How to Install and Configure VNC Server on Ubuntu 20.04

VNC (Virtual Network Computing) is a cross-platform remote control utility that uses the Remote Frame Buffer (RFB) protocol, allowing you to share a graphical desktop over the network, similar to Remote Desktop on Microsoft Windows. In this tutorial, we will learn how to install VNC on Ubuntu 20.04 and access the graphical desktop from a remote computer.

Installing Xfce Desktop Session

To start, open the Ubuntu terminal and use the following commands to install the Xfce desktop session:

```bash

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install xfce4

```

Next, select gdm3 if you are asked to set the display manager. We will use the Xfce desktop for the VNC session (which works perfectly with Ubuntu Server).

Installing TightVncServer Package

Once Xfce is installed, install the tightvncserver package on Ubuntu:

```bash

sudo apt-get install tightvncserver

```

Configuring VNC Server

To configure the VNC server, you need to create a configuration file for the VNC desktop. To do this, use the following command:

```bash

vncserver :1 -geometry 1366x768 -depth 24

```

This will create the necessary configuration files required for the VNC server.

Starting VNC Server

When you run the vncserver command for the first time, you will be prompted to create a password for the VNC connection. So, do not run the following command as the root user:

```bash

vncserver :1 -geometry 1366x768 -depth 24

```

Starting VNC Server on Startup

To automatically start the VNC server on startup, you can use the following guide to install and configure the VNC server on both Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and Ubuntu 20.04 LTS.

Connecting to VNC Server

To connect to the VNC server from your local computer, you will need a VNC Viewer. For Microsoft Windows users, you can use the RealVNC Viewer. Enter your Ubuntu server IP address and the VNC desktop number (in this case, 1) to be connected.

Ubuntu users can use the tigervnc-viewer or Vinagre remote desktop viewer. The remote session will use the 1366x768 resolution, and the desktop ID is 1.

In this tutorial, we learned how to install VNC on Ubuntu 20.04 and access the graphical desktop from a remote computer. By following these steps, you can easily set up your own VNC server and remotely control your Ubuntu system from anywhere in the world.

Vnc client ubuntu 20.04