How to install VNC Server on Debian 7

Install GUI on Debian 7 Wheezy

There are several GUIs available for you to choose. Gnome, KDE, Xfce, LXDE … Take your pick, I have written a tutorial how to Install GUI on debian 7 wheezy which includes most of the popular GUIs available for Debian. Unlike Ubuntu 14.04, gnome seems to works fine over VNC, I have tested gnome session and it works with VNC. It’s not I don’t like gnome, but I would prefer xfce over gnome since xfce is very light weight and it has what I need for.

To install xfce on Debian 7 Wheezy

# apt-get install xorg xfce4 xfce4-goodies thunar-archive-plugin synaptic gdebi wicd iceweasel

Install VNC Server on Debian 7 Wheezy

Very similar to Ubuntu (since Ubuntu is based on Debian), you only need to use vnc4server package to install VNC Server

# apt-get install vnc4server

Configure VNC Server to work on Ubuntu 14.04

You can use any privileged user or root user to login to your VNC Server, but for security reason, I’m going to create vncuser for my VNC Server (you can change vncuser in my tutorial to any user that you would like to use, it can be your existing user)

# adduser vncuser

Now set vncuser’s password

# passwd vncuser

We now switch to vncuser to create some VNC configuration’s files.

# su - vncuser

With regular or privileged user, start vncserver for vncserver to creates it’s necessary files.

$ vncserver

After you started VNC Server, you will be asked to create VNC’s password (VNC password can be different or the same password as your user’s password)

vncuser@namhuy:~$ vncserver
You will require a password to access your desktops.
Password:
Verify:
xauth:  file /home/vncuser/.Xauthority does not exist

New 'namhuy:1 (vncuser)' desktop is namhuy:1

Creating default startup script /home/vncuser/.vnc/xstartup
Starting applications specified in /home/vncuser/.vnc/xstartup
Log file is /home/vncuser/.vnc/namhuy:1.log

$ vncserver -kill :1

$ cd ~
$ > .vnc/xstartup
$ nano .vnc/xstartup

#!/bin/sh
unset SESSION_MANAGER
unset DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS
startxfce4 &

[ -x /etc/vnc/xstartup ] && exec /etc/vnc/xstartup
[ -r $HOME/.Xresources ] && xrdb $HOME/.Xresources
xsetroot -solid grey
vncconfig -iconic &

gnome-session &

startkde &

mate-session &

startlxde &

cinnamon &

openbox &

$ su -
# nano /etc/init.d/vncserver

#!/bin/bash
### BEGIN INIT INFO
# Provides:          tightvncserver
# Required-Start:    $syslog
# Required-Stop:     $syslog
# Default-Start:     2 3 4 5
# Default-Stop:      0 1 6
# Short-Description: vnc server
# Description: http://www.namhuy.net
#
### END INIT INFO

unset VNCSERVERARGS
VNCSERVERS=""
[ -f /etc/vncserver/vncservers.conf ] && . /etc/vncserver/vncservers.conf
prog=$"VNC server"
start() {
. /lib/lsb/init-functions
REQ_USER=$2
echo -n $"Starting $prog: "
ulimit -S -c 0 >/dev/null 2>&1
RETVAL=0
for display in ${VNCSERVERS}
do
export USER="${display##*:}"
if test -z "${REQ_USER}" -o "${REQ_USER}" == ${USER} ; then
echo -n "${display} "
unset BASH_ENV ENV
DISP="${display%%:*}"
export VNCUSERARGS="${VNCSERVERARGS[${DISP}]}"
su ${USER} -c "cd ~${USER} && [ -f .vnc/passwd ] && vncserver :${DISP} ${VNCUSERARGS}"
fi
done
}
stop() {
. /lib/lsb/init-functions
REQ_USER=$2
echo -n $"Shutting down VNCServer: "
for display in ${VNCSERVERS}
do
export USER="${display##*:}"
if test -z "${REQ_USER}" -o "${REQ_USER}" == ${USER} ; then
echo -n "${display} "
unset BASH_ENV ENV
export USER="${display##*:}"
su ${USER} -c "vncserver -kill :${display%%:*}" >/dev/null 2>&1
fi
done
echo -e "\n"
echo "VNCServer Stopped"
}
case "$1" in
start)
start $@
;;
stop)
stop $@
;;
restart|reload)
stop $@
sleep 3
start $@
;;
condrestart)
if [ -f /var/lock/subsys/vncserver ]; then
stop $@
sleep 3
start $@
fi
;;
status)
status Xvnc
;;
*)
echo $"Usage: $0 {start|stop|restart|condrestart|status}"
exit 1
esac

# chmod +x /etc/init.d/vncserver

# mkdir -p /etc/vncserver

<h1>nano /etc/vncserver/vncservers.conf</h1>

VNCSERVERS="1:vncuser"
VNCSERVERARGS[1]="-geometry 1024x768"

# update-rc.d vncserver defaults 99

# iptables -L

 <h1>iptables -A INPUT -m state --state NEW -m tcp -p tcp -m multiport --dports 5901:5903,6001:6003 -j ACCEPT</h1>

 <h1>iptables-save</h1>