Configuring VNC on RHEL6

Purpose:
The purpose of this document is to show client and server configuration of vnc.


On Server Side, Install required software like tigervnc-server:

[admin@sunny ~]$ su -
Password: [Enter your root password]
[root@sunny ~]# yum install tigervnc-server -y
Loaded plugins: refresh-packagekit, rhnplugin
This system is not registered with RHN.
RHN support will be disabled.
Setting up Install Process
Resolving Dependencies
--> Running transaction check
---> Package tigervnc-server.x86_64 0:1.0.90-0.10.20100115svn3945.el6 set to be updated
--> Finished Dependency Resolution
Dependencies Resolved
========================================================================
Package Arch Version Repository Size
========================================================================
Installing:
tigervnc-server x86_64 1.0.90-0.10.20100115svn3945.el6 local 1.0 M

Transaction Summary
========================================================================
Install 1 Package(s)
Upgrade 0 Package(s)

Total download size: 1 M
Installed size: 3.4 M

Downloading Packages:
(1/1): tigervnc-server-1.0.90-0.10.20100115svn3945.el | 1.0 MB 00:00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total 8.0 MB/s | 1.0 MB 00:00
Running rpm_check_debug
Running Transaction Test
Transaction Test Succeeded
Running Transaction
Installing : tigervnc-server-1.0.90-0.10.20100115svn3945.el6.x86 1/1
Installed:
tigervnc-server.x86_64 0:1.0.90-0.10.20100115svn3945.el6
Complete!
[root@sunny ~]#


Now switch to a general user so that we can set a general vnc password for that user:

[root@sunny ~]# su - admin
[admin@sunny ~]$ vncpasswd
Password: [Enter vnc password for admin user]
Verify: [Verify that admin password]
[admin@sunny ~]$ exit
logout


Now we need to add a display in vncservers config file:

[root@sunny ~]# vim /etc/sysconfig/vncservers 

In this file make an entry as ==> VNCSERVERS="2:admin"

If you want then you can also give display arguments.

Example: # VNCSERVERS="2:myusername"

              # VNCSERVERARGS[2]="-geometry 800x600 -nolisten tcp -localhost"

Start the service and make that available after reboot also.

[root@sunny ~]# chkconfig vncserver on
[root@sunny ~]# service vncserver start
Shutting down VNC server: [ OK ]
Starting VNC server: 2:admin xauth: creating new authority file /home/admin/.Xauthority
New 'sunny.redhat.com:2 (admin)' desktop is sunny.example.com:2
Creating default startup script /home/admin/.vnc/xstartup
Starting applications specified in /home/admin/.vnc/xstartup
Log file is /home/admin/.vnc/sunny.example.com:2.log
[ OK ]
[root@sunny ~]#


Now lets talk about the client side, on client side we just need vnc package:

[root@client ~]# yum install tigervnc
Loaded plugins: refresh-packagekit, rhnplugin
This system is not registered with RHN.
RHN support will be disabled.
local | 3.7 kB 00:00
Setting up Install Process
Resolving Dependencies
--> Running transaction check
---> Package tigervnc.x86_64 0:1.0.90-0.10.20100115svn3945.el6 set to be updated
--> Finished Dependency Resolution

Dependencies Resolved
========================================================================
Package Arch Version Repository Size
========================================================================
Installing:
tigervnc x86_64 1.0.90-0.10.20100115svn3945.el6 local 244 k
Transaction Summary
========================================================================
Install 1 Package(s)
Upgrade 0 Package(s)

Total download size: 244 k
Installed size: 611 k
Is this ok [y/N]: y
Downloading Packages:
tigervnc-1.0.90-0.10.20100115svn3945.el6.x86_64.rpm | 244 kB 00:00
Running rpm_check_debug
Running Transaction Test
Transaction Test Succeeded
Running Transaction
Installing : tigervnc-1.0.90-0.10.20100115svn3945.el6.x86_64 1/1

Installed:
tigervnc.x86_64 0:1.0.90-0.10.20100115svn3945.el6
Complete!

Now we need to check whether our vncserver is working or not ? Just fire this command:

[root@client ~]# vncviewer 192.168.86.128:2

It will display a dialogue box in which it will ask you for a password enter the password which you did set on server via vncpasswd command in the above section.