VNC or remote desktop application to view Windows desktop from Ubuntu

Question

I have been looking for a fast, well supported VNC or remote desktop application to view my Windows machine desktop from my Ubuntu laptop. Do you have any suggestions for me?

Solution 1

You can use the default VNC client for Ubuntu: Remmina

Just type VNC or remmina in the dash to start it:

Note: It's installed by default since 12.04.

Solution 2

I've always used KRDC. It just works.

sudo apt install krdc

Solution 3

Some Free/Libre software supporting VNC/RFB protocol or Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP):

• noVNC (GitHub) is a browser-based app supporting many VNC features but no RDP.
• rdesktop (GitHub)
• FreeRDP (GitHub) Fork of rdesktop to clean the code, support Seamless Windows (RDP6)...
• Remmina (GitHub) Based on FreeRDP replaced tsclient as Ubuntu's default RD client (2011)
• Vinagre Default GNOME VNC client supporting RDP since 2012
• Ulteo Open Virtual Desktop (guide to get source code)

VirtualBox has a built-in vRDP protocol that can be used to access GNU/Linux remote desktops (Linux distro usually lacks a RDP server). The vRDP protocol is compatible with all RDP clients. However, the proprietary VirtualBox Extension Pack is required.

See also this good comparison of remote desktop software (Wikipedia).

TechRadar has also published an interesting article on this purpose:

https://www.techradar.com/news/5-of-the-best-linux-remote-desktop-clients

Best Linux remote desktop clients: Top 5 RDC in 2018
By Mayank Sharma, January 2018
We cover all the ins-and-outs of remote viewing

Remote control features

• TigerVNC   3/5
• RealVNC 4/5   Top
• Remmina   4/5   Top
• Vinagre   3/5
• TightVNC 3/5

Multimedia performance

• TigerVNC   4/5   Top
• RealVNC 4/5   Top
• Remmina   3/5
• Vinagre   4/5   Top
• TightVNC 2/5

Interface and usability

• TigerVNC   3/5
• RealVNC 3/5
• Remmina   3/5
• Vinagre   3/5
• TightVNC 3/5

Documentation and support

• TigerVNC   2/5
• RealVNC 5/5   Top
• Remmina   3/5
• Vinagre   2/5
• TightVNC 2/5

Server and protocol support

• TigerVNC   2/5
• RealVNC 4/5   Top
• Remmina   3/5
• Vinagre   3/5
• TightVNC 1/5

Configurable parameters

• TigerVNC   2/5
• RealVNC 4/5   Top
• Remmina   3/5
• Vinagre   2/5
• TightVNC 2/5

Connection flexibility

• TigerVNC   4/5   Top
• RealVNC 3/5
• Remmina   4/5   Top
• Vinagre   2/5
• TightVNC 4/5   Top

Final verdict

• TigerVNC   5/5   Open source credentials and performance
• RealVNC 4/5   Remote desktop access on the Raspberry Pi
• Remmina   3/5   Multi-protocol remote desktop client
• Vinagre   3/5   Lacks the control offered by its peers
• TightVNC 2/5   Focus on Windows platforms

Solution 4

Vinagre is now the default client in ubuntu. I had issues with remmina in fullscreen mode, vinagre works as a charm.

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Comments

[wie5Ooma]

No, vinagre is not the default per se. It depends on the desktop in use. It might be on Gnome and or Unity but it's not on KDE.

[Yalok Iy]

If you install ubuntu and not kubuntu/lubuntu/xubuntu/etc. , then it comes by default.

[James]

The other suggestions didn't work on 14.04 LTS. This one is great. Thanks.

[Marcel Valdez Orozco]

This one is so awesome! Everything works! This is the true tool of a remote worker.

[Dan Dascalescu]

Best for you, why? That would be a more helpful answer.

[tobiasBora]

I had some troubles with strange Alt keys sent to the host using KRDC, after a quick try, Vinagre seems to solve most of them so far!

[McHobbes]

I'd only ever used Remmina. It works, but was sometimes a bit frustrating to set up. KRDC is amazingly simple. Thank you.

[Brian Leishman]

This seems to no longer be true in Ubuntu 20.04

[Sylvain Pineau]

@BrianLeishman You sure, still present in the iso manifest: releases.ubuntu.com/20.04/… (remmina 1.4.2+dfsg-1ubuntu1)

[Brian Leishman]

Not totally sure, but I'm on a fresh Ubuntu 20.04 install and it wasn't installed, I had to apt install remmina