Ubuntu Linux For Dummies (2007)

In This Chapter

· Introducing the Remote Desktop Protocol

· Configuring Windows Remote Desktop server

· Connecting to your Windows computer using Remote Desktop

Creating Ubuntu Linux is all about creating a platform that encourages and helps you to access and share information. Your Ubuntu computer is based on open source software that lets you use and modify it as you wish. Open source is a brilliant concept that has changed the world by allowing the free exchange and use of ideas.

However, just because Ubuntu is based on open source doesn't mean it can interact with proprietary operating systems and software. Open source doesn't preclude using closed source when necessary and appropriate. Ubuntu provides many tools for such interaction, and I've found one such tool useful when I need to remotely access and control Windows computers.

Proprietary software — including applications and operating systems — is owned and protected by the owner of the operating system and software. The owner can be a company or an individual. Typically the owner licenses but doesn't sell the software for others to use. For instance, when you purchase a computer, it usually comes with Microsoft Windows installed. You own the computer but not Windows or the applications, such as Word, that come with it. Microsoft's license gives you the right to use their software but not to modify it or even to understand how it works.

Having the ability to connect to remote Windows computers is useful because it saves you time. You don't have to be in the same location as the Windows computer anymore to work on it or manage it. I have to manage some Windows computers, and being able to remotely work on them from my office or from home makes life easier and saves many trips.

Introducing the Remote Desktop Protocol

This chapter describes how to use the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) to connect, authenticate, and work on remote Windows servers. This is a very useful capability because, in general, Windows is difficult to work with remotely.

The RDP is designed to communicate with Windows Terminal Services. Terminal Services allow data and applications stored on a Windows computer to be accessed remotely (from another computer). Using RDP on your Ubuntu computer lets you communicate with Terminal Services on the Windows computer. That combination makes your Ubuntu computer into a window into Windows, so to speak. You see everything on the remote Windows computer as if you were sitting at its console. You control the remote computer and can do anything on it you wish.

RDP is a very cool and useful system. It saves me a lot of shoe leather — okay, it saves my worn out Adidas Sambas from totally falling apart — walking to and from every Windows box that I have to administer.

Chapter 19. Connecting to the Dark Side: Working Remotely on Windows

In This Chapter

· Introducing the Remote Desktop Protocol

· Configuring Windows Remote Desktop server

· Connecting to your Windows computer using Remote Desktop

Creating Ubuntu Linux is all about creating a platform that encourages and helps you to access and share information. Your Ubuntu computer is based on open source software that lets you use and modify it as you wish. Open source is a brilliant concept that has changed the world by allowing the free exchange and use of ideas.

However, just because Ubuntu is based on open source doesn't mean it can interact with proprietary operating systems and software. Open source doesn't preclude using closed source when necessary and appropriate. Ubuntu provides many tools for such interaction, and I've found one such tool useful when I need to remotely access and control Windows computers.

Proprietary software — including applications and operating systems — is owned and protected by the owner of the operating system and software. The owner can be a company or an individual. Typically the owner licenses but doesn't sell the software for others to use. For instance, when you purchase a computer, it usually comes with Microsoft Windows installed. You own the computer but not Windows or the applications, such as Word, that come with it. Microsoft's license gives you the right to use their software but not to modify it or even to understand how it works.

Having the ability to connect to remote Windows computers is useful because it saves you time. You don't have to be in the same location as the Windows computer anymore to work on it or manage it. I have to manage some Windows computers, and being able to remotely work on them from my office or from home makes life easier and saves many trips.

Introducing the Remote Desktop Protocol

This chapter describes how to use the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) to connect, authenticate, and work on remote Windows servers. This is a very useful capability because, in general, Windows is difficult to work with remotely.

The RDP is designed to communicate with Windows Terminal Services. Terminal Services allow data and applications stored on a Windows computer to be accessed remotely (from another computer). Using RDP on your Ubuntu computer lets you communicate with Terminal Services on the Windows computer. That combination makes your Ubuntu computer into a window into Windows, so to speak. You see everything on the remote Windows computer as if you were sitting at its console. You control the remote computer and can do anything on it you wish.

