Hello,

I stopped using TeamViewer a very long time ago. Since then, I’ve been using DWService and I’m quite happy with it. I like the fact that I can access to the terminal without launching any graphical component on the machine (which is handy for my headless servers, and allows me not to open SSH port). I also like the fact that it works even if my VPN server is down, as I can access remote servers that aren’t accessible via the web when they’re no longer reachable through my VPN.

However, there are a few issues that are bothering me more and more. I’ve switched my mum’s computer to Fedora and, whilst it worked perfectly under Windows, remote control is very buggy under fedora because the connection isn’t great. Furthermore, it’s impossible to access the screen if the computer isn’t unlocked.

So, I’d really like to find a solution that meets my criteria:

  • Accessible via a web browser
  • Ideally open-source
  • Free
  • Ideally self-hostable, but I’m worried that if, for example, my reverse proxy or VPN crashes, I won’t be able to access my machines to debug them?
  • Allows access to servers without a monitor
  • Allows access to computers running Fedora without the need for prior unlocking

Thanks!

    • Nik282000@lemmy.caEnglish
      1·
      11 minutes ago

      Guacamole in an LXC container and a virtual desktop in another.

      Requires no client side software, supports totp, lets me do remote admin on weird stuff like printers and home routers.

    • jaycifer@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      2 hours ago

      Thank you! I was just looking through the recommended software list linked in the community sidebar yesterday and this wasn’t on there. I was going to try setting up MeshCentral this weekend, how does this compare to that?

        • jaycifer@lemmy.worldEnglish
          1·
          2 hours ago

          Fair, I’d call “just running it” a point in its favor, and now I have something to do further research on!

  • cerothem@lemmy.caEnglish
    3·
    7 hours ago

    For remote access I use two solutions that both have the features your looking for.

    The first one which I have used for longer than I can remember is MeshCentral https://github.com/Ylianst/MeshCentral

    This one works great, is web based, let’s you access a shell, or you can make port tunnels been agents, access RDP or vnc in the web UI, the file system etc.

    it’s a really great one stop shop that more than covers what you’re looking for.

    The second is RustDesk https://github.com/rustdesk/rustdesk with the betterdesk server and web UI https://github.com/UNITRONIX/BetterDesk

    This one scratched my TeamViewer itch and weekend pretty well. It’s newer than MeshCentral and not as easy to setup however on top of the web client it’s got apps which in my opinion provide a better experience for remote desktop access than MeshCentrals novnc client especially around copy paste.

    All in all, of your looking for something ultra easy I recommend MeshCentral, it’s minor quirks around novnc are so easy to overlook since it just works so well.

    If you want a modern TeamViewer then go with RustDesk/betterdesk but it’s newer and needs some extra work to get going.

    All these projects are open source, free, self hostable, has headless file and terminal access, and have web clients.

    For using Linux on any remote solution you pretty much have to run the desktop on x11 instead of Wayland. I don’t know if any software has found a great Wayland solution yet.

  • 7EP6vuI@feddit.orgEnglish
    2·
    8 hours ago

    why don’t you want to open an ssh port? what’s wrong with that?

    just disable password authentication, and maybe get fail2ban. am i missing something?

      • lntl@lemmy.mlEnglish
        7·
        5 hours ago

        IMO ssh is the tool you’re describing. My ssh server is exposed to the WAN and is configured like this:

        • set to a random port to reduce spam (completely eliminated it for me)
        • set PasswordAuthentication no
        • set PermitRootLogin no
          • lntl@lemmy.mlEnglish
            2·
            2 hours ago

            root is a user account that has all privileges and is what bots are programmed to probe, so exposing it introduces unnecessary risk. IMO there’s no reason to permit root login via ssh in any circumstance, ever, in all cases, absolutely.

            For all the people thinking, “well the world doesn’t work in absolutes, there’s always a special case!” There isn’t.

            If a user needs to use elevated permissions, there are many ways to do that without exposing root. sudo(8) is one way to do that.

            • DougPiranha42@lemmy.worldEnglish
              2·
              2 hours ago

              Thanks for the great explanation! Seems like because logging in as root is never necessary and indeed never done; people confuse sudoer for root login.

            • 7EP6vuI@feddit.orgEnglish
              1·
              2 hours ago

              do you use sudo with a password? this and the unknown username is what get as additional security then?

          • lewy@lemmy.worldEnglish
            1·
            2 hours ago

            sudo -i is what I would do or su root if your other user is not a superuser.

    • SanPe_@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
      1·
      7 hours ago

      Waw. That’s a bit expensive. But for my mom’s computer that would be a nice solution.

  • adr1an@programming.devEnglish
    1·
    7 hours ago

    Don’t worry about vpn failures. I have used headscale for a long uninterrupted time. Yes, eventually you may need physical access. That event is as frequent as having a broken boot partition :p be careful to read changelogs when applying updates or have some other means to access of you will… Just saying that for me it has worked perfectly fine.