This document describes how to install and configure a program called
NX-CLIENT.
Note: If you have a slow connection to the
Internet, NX-Client may not work satisfactorily for you.
NX makes it possible to run any graphical application on any operating
system across any network connection. Via NX accessing remote desktops,
servers and applications, whatever their location, is just as fast, easy
and secure as if you were sitting in front of them.
NX-Client allows external students, remotely connecting to turing, to use the
same programs available to on-campus students connecting to turing
(programs such as xemacs, gvim, R, gnuplot, scilab, the C++ compiler g++, ...
etc).
The nx-client program will present a graphical environment with the same look
and feel as the graphical environments used by on-campus students
(who are logging into their computer accounts via the on-campus lab computers).
-
Installing and configuring the nxclient program on your home computer
NX-CLIENT is available for various operating systems including Linux,
MS-Windows andMac OSX. You need to download the version appropriate
for your computer system, install it on your system, and then configure it.
To install nx-client on your machine you will need to do the following:
-
Firstly, you need to download the actual program to your computer system.
You need to select one from the following choices (a - e)
(depending on the system you are using)
-
NX-Client for Microsoft Windows
NX Client for Windows version 3 will work with
MS-Windows i386/AMD64 2000/2003/XP/Vista/7
Download and install the file:
nxclient-3.4.0-5.exe) to your computer system.
-
NX-Client for Linux i386
For Red Hat Enterprise 4/5,
SuSe 10/10.1/10.2/10.3/11/Enterprise 10,
Mandriva 10.1/2005/2006/2007/2008/2009,
Fedora Linux Core 3/4/5/6, Fedora 7/8/9/10/11/12
Download and install the file:
nxclient-3.4.0-5.i386.rpm
-
NX-Client for DEB for Linux i386
For Xandros Desktop 4.1/Xandros Server 2.0, Debian GNU/Linux 4.0 Etch, Ubuntu 5.10 Breezy Badger/6.06 Dapper Drake/6.10/Edgy Eft/7.04 Feisty Fawn/7.10 Gutsy
Download and install the file:
nxclient_3.0.0-73_i386.deb
-
NX-Client for Mac OSX
NX Client Compressed PKG for Mac OSX
For PPC/Intel Mac OSX 10.3/10.4/10.5/10.6
Download and install the file:
nxclient-3.4.0-5.pkg.zip
- You will need to copy a key file named
client.id_dsa.key from turing to your home computer.
Your computer will need this key in order for your nx-client program
(now installed on your computer) to be able to successfully log into turing.
To do this just right-click the following link
client.id_dsa.key and then select the
"Save Link as" option (if you are using Mozilla) from the pop up
window. You can now save this key file to your computer's hard disk.
-
Configuring the nxclient program on your home computer
-
- Start the nxclient with the nxclient command (or icon) on your home
system.
-
- Create a session called turing
- The host is
turing.une.edu.au
- The port is
22
Once this is done, you will now need to tell the nx-client program where
to find the key file on your system.
-
Under the configuration option in nx-client find a button named "Key".
Press the Key button and then the Import button, to
import the key file
(client.id_dsa.key) that you just copied over to your machine.
- After you press the Import button, you can browse through the directories
on your hard disk to find the client.id_dsa.key key file.
-
- Under "Advanced" option, make sure that
"Disable SSL encryption of all traffic" is NOT selected
-
You also need to select what type of connection you are using to the internet.
For example, those using a dial-up modem would need to select the "MODEM"
option.
- Here is a screen dump of my "General" nxclient options on my MS-Windows XP machine.
Note:
- I am on a Local Area Network, so LAN is selected as the type of connection.
If you have broad-band you will probably need to select the ADSL option.
- In the "Desktop" option, Unix should be selected as shown
-
- Save your configuration.
(NX-client should now be able to connect to turing)
Loggin onto turing using NX-Client
During the installation/configuration process, an NX-Client icon should have
been created and should now be located on your desktop. To start the
NX-Client program and log into your UNE account on turing, double click the
icon.
- You will need to enter your UNE username and password.
Once you have successfully logged into your UNE account on turing
you will presented with an X-Windows desktop environment, just like the
desktop environment on-campus students see when they log into our computer
labs at UNE.
- Note: (You may see an error message come up stating that "No
volume control elements and/or devised found" or something to that effect -
just click on the option not to display that message again or disregard
the message altogether)
Most of the commands you will be entering for this subject will be done
via a terminal window.
To start a terminal window, using the mouse:
- right-click on the NX desktop, a pop up screen should now appear
(As shown here)
- and then select the "Konsole" or "Open Terminal" option
(depending on whether you selected the KDE or GNOME desktop).
A command-line terminal window should now appear.
(As shown here)
you are now ready to commence the first lab tutorial (exercise)
Lab_01
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