RDP is a very cool and useful system. It saves me a lot of shoe leather — okay, it saves my worn out Adidas Sambas from totally falling apart — walking to and from every Windows box that I have to administer.

Configuring Your Windows Remote Desktop Server

Microsoft doesn't provide the Remote Desktop server on its home-based operating system. You can get the server version on only the Professional versions of Windows. You must have one of the following Windows operating systems to use RDP:

· Vista Business

· Vista Small Business

· Vista Enterprise

· Vista Ultimate

· Server 2003

· XP Professional

· 2000 Server

· 2000 Advanced Server

· 2000 Datacenter Server

Windows XP Home Edition and Windows Vista Home Edition provides the RDP client but not the server. You can connect to an RDP server using the client, but not the other way around.

Let's configure the Windows RDP server:

1. Log on to a compatible Windows computer:

o Windows XP Professional

o Windows Vista Business

o Windows Vista Enterprise

o Windows Vista Ultimate

o Windows 2003 Server

2. Click the Start button and select Control Panel.

The Control Panel dialog opens.

3. Use either of the following actions to open the System Properties window:

o Double-click the System icon.

o Right-click and select Open.

The System Properties dialog opens.

4. Click the Remote tab.

The System Properties dialog, as shown in Figure 19-1 , shows the RDP options.

Figure 19-1: The System Properties dialog RDP options.

· Select the Allow Users to Connect Remotely to This Computer check box.

· Click the Select Remote Users button.

The Remote Desktop Users dialog opens. You need to specify which people can use RDP on your computer.

Windows automatically provides remote RDP access to the user account you're logged in as. If I'm logged in as Betty, Betty can connect using RDP without adding her explicitly through the Remote Desktop Users dialog.

· Click the Add button.

The Select Users dialog opens.

· Type the username you want to give RDP access to in the Enter the Object Names to Select text box.

You must specify the name of an existing user account. The Select Users dialog doesn't let you enter a nonexistent account name. You can click the Check Names button to check if a name is valid.

· Click the OK button.

Control returns to the Remote Desktop Users dialog, in which the username appears. (See Figure 19-1 .)

Figure 19-1: Adding a username to the RDP remote access list.

· Click the OK button.

Control returns to the System Properties dialog.

· Click the OK button.

You've configured your Windows computer for remote access. You'll be able to connect to your Windows computer over a network or the Internet and use it as if you were sitting at its screen.

The account you configure to remotely access your Windows computer must have a password assigned to it. Follow these steps to create a password for the account, if necessary:

1. Select StartControl Panel.

The Control Panel dialog opens.

2. Double-click the User Accounts icon.

The User Accounts dialog opens.

3. Click the Create a password option.

4. Type your password in the Type a New Password text box.

5. Retype the password in the Type a New Password Again to Confirm text box.

6. Click the Create Password button.

The account is password protected.

Using Terminal Server Client

Connecting to your Windows computer requires you to start the Terminal Server Client on your Ubuntu computer. Proceed as follows:

1. Choose ApplicationsInternetTerminal Server Client from the GNOME menu bar.

The Terminal Server Client window opens, as shown in Figure 19-1 .

Figure 19-1: Connecting to a Windows computer remotely.

· Type the name (or numeric IP address) of your Windows computer in the Computer text box.

· Type your username in the User Name text box.

· Click the Connect button.

The Terminal Server Client connects to your Windows computer and prompts you for your password, as shown in Figure 19-1 .

Figure 19-1: Your Windows computer prompts you for your password.

· Type your password in the Password text box.

· Click the OK button.

The Terminal Server Client logs you in to your Windows account and displays the exact same screen you would see if you were sitting at the computer itself. You can now work on the remote Windows computer as if you were sitting at it. RDP and Ubuntu's Terminal Server Client provide this great capability. You can get your work done from Tahiti if you want.

Unfortunately, getting to Tahiti is not as easy as setting up RDP and the Terminal Server Client. Oh well.