How to Set Up RDP on Ubuntu 24.04 for Remote Access?

[stordis-toc]

Introduction

Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) allows you to access your Ubuntu system from another computer, making it easier to manage your system remotely. In this guide, we'll walk you through setting up RDP on Ubuntu 24.04 using xrdp.

Prerequisites

• A system running Ubuntu 24.04
• Sudo privileges
• A stable internet connection

sudo apt install xfce4 -y

Step-By-Step Instruction

STEP 1: Update Your System

• Before installing any software, update your package list to ensure you get the latest versions.

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

STEP 2: Install XRDP

• Ubuntu does not come with an RDP server by default, so we need to install xrdp.

sudo apt install xrdp -y

• Once installed, check the status of xrdp:

sudo systemctl status xrdp

• If it is not running, start it using:

sudo systemctl start xrdp

• Enable xrdp to start on boot:

sudo systemctl enable xrdp

STEP 3: Set default desktop environment for xrdp:

echo "xfce4-session" > ~/.xsession

• Restart xrdp:

sudo systemctl restart xrdp

STEP 4: Allow RDP Through the Firewall

• By default, XRDP listens on port 3389. You need to allow traffic through the firewall:

sudo ufw allow 3389/tcp
sudo ufw reload

• Check if the firewall is active:

sudo ufw status

STEP 5: Create a New User for RDP Access

• Create the New User with a Home Directory and Bash Shell:

sudo useradd -m stordis --shell /bin/bash

• Set a Password for the New User:

sudo passwd stordis

• Grant Sudo Access to the New User (Optional):

sudo usermod -aG sudo stordis

STEP 6: Connect to Ubuntu Using RDP

• On your Windows or Linux machine, open Remote Desktop Connection.
• Enter the IP address of your Ubuntu machine.
• Click Connect.
• When prompted, enter username and password of user you created in previous step.
• You should now have remote access to your Ubuntu desktop.

STEP 7: Troubleshooting

• Authentication Failure: Ensure your user is part of the ssl-cert group:

sudo adduser xrdp ssl-cert
sudo systemctl restart xrdp

If you encounter any issues, check the xrdp logs using:

sudo journalctl -u xrdp --no-pager | less

If you want to explore more topics, be sure to check out our other guides, including:

How to install NTP server in Ubuntu 24.04

For more free resources, visit: https://stordis.com/free-resources/