VNC problem

[adaaje]

Hi guys,

In my linux server, it's already installed vncserver, but when I type "vncserver". they give me the number of vncserver which is [servername]:1

but when I tried to connect from client windows OS, I was unable to connect to. And when I see the vnc log files, I saw this message :

Xvnc version 4.0b4 - built Sep  6 2004 13:18:43
Underlying X server release 40300000, The XFree86 Project, Inc


Thu Jun 15 17:18:25 2006
 vncext:      VNC extension running!
 vncext:      Listening for VNC connections on port 5901
 vncext:      Listening for HTTP connections on port 5801
 vncext:      created VNC server for screen 0
error opening security policy file /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/xserver/SecurityPolicy
Could not init font path element /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/CID/, removing from list!

Does it mean I have to install X server ? or what do I need to make me to be able to connect through vnc ?

Just for information, at the moment I connect via putty which is not quiet colorful

Any Idea pls ?

 

[Annihilannic]

I don't think those error message matter. Did you put the :1 on the end of the host name when connecting from Windows? What error message do you get when it fails to connect?

Annihilannic.

 

[adaaje]

Hi Annihilannic, you again...

Yeah..exactly,
when I tried to connect, in vnc client application. I put "[servername:1]" and they said unable to connect the host.

I was just thinking whether they have graphic driver installed on that machine or not, and probably the install X. But from the log files, I couldn't find those thing.

And another thing, in my profile there's no setdisplay.sh file to control display properties.

Any idea guys ?

 

[Annihilannic]

After you start the vnc server, does it continue running? Can you see it in ps -ef? Can you see anything listening on port 5901 in netstat -a?

Also, do you have any firewall rules configured?

Annihilannic.

 

[adaaje]

hmm, I'm at home atm. Tomorrow I'll have a look what you're suggesting,

I don't think it has something to do with firewall yet, cause I did ssh via putty and it was working well.

 

[adaaje]

Hi Annihilannic,

yes it's still listening on port 5901, and I can see that in process status.

Here's the netstat file :
**********************************************************
Active Internet connections (servers and established)
Proto Recv-Q Send-Q Local Address Foreign Address State
tcp 0 0 *:5901 *:* LISTEN
**********************************************************

Here's the ps -ef :
**********************************************************

f023249 20267 1 0 09:06 pts/8 00:00:00 Xvnc :1 -desktop ypprod01.rcc.ns
f023249 20272 1 0 09:06 pts/8 00:00:00 vncconfig -iconic
f023249 20273 1 0 09:06 pts/8 00:00:00 xterm -geometry 80x24+10+10 -ls
f023249 20274 1 0 09:06 pts/8 00:00:00 twm
f023249 20276 20273 0 09:06 pts/10 00:00:00 -bash
**********************************************************

But when I typed the servername:1 in VNCviewer, it replied me with "unable to connect host:server timeout"

Any idea guys?

 

[adaaje]

yeah, you're right Annihilannic.

Because I was testing in my production server, so that's firewall rules regarding that.

But I was success connect VNC to my testing server, but the problem is the picture quality is so bad, probably because they didn't install graphic driver on server. But How do I check whether there's graphic driver on that server or not please?

Thanks man,

 

[Annihilannic]

VNC does not need a graphics driver, since there is no real graphics device to drive.

In your VNC client optoins you can force it to use a greater colour depth, however you will find that it responds more slowly if you are on a slow connection.

If that's not the problem, what exactly do you mean by bad picture quality? Not enough resolution? Not enough colours?

Annihilannic.

 

[adaaje]

Ok,

I used to use VNC in different server, different company. The picture quality is much better than what I use now, the picture quality I mean here is the colour depth, resolution, etc.

If in windows, you can see the difference if you install Graphic driver and not. That's exactly what it looks like.

Any idea what can I do ?

 

[Annihilannic]

Like I said, increase the colour depth in your VNC client options. Which VNC client are you using?

For RealVNC client for example, before connecting you can press the Options button, uncheck "Auto Select" under "Colour & Encoding", and then choose "Full (all available colours)".

Annihilannic.

