Xnest - Opening A Remote Desktop

Opening A Remote Desktop

Xnest can be used to locally display the desktop of another computer.

• Using XDMCP, Xnest can be used to run a virtual desktop of another computer within a window. This can be done for example by running Xnest :10 -query other_computer_name. The remote machine must be configured to accept XDMCP incoming connections from the local machine.

• Alternatively, Xnest can be run on the remote machine while showing its window locally. Like any other X application, this can be done by telling the remote application that the display is a local X server (e.g., setting the DISPLAY environment variable) and making the local X server accepting connections from remote applications (e.g., using xauth); both things are done using ssh, for example using ssh -X other_computer_name to connect from the local to the remote machine. When the server is launched remotely (e.g., startx -- Xnest -geometry 800x600), since the display is forwarded back to the local machine, it will show the program window just like any other remotely launched application.

Furthermore, since Xnest behaves like a regular X server, remote applications can be launched so that they connect to a local Xnest.