I want to try switching to Linux.
However, I cannot find a working remote desktop system that allows me to take over the same session that I was using locally so that I can switch back and forth between being at the computer and being remote without having to log out. Blanking/Locking the local screen while I'm connected remotely is also a need.
Basically I need it to work as close to Microsoft's RDP as possible. If anyone can help me with this, you'll convert me to a Linux user.
Unfortunately, having tried nearly ever feasible solution offered to me, I have yet to find a remote desktop system for linux that works with any of the distros I've tried.
NoMachine looked like THE solution, offering a "blank local display" feature, which is the exact thing I need remote desktop to do, Except it just doesn't work. I turn the setting on, it doesn't do it. I've tried KDE and Gnome, X11 and Wayland, no dice.
Being this close but unsuccessful is so frustrating.
Hm. I used to use the client on Linux, with the server on MacOS. It would blank the Mac's display correctly. I didn't use it the other way, so I don't know if it worked that way in my config.
Which desktop are you running on the Linux machine? This support post indicates screen blanking won't work for KDE, because it lacks support for blanking in its D-Bus implementation:
https://forum.nomachine.com/topic/screen-blanking-questions-issues
There's also this KB article:
https://kb.nomachine.com/AR07M00851
Which seems to imply that the method they use to implement blanking is playing games with gamma adjustment - a hack. Maybe that's a permissions thing, the application isn't allowed to adjust gamma with your Linux desktop - or gamma adjustment isn't supported.
@cazabon I have no idea how this information didn't come up for me when I looked, I suppose my search-fu is lacking.
I've tried KDE, Gnome, and Cinnamon all with no luck but I was using a VM to test, which according to that KB is a no-go. I *had* tried a physical laptop, but used KDE for it.
I'll be trying Cinnamon on the laptop tonight, I think I'm onto something thanks to you!
@cazabon success! It works great for my needs running Mint with Cinnamon!
I’m not as crazy about Cinnamon as i was Plasma, but I *suppose* I’ll struggle through. 😁
Thank you again for pointing me in the right direction!
You are more than welcome! I'm glad it worked for you.
FWIW, I use Cinnamon as my desktop. Gnome went in a direction that made usability horrible for me after Gnome 2 - Cinnamon started as a fork of Gnome 2 after Gnome 3 came out.
I really should try a KDE-based desktop and see if I'm missing anything these days. I tried it before, but that was ~~years~~ decades ago. Though I may have missed the boat - I've never used Plasma, but I've heard that it started going in the same direction as Gnome. Dunno if that's right or not.
Ayukawa
C.