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New to X2Go? Start here!

Overview

X2Go enables you to access a graphical desktop of a computer over a low bandwidth (or high bandwidth) connection.

X2Go is a Remote Desktop solution, which some vendors vaguely call Remote Control. This is not to be confused with Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection, which is a competing Remote Desktop solution and protocol.

With X2Go, you can access Linux computers. The Linux computer you are accessing is the X2Go Server.

You can connect from a computer running Linux, Windows or Mac OS X. This computer is the X2Go Client.

Multiple users/clients can access a single X2Go Server at the same time.

It it similar to No Machine NX3 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NX_technology

Like NX3, it supports the following features:

  • Graphical Remote Desktop that works well over both low bandwidth and high bandwidth connections/
  • The ability to disconnect and reconnect to a session, even from another client
  • Support for sound
  • Support for as many simultaneous users as the computer's resources will support (NX3 free edition limited you to 2.)
  • Traffic is securely tunneled over SSH

Changes / improvements over NX3

  • File Sharing from client to server
  • Printer Sharing from client to server
  • Easily select from multiple desktop environments (e.g., GNOME, KDE)
  • remote support possible via Desktop Sharing
  • The ability to access single applications
  • Improved support for sound
  • Improved integration of SSH

Advanced features compared to NX3

See this page for more advanced setups.

Terminology compared to standard X11

X2Go Client

This is what the X-Window system calls the X11 server

X2Go Server

The machine that runs the X2Go server would be called the remote machine.

The X11 applications that run on the X2Go Server (e.g., Firefox, Xterm) would be called X11 clients

Installation and Use

X2Go Server

Installation normally consists of adding the X2Go repository for your Linux distro, and then installing the packages. Instructions are here.

If your Linux distro is not listed on that page, see this page for a complete list of distros.

Once installed, there is no service or daemon that needs to start. Connections are handled through the Linux distro's SSH server and the users that are permitted to connect to an X2GO desktop are those that are permitted to login over command-line SSH.

X2Go Client

X2Go Client is available for Windows, Mac OS X, and many Linux distros.

Follow the instructions here, which contain the download links for Windows and Mac OS X.

If your Linux distro is not listed on that page, see this page for a complete list of distros.

Setting up an initial connection

Launch X2Go Client and define a session with at least the following settings:

  • Session Name
  • Host/ (hostname or IP address)
  • Session type (e.g. “GNOME” desktop environment, “KDE” desktop environment, “single application”)

You can then enter your username and password and connect to the X2Go server. Advanced authentication methods (SSH keys, GSSAPI/Kerberos) are also available in the X2Go Client GUI.

Getting Help

Community support is available over both mailing lists and IRC.

doc/newtox2go.1400326013.txt.gz · Last modified: 2014/05/17 11:26 by mikedep333