How to Install Xrdp Server (Remote Desktop) on Ubuntu 18.04

Remote desktop access is a convenient way to access and control a computer remotely. In this article, we will guide you through the process of installing and configuring the Xrdp server on Ubuntu 18.04 to enable remote desktop access.

Before we begin, make sure you have a valid Ubuntu 18.04 installation and administrative privileges.

Step 1: Install Required Packages
First, we need to install some required packages. Open a terminal and run the following command:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install xfce4 xfce4-goodies xorg dbus-x11 x11-xserver-utils

These packages include the Xfce desktop environment, which will be used as the remote desktop interface, and some additional components required for remote desktop functionality.

Step 2: Install Xrdp
Next, we need to install the Xrdp server. Run the following command:

sudo apt install xrdp

Once the installation is complete, you can verify that Xrdp is running by executing the following command:

sudo systemctl status xrdp

If the service is running, you should see an output similar to the following:

● xrdp.service - xrdp daemon
   Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/xrdp.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
   Active: active (running) since [timestamp]

Step 3: Configure Xrdp
To configure Xrdp to use the Xfce desktop environment, we need to edit the Xrdp configuration file. Run the following command to open the file in a text editor:

sudo vim /etc/xrdp/xrdp.ini

In the file, scroll down to the [xrdp1] section and add the following line at the end:

exec startxfce4

This line tells Xrdp to start the Xfce desktop environment when a remote desktop session is established.

Save and close the file.

Step 4: Configure Session Type
To ensure that Xfce is used as the default session type, we need to create a new file. Run the following command:

echo xfce4-session >~/.xsession

This command creates a new file named .xsession in your home directory and sets the default session type to Xfce.

Step 5: Restart Xrdp Service
Finally, we need to restart the Xrdp service to apply the changes. Run the following command:

sudo systemctl restart xrdp

That’s it! You have now successfully installed and configured the Xrdp server on Ubuntu 18.04. You can now connect to your Ubuntu machine remotely using a remote desktop client such as Remmina, Vinagre, or any other RDP client.

When prompted for the remote desktop credentials, use the username and password of the Ubuntu user account you want to access.

Remember to keep your Ubuntu machine secure by using strong passwords and firewall rules to protect remote access.

I hope this article has helped you install and configure the Xrdp server on Ubuntu 18.04. If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask in the comments section below.

Happy remote desktop access!