itself so is more robust. They may not be installed by default because the average user wouldn't use them.

PPS: After a little thought it's obvious how to encrypt a Xephyr or Xnest session...

ssh -X [email protected] Xephyr :1 -query localhost -screen 1280x1024