How-to Setup a VNC Remote Connection to a Raspberry Pi

I don’t have a Raspberry Pi board, yet I’m using one right now remotely thanks to the VNC (Virtual Network Computing) protocol.

The Raspberry Pi I use runs the latest Debian-13-04-2012 image.

Here’s how to do to access the Raspberry Pi desktop in Windows XP. These instructions could  also be followed to connect to any remote networked Linux device with minor modifications.

  1. Connect to the Raspberry Pi via SSH
  2. Install a VNC server (e.g. tightvncserver):

    # sudo apt-get install tightvncserver

  3. Run startx in the background

    # startx &

  4. Start the VNC server (it will ask a password of your choice):

    # tightvncserver

    New ‘X’ desktop is raspberrypi:1

    Starting applications specified in /home/cnxsoft/.vnc/xstartup
    Log file is /home/cnxsoft/.vnc/raspberrypi:1.log

  5. Back to your computer. Install a VNC client such as  TightVNC for Windows. You only need to select “TightVNC Viewer” during installation.
  6. Start TightVNC Viewer (In Windows XP, Start->All Programs->TightVNC->TightVNC Viewer)
  7. Enter the Raspberry Pi IP address and display number in “TightVNC Server:” field , e.g. 192.168.0.123:1, select your connection profile and click on Connect.
    Raspberry Pi Remote Desktop Connection
  8. It should now ask for the password you chose in step 4 and you should see LXDE desktop as shown below. The color depth of the display is 8-bit, since I chose “Low-bandwidth connection” connection profile because I access the board via Internet and to make the system more responsive.

Raspberry Pi TightVNC Server and Viewer Connection

Share this:

Support CNX Software! Donate via cryptocurrencies, become a Patron on Patreon, or purchase goods on Amazon or Aliexpress

ROCK 5 ITX RK3588 mini-ITX motherboard
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
The comment form collects your name, email and content to allow us keep track of the comments placed on the website. Please read and accept our website Terms and Privacy Policy to post a comment.
5 Comments
oldest
newest
MrF
MrF
12 years ago

It would not work on my PI as user pi pi@raspberrypi:~$ startx & [1] 1281 pi@raspberrypi:~$ xauth: (stdin):2: unknown command “c2d7e44cbb17978f166b1e4127 b81c1c” X: user not authorized to run the X server, aborting. giving up. xinit: No such file or directory (errno 2): unable to connect to X server xinit: No such process (errno 3): Server error. [1]+ Exit 1 startx it works fine as root ! pi@raspberrypi:~$ sudo startx & [1] 1305 pi@raspberrypi:~$ X.Org X Server 1.7.7 Release Date: 2010-05-04 X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0 Build Operating System: Linux 2.6.32 armv5tel Debian Current Operating System: Linux raspberrypi 3.1.9+ #90… Read more »

Dan Randolph
Dan Randolph
11 years ago

Works for me. I just have to use ipv4::5901.
If I don’t specify the “::5901” after the ip address, it won’t work.

johnson
johnson
8 years ago

Starting applications specified in /home/pi/.vnc/xstartup
Log file is /home/pi/.vnc/raspberrypi:4.log

getting this message when entering the input as ‘ # tightvncserver’ and thus not getting the login and verify block .
so what to do for this thing ??

Boardcon Rockchip and Allwinner SoM and SBC products