Configure reverse ssh tunneling

When you have a need to access your local PC from the internet, you might be interested in this blog.

Requirement:
1. Root access to a public server (or any kind of access as long as you can do things below :).
2. SSH client


Now, let's begin with the server:
1. Edit sshd_config located in /etc/ssh/ and add the line below
GatewayPorts clientspecified

2. Restart sshd
sudo service ssh restart

That's all for the server.


To the local PC we go:
1. Create reverse ssh tunneling using ssh client.
Open a terminal/console to run the ssh client. In windows you might use Putty.
ssh user@server -R server:serverport:localdestination:localport

2. Test the connection by using telnet
telnet server serverport
Expect no connection refused :)


The steps above is very simple but requires some configuration changes in the public server.

There's a more secure way but requires more effort on the client side which means only geek will be able to access it :) I'll discuss it later on a separate blog.

Setting up vnc for ubuntu desktop

If your installation is ubuntu desktop and you need to remote it using vnc, the steps below might help you to do it:
1. Update your package list
sudo apt-get update

2. Install Gnome desktop environment essential component and Gnome session manager
sudo apt-get install gnome-core gnome-session-fallback

3. Install vnc server
sudo apt-get install vnc4server

4. Start the vnc server
vncserver 
Note: find out the console port being assigned to you. There is a way to start up the connection with a pre defined port number (e.g. vncserver :1)

Example: the assigned port is 1 (5901)

New 'server:1 (server)' desktop is server:1

Starting applications specified in /home/user/.vnc/xstartup

Log file is /home/user/.vnc/user:1.log

5. Edit the xstartup file located /home/user/.vnc/ as below.

At first, when you open the vnc connection there will be only a terminal. You will need to start the gnome-session for the vnc connection.

#!/bin/sh

# Uncomment the following two lines for normal desktop:

 unset SESSION_MANAGER

#exec /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc

[ -x /etc/vnc/xstartup ] && exec /etc/vnc/xstartup

[ -r $HOME/.Xresources ] && xrdb $HOME/.Xresources

xsetroot -solid grey

vncconfig -iconic &

#x-terminal-emulator -geometry 80x24+10+10 -ls -title "$VNCDESKTOP Desktop" &

#x-window-manager &

gnome-session --session=gnome-classic &

6. Restart the vncserver by killing it first then starting it up again

vncserver -kill :1

To access vnc from the client, you need to install vnc viewer app. 

The sample url for vnc: server_url:5901

the port number is assigned when you start the vnc connection.

Up to now, for ubuntu server I use Xfce desktop environment instead of gnome. It is lightweight and somehow I still can't setup the gnome env under vnc :)

Reference link:
http://coddswallop.wordpress.com/2012/05/09/ubuntu-12-04-precise-pangolin-complete-vnc-server-setup/