What is the NX server?

The NX server and client application is developed by the Italian company NoMachine and provides a way to efficiently and securely access X-server based GUIs.

It compresses the X-server rendered screens and enables the client to access it via SSH. Thus making it possible to even access your remote linux server using an dial-up internet connection conveniently.

Is it expensive?

You can download and use the NX server and client for free. The free version is restricted to 2 concurrent client connections at the same time. If you need to set it up for more users you’d need to buy a license.

How do I get started?

If you use Ubuntu or Debian, you need to download the nxserver, nxnode and nxclient DEB packages and install them.

Download all 3 deb packages which suite your distribution (x86 or x64 packages are available) to your server from here:

http://www.nomachine.com/download.php

Now first install the nxclient package and then the nxnode and last but not least the nxserver. Make sure to meet the dependencies.

The packages get installed in the directory: /usr/NX/

After you installed all three packages you just have to start the nxserver by typing:

 sudo /usr/NX/bin/nxserver --start

Basically you’re done now! That was easy, right?

Now it’s time to install the nxclient on your client machine and set up the connection using the wizard which appears when you start the client for the first time.

If you have any questions regarding further settings just comment on this post!