VNC via browser

Use the browser for VNC connections

Starting with RPort-Server 0.6.0 the NoVNC proxy and the NoVNC JavaScript client is included into the server. You directly connect to a remote VNC server from your browser. No VNC viewer is needed.

Using the NoVNC integration makes your VNC connection fully encrypted, even if the remote VNC server does not support encryption. The VNC "signal" is sent to the encrypted tunnel of rport from your remote machine to the rport server. The server transforms the signal into HTTPS.

Required VNC server settings

Accessing a server via NoVNC requires a VNC server running on the remote host. On Windows, any VNC server is suitable. On Ubuntu Linux, the built-in VNC server called Vino is known to be incompatible with RPort.

After installing a VNC server, activate the following settings:

  • Turn off encryption. On TightVNC, encryption is not included, but others might have it. Encryption will be added via the RPort tunnel, the VNC server must accept unencrypted connections.

  • Allow connection from localhost. Most VNC servers by default do not allow connection from localhost. Some call it loop back connection.

Using VNC® Server from RealVNC®

If you want to connect to RealVNC servers in a browser, this is supported with the release of noVNC 1.4.0. RealVNC system authentication is supported, and session encryption is achieved via the RPort tunnel.

To use this capability, please change the VNC Server “Encryption” to Prefer On. Either use the VNC Server UI or change the registry key Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\RealVNC\vncserver\Encryption to PreferOn. No further adjustments are required.

To access a RealVNC Server from the browser, select VNC as tunnel type, not RealVNC, and Enable NoVNC (VNC via Browser).

VNC Viewer and the Rport URL integration is required for Multifactor authentication, High-Speed Streaming, Audio and connecting to Virtual mode/Virtual Mode Daemon.

VNC® Server from RealVNC® should ony be used for RPort's browser-based VNC remote access if the RPort Server has noVNC 1.4.0 included. Older versions of NoVNC only supports old (open source) versions of the RFB protocol. RealVNC® has added a number of enhancements to the RFB protocol including encryption and additional authentication mechanisms not supported by NoVNC. ⛔ It is not recommended to make any configuration changes to VNC® Server from RealVNC® to achieve NoVNC 1.3.0 compatibility, like disabling security, using “VNC Password” authentication and setting protocol version to 3.8. 👉 Using the RPort/VNC® Viewer from RealVNC® integration is recommended. Learn more.

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