How to install xrdp on Ubuntu 18.04 + Customization

5 min readJul 21, 2020

xrdp with xfce interface on Ubuntu 18.04 (Bionic)

This tutorial will guide to install xrdp with either XFCE or MATE interface with customizations to increase productivity. Installation of xrdp on ubunut 18.04 with customization.

What is xRdp?

It’s a free and open source app which provides a graphical login to your server to control it as if you are controlling your own desktop. It uses rdp (Microsoft Remote Desktop Protocol) to let it connect to your desktop with the help of any rdp client like Microsoft Desktop Connection

Requirements

# A freshly installed server with ubuntu 18.04 (Bionic) [Ofcourse you can use this tutorial to install it on ubuntu 20.04]

# A root user

# All other requirements will be stated in between the steps as per the necessity

If you don’t have a VPS then you can try Hostlease: HOSTLEASE

Installation

Step 1: Log in to the server with sudo privelege

Log in on a Mac or Linux

ssh username@IPaddress_of_your_server

Log in on Windows

Use Putty to fire up your ssh session!

Latest release can be found here: https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/latest.html

Step 2: Updating

Before heading to xrdp installation packages we have to update the system package lists! It will also add new packages to the repository if any new packages for system are available.

sudo apt-get update

Step 3: Installing xrdp

After update, Install the latest xrdp packages with the following commands

sudo apt-get install xrdp

Step 4: Choosing the Preferred desktop environment

The most widely used Desktop environment for remote servers are XFCE and MATE.

Both have their pros and cons.

If you want to install xfce then type the command which is given in XFCE section or else for MATE type commands in MATE Section

XFCE

To install XFCE

sudo apt-get install xfce4

And to install XFCE terminal

sudo apt-get install xfce4-terminal

MATE

To install MATE

sudo apt-get install mate-core mate-desktop-environment mate-notification-daemon

Step 5: Now adding configurations to use your selected environment

If you choose xfce then configure accordingly to it

sudo sed -i.bak '/fi/a #xrdp multiple users configuration \n xfce-session \n' /etc/xrdp/startwm.sh

If you choose MATE then configure accordingly to it

sudo sed -i.bak '/fi/a #xrdp multiple users configuration \n mate-session \n' /etc/xrdp/startwm.sh

Step 6: Adding xrdp to “ssl-cert” group

By default Xrdp uses the /etc/ssl/private/ssl-cert-snakeoil.key file which is readable only by users that are members of the “ssl-cert” group. Execute the following command to add the xrdp user to the group

sudo adduser xrdp ssl-cert

Step 7: Allowing RDP port in Firewall

ERROR: WHEN I WAS CONFIGURING UFW RULES I GOT ONE ERROR “sudo: ufw: command not found” . IT HAPPENED BECAUSE UFW WAS NOT INSTALLED ON UBUNTU 18.04
FIX:

sudo apt-get install ufw

Then, add port 3389 to the firewall

sudo ufw allow 3389/tcp

If you are using iptables on your ubuntu 18.04 server already then {don’t know what it is or don’t know whether you are using it or not then use ufw}

sudo iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 3389 -j ACCEPT

sudo netfilter-persistent save

sudo netfilter-persistent reload

Step 8: Restart XRDP

sudo /etc/init.d/xrdp restart

Step 9: Adding a user other than root with sudo priveleges

First add a user

sudo adduser <username>EXAMPLE: sudo adduser aps

If there is already a user with the same username then you will get a error lik

useradd: user <username> already exists

Now Add that user to sudo group

sudo usermod -aG sudo <username>EXAMPLE: sudo usermod -aG sudo aps

Step 10: Opening the session

This is the most interesting part as you will be able to log in to the server with xrdp+xfce!

MAC USERS

Install Microsoft Remote Desktop Client from MAC APP STORE

WINDOWS USERS

Windows users may already know that their system has a client pre installed in their system. Just click windows button then search on cortana RDP. It will immediately show up the Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection.

Just Click on that and put your server IP and enter.

That’s All! Then type in the user and its password which we made earlier above!

;)

BY DEFAULT THE MAIN TERMINAL WILL NOT WORK IN XFCE. YOU HAVE TO SEARCH FOR XFCE TERMINAL IN APPLICATION FINDER WHICH WE HAVE INSTALLED EARLIER.

Customization(Optional!)

Installing Xfce4-screenshooter to take screenshots and upload it to sites like imgur directly

sudo apt-get install xfce4-screenshooter

Then, right click on the and Add New Item. It will open a windows to select app. Scroll down to find “Screenshot”. And then select it and click Add.

Now, you will be able to see the screenshot button at the top right corner as shown below.

Now whenever you have to take screenshot of your server during the xrdp session then just click on that screenshot button and upload it to imgur to access it on your local desktop!

2. Customizing Terminal Welcome Message