 

[adaaje]

Hi Annihilannic,

I know what the problem is, I run the vncserver on port 5991, and according to the list :

*********************************
Port Resolution Color Depth
5991 800x600 8 bit
5992 800x600 16 bit
5993 800x600 24 bit
5994 1024x768 8 bit
5995 1024x768 16 bit
5996 1024x768 24 bit
5997 1280x1024 8 bit
5998 1280x1024 16 bit
5999 1280x1024 24 bit
*********************************

That's why my color looks bad, so do you have any idea how to run vncserver on different port ??

THX MAN

 

[Annihilannic]

Where did that list come from? I'm not aware of having to start it on a different port for different resolutions, etc. And anyway you are running it on port 5901, not 5991.

When you start the vncserver you can use the -geometry and -depth settings to define the resolution and colour depth of the server display. See man vncserver for details.

Annihilannic.

 

[adaaje]

From here mate :

http://www.cs.vassar.edu/SysNews/vnc/resolut.html

and 1 more, is vnc client rely on java?
So I need to install java environment into my desktop client ?

Is that true mate ?

 

[Annihilannic]

I think that web page is specific to the way they have configured VNC at Vassar College, wherever that is, so you should ignore it.

No, the client does not rely on Java unless you use the web-based java client.

Annihilannic.

 

[adaaje]

Hi Annihilannic,

Please have a look this website, which is my vncviewer :

http://imagestore.ugbox.net/aview/2106200603_f17c566e74644d7682fa

I used to have vnc much better than that, which the green color of the xterm is more lighter and on the bottom of vnc, normally I have many tools to work on.

Now in there, it just came up like a new window which content xterm/xterms with poor color quality

I already did set up some setting and depth, even in the client.. but the result is still the same.

Is your vnc same color as mine atm mate ?

 

[Annihilannic]

That is nothing to do with resolution/colour depth/etc. Your VNC display is probably capable of displaying lots of colours, but the software you are running just isn't displaying any.

What you are looking for is a pretty window manager, you are just using the default one, I think it is twm.

If its pretty buttons and menus you want, then you will need to install and/or run KDE or Gnome or something. If you want something slick and efficient try fluxbox or Windowmaker.

Annihilannic.

 

[adaaje]

Sorry Annihilannic,

I don't get this message :

What you are looking for is a pretty window manager, you are just using the default one, I think it is twm

how do I find the pretty window manager ? what is that ? and what is twm ?

Does fluxbox has to be running on listening port as well as vnc ? or it's running independently ?

What application you are using to remote access your server ? Thx man...

 

[Annihilannic]

I think you need to do some reading about how X and Window Managers work... it's probably too much to explain here. I'll try.

X is a graphics display server, whose job is to display graphics. In days gone by it used to be a piece of hardware, a graphics terminal. On Linux it is usually Xfree86 or more recently X.org, which are used to drive your video card and display graphics on the monitor. When you are using VNC you are using a virtual graphics display, provided by the Xvnc process.

twm, WindowMaker, KWM, fluxbox, blackbox, etc are Window Managers. They are the things that draw the box around your Xterm and allow you to resize it and move it around your X display. They also often include menus and other little display widgets like clocks.

KDE and Gnome are Desktop Environments. They add additional functionality to the Window Manager such as desktop icons and stuff like that.

So you would need to run vnc AND fluxbox. If you check ps -ef | grep wm you will probably see you are running twm.

I use RealVNC client for RedHat or tightvnc for SuSE.

Annihilannic.

 

[adaaje]

I understand about what you were explaining there, is the fluxbox or window managers can help my xterm color frame ? Or they just drawing outside my xterm only ?

What window managers that you're running mate ? I saw from the voting, so many people using window managers ? Here's the link :

http://xwinman.org/vote.php

Any reason why, before I start installing one of them ?

 

[Annihilannic]

I would say everyone uses a window manager. X is more-or-less unusable without one.

What distribution or OS are you using? Are you sure you don't have some other ones already installed?

Look in your ~/.vnc/xstartup file. That is the script that VNC uses to start your window manager.

Annihilannic.