Remote desktops
Ever wish you had the desktop of another computer right in front of you? Michael Reed checks out five applications that can do this and more.
Michael Reed is a technology writer, programmer and multi-faceted Linux fettler, fiddler and facilitator.
HOW WE TESTED…
In each case, we are primarily interested in the client applications, but in some cases, the client is tied to a specific server, which we’ll make some mention of.
Installation was the first thing we looked at. As a minimum, we like to see a simple way of installing the latest stable version of an app, and that installation should be documented on the website. We think that’s a fair ask on our part.
In each case, we tested the remote desktop client with the appropriate server, whether that was an official server that it was intended to be used with or a generic server that it is able to work with. We tried wired and wireless connections on our local network, and we also tested making the connections across the internet.
We tried to use the systems and tried to get an idea of typical performance under a range of situations. We added remote connections and considered what the day-today workflow would actually be like.
Remote desktop solutions enable you to control one computer from another. They do this by running a server on the remote computer that compresses the graphics and sound, and sends it over the network. On your end, you run a client application that views the remote desktop and sends your keyboard and mouse input back to the server. In other words, you are in control of the other computer and can operate it as though it were the computer in front of you.
You can use a setup like this for remote administration, technical support or even gaming. You might be installing printer drivers for your mum or gaining access to a more powerful computer from your laptop or mobile device.
CREDIT: Goodshoot/Getty Images Plus
Some of the solutions can connect to a generic server through open standards and some of them are tied to a specific server, but we’re primarily focused on the client applications this time around.
We’ve got five solutions for you to consider. They are all useful, but they have a range of features and approaches, and the best solution for you will probably be the one that’s closest to your needs.
Installation options
Ease of installation and as many supported platforms as possible.
Moonlight has an extensive set of supported platforms, reflecting its gaming origins. It can be installed on all the major desktop platforms, and there are homebrew ports for the major consoles and some handhelds, along with single-board computers such as the Pi. For our Ubuntu machine, we installed it via Flatpak but the Snap was up to date, too.
We installed X2Go via a PPA. There is more than one client, but we followed the instructions on the PPA homepage and installed the official X2Go client, which is a QT5 app. The client machines must have SSH access to the server computer, which you might have to set up. You also have to install a desktop environment that X2Go can launch on the server, and Gnome 3 doesn’t work properly. So, we installed Xfce on top of Ubuntu’s Gnome 3, and we had to switch off compositing to make it work. With extra work, it can be installed on Mac OS and Windows.