Getting rdesktop to work using VRDP

googly · Post by **googly** » 24. Feb 2009, 08:56

Hello,
I'm using VB 2.1.4, Fedora 10 host, with a Fedora 10 guest (planning on multiple F10 guests eventually if I get this to work). VRDP is enabled and running off port 3389. Authentication is set to null.

Problem: can't remote connect to VMs

I started headless in terminal:
VBoxHeadless -startvm Fedora10

It says it's listening on 3389, looks good so far.

On the host machine (which is ip 192.168.1.100) if I run:
rdesktop 192.168.1.100

It connects, all is good. But when I go to the PC across the room (still Fedora 10 at ip 192.168.1.105) and do:
rdesktop 192.168.1.100

I get an error, something about "route cannot be found".

If I use "host networking" I can ssh inside the guest VM from across the room, works fine, but not with rdesktop. Using ssh -X I can also start things (gedit works for instance). But I'd really like to use rdesktop (or something similar, tried rdesktop-vrdp = no luck either).

I'm missing something. Probably something obvious to you experts. I hope someone can help me out. Thanks in advance!

Joe90 · Post by **Joe90** » 24. Feb 2009, 12:16

Needs the port number?

rdesktop 192.168.1.100:3389

Suggest you expand things a bit for speed and size

rdesktop -a 16 192.168.1.100:3389
(reduces colours)

rdesktop -a 16 -g 80%+0+0 192.168.1.100:3389
(reduces colours and should set size of rdesktop window)

remember when you add more VMs to set a different port number

googly · Post by **googly** » 24. Feb 2009, 21:52

Tried from the other PC with port number 3389:
rdesktop -a 16 192.168.1.100:3389
ERROR: 192.168.1.100: Unable to connect

rdesktop-vrdp -a 16 192.168.1.100:3389
ERROR: connect: No route to host

The result is the same as before. I can use ssh or ftp no problem so I guess I can "see" the machine on the network. But rdesktop still is a no go.

Joe90 · Post by **Joe90** » 24. Feb 2009, 22:25

Let's just confirm..the IP of your host machine is 192.168.0.100. The IP of your guest is irrelevant. please confirm. And rdesktop is installed on the .105 machine? check your port settings too. ON .100, open a terminal and run

Code: Select all

VBoxManage list vms

and post back the output from "Fedora10!

Something is not right somewhere, because I use the exact same commands running a headless vm off a server and access in exactly the same way. Are there any firewall issues?

googly · Post by **googly** » 25. Feb 2009, 00:34

GAH! Now I really feel stupid! You said the magic word "firewall".

I opened the port in the Linux firewall, everything works. How totally noob of me.

I'm terribly sorry for wasting your time. Thank you so much for opening my eyes on this.

Joe90 · Post by **Joe90** » 25. Feb 2009, 12:58

Well done googly - we got there, that is the main thing

Have fun!