VNC & VPN

• Open/launch tigervnc viewer on your host/client:
  On your host/client PC,
  from terminal: $ vncviewer
  or perhaps: $ xtigervncviewer
  or: linux menu --> TigerNVC viewer

  box opens, enter IP address,

• It may then offer a warning dialogue box related to unregistered certificates. Click Yes to proceed.
  It will then require you to enter a username and password for the remote computer.
• A new browser window will open that contains the screen of your remote computer. Your mouse and keyboard will then operate that remote computer.
  On my system, both the Inovato and rPi came up immediately. Very easy.

• Running multiple VNC sessions at the same time:
  • On my MinisForum mini with Linux Mint 22.2, the process was transparent and just worked
    by just going to Linux menu --> tigerVNC viewer --> entering the additional IP address etc.
  • If you're using the CLI,
    $ vncviewer

    Open a new terminal and repeat for each remote you want to talk to.

• Script files:
  • These are executable files on your host PC, that open a vnc connection to a chosen remote computer
    For convenience they are often placed on your desktop.
    They are plain text files, with a .sh extension.
    You must make them executable either in file manager --> properties --> permissions
    or in terminal: $ chmod [filename] o: +x (or something similar - check this syntax...)
  • Basic script:
    #!/bin/bash
    # Define VNC server details
    VNC_HOST="192.168.1.105"
    VNC_DISPLAY=":0" # Or other display number, e.g., ":0"
    # Open the VNC session
    vncviewer "${VNC_HOST}${VNC_DISPLAY}"

    
    You can also use the remote host name:

    VNC_HOST="raspberrypi"

    This all works, but requires you to enter username and password for the remote computer.

  • Passing username and password in script file:
    • Install a VNC password management tool:
      I'm using tigerVNC-viewer, so I installed TigerVNC-tools (from software manager).
      this tool set contains the vncpasswd utility needed.
    • When you execute $ vncpasswd,
      you're prompted to enter a password.
      This is the password for the remote computer that you are going to pass to create the VNC connection.
      Don't be fooled by the entry field: no characters will appear.
      It will then ask if you want a "view-only" password. Didn't know what this was, said no.
      A new file will be created, named "passwd" with no extension, in your home/.vnc directory.
      I renamed it for convenience.
    • ...
    • tried: $ vncviewer, manually entered username and password, works
    • tried: $vncviewer -passwd ~/.vnc/passwd_rPiHam_jay (after having created that passwd file...)
      worked, but still had to enter username and password, as well as connect prompt and certificate error prompt...

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ADDENDUM:
• Trials:
  • Getting VNC working on several rPi's:
  • After some messing around, I intend to have the following configuration:
    RealVNC (server) removed from the rPi (I don't want to use their cloud)
    rPi built-in wayvnc server enabled
    TigerVNC viewer installed on host/client
    Screen resolution set (wherever) so that when the VNC window opens on the host, it's full-screen

  • rPi-07 (Pi 3 B+):
    SD-25 w/ bookworm 12.7 installed
    IP: 192.168.1.160
    hostname:
    username:
    pw:
    RealVNC installed

  • rPi-05 (Pi 4)
    SD-08 w/ bookworm...
    IP: 192.168.1.105
    hostname:
    username:
    pw:

  • rPi-04 (Pi 3 B+)
    SD-13 ...
    IP: 192.168.1.170
    hostname:
    username:
    pw:

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