How to Access a Remote Linux PC from a Windows PC

This tutorial will show you how to emulate a remote Linux desktop from Microsoft Windows using two applications: PuTTY and RealVNC.

Instructions

Step 1

Download and install these two applications, which are available free of charge:
*PuTTY from the PuTTY Download Page.
*RealVNC, from the RealVNC website.
Open each of the downloaded program files and run the installation wizard to install them on your computer.

Step 2

Open and run the PuTTY application. Enter your IP address in the Host Name box. Ensure that the Port is set to 22.

Step 3

Find your IP address. To do this, click on the Start menu located at the bottom-left corner of the screen and click Run. Type cmd in the text field and click OK. This will open the command prompt. Type in ipconfig and hit the Enter key on your keyboard. Now, your IP address will be displayed in the command prompt.

Step 4

Under Protocol, select SSH. Next, you need to enter a name for your session. Click Save. Click Open. This should take you back to the black PuTTY window.

Step 5

Now you need to open a tunnel on your remote Linux machine by using the following command: vncserver :01. This will let you emulate your remote desktop.

Step 6

Restart the PuTTY application. Next, select your saved session and then click Load.
Look in the far left menu bar and scroll to the bottom. Select Tunnels. This takes you to the Tunnels screen. Enter 59## into the Source Port box. ("##" represents your tunnel number).

Step 7

Enter your IP address into the destination box. The options for Local and Auto should be selected.
Click Session to go back to your first screen. The Session button is located on the menu on the far left.

Step 8

You are now ready to emulate your Linux desktop. Click Open in the PuTTY window and start the RealVNC Server.
Enter localhost: followed by your tunnel number in the window that pops up.
When RealVNC Server prompts for the Linux password, simply enter it and click OK.

You have now successfully emulated your remote Linux desktop from your Windows computer.