Hack18.Secure Windows Terminal Connections with FreeNX


Hack 18. Secure Windows Terminal Connections with FreeNX

FreeNX isn't just for the X Window System and VNCit can also provide secure Windows Terminal Services connections.

If "Secure, Lightweight X Connections with FreeNX" [Hack #16] and "Secure VNC Connections with FreeNX" [Hack #17] got you excited about the performance and possibilities of the FreeNX server for displaying X Window System and VNC desktops over slow connections, get ready because FreeNX has even more tricks up its sleeve. FreeNX also supports translating the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) used by Windows Terminal Services into X Window System protocols that it can then exchange with a standard NX client. If you install an NX client system (such as NoMachine's excellent nxclient) on your desktop, you can use a single application to communicate with remote X Window sessions on your NX server, proxy through to any VNC server you can access from the NX server or proxy through to any Windows Terminal server you can access from the NX server. Like the VNC server, the Windows Terminal server does not have to be running on the same system as the NX server which is just as well, because the NX server used by both FreeNX and NoMachine's NX runs only on Unix and Linux boxes!

Like VNC through FreeNX, communications between the Windows Terminal server and the NX server are not encrypted, but communications between your NX client and the NX server are. This can be especially useful if you are working remotely and want to access a Windows Terminal server inside your company's network, but you need any communication taking place over the public Internet to be secure. Your corporate firewall already supports SSH, so you don't even need to open any other ports to support the Windows Terminal server.

2.10.1. Creating an NX Client Configuration for a Windows Terminal Server

"Secure VNC Connections with FreeNX" [Hack #17] explained how to obtain and install NoMachine's excellent NX client. To create a configuration for accessing a Windows Terminal server through your NX client, click the Unix drop-down shown in previously in Figure 2-17, and select RDP. The dialog shown in Figure 2-22 will display.

In this dialog, specify the hostname or IP address of your Windows Terminal server, whether you want to use existing credentials to auto-login or see the standard Windows login screen, and whether you want to run a specific application or the standard Windows desktop.

Click OK to close this dialog, proceed with your standard NX client configuration, and save your NX/Windows Terminal configuration. When you start nxclient with that configuration, you'll see a screen like the one shown in Figure 2-23. Congratulationsyou're securely connected!

2.10.2. See Also

  • http://www.nomachine.com

  • "Secure, Lightweight X Connections with FreeNX" [Hack #16]

  • "Secure VNC Connections with FreeNX" [Hack #17]

Figure 2-22. Windows Terminal configuration in NX Client




Linux Server Hacks (Vol. 2)
BSD Sockets Programming from a Multi-Language Perspective (Programming Series)
ISBN: N/A
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 162
Authors: M. Tim Jones

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