Hello selfhosters, I’ve been using different remote desktop apps to support few friends and family members with their Windows or Linux desktop machines. Sometimes I also use phone (Android) when I’m away from home.
I tried 3 services so far:
- TeamViewer - its amazing, but it recognized me as non-private user and asking for money…
- AnyDesk - even better experience than TeamViewer. It also started with non-private use and messages to buy a license (after creating account it stopped doing that). It works perfectly fine, but sometimes it gets super slow and it tends to reduce stream quality by too much
- RustDesk - finally found open source solution and it has the same features like others I tried. The problem with RustDesk is simmilar to AnyDesk, sometimes its super slow, laggy and with reduced stream quality and sometimes connection breaks. It has permanent message on the bottom:
Ready, For faster connection, please set up your own server.
Sounds like a perfect task for my server on fiber network.
I checked self hosted RustDesk service, but it requires opening ports. I have open wireguard port to my home server to connect to home network when needed. I don’t like idea of opening more ports just because it doesn’t feel safe in my hands, but maybe I’m wrong. Am I missing something? What do you use for remote desktop? Do you have the same experience with any service I mentioned here? Is anyone selfhosting RustDesk server? Are there better (free or affordable) alternatives available? I prefer selfhosted if possible. 10$ a month is kinda steep for me and my needs. I don’t need super high quality stream, but would be nice to have simple solution that just works
All tips are welcome
You can tunnel RDP over SSH. Then you’d only open a port that requires authentication to access and is encrypted.
Do I need to open port on client pc for that? Ill take a look anyway, thx
No only the server, you can host an openssh server and have clients connect remotely.
Sorta like how you can host a webserver and a client doesn’t need 443 open. Except a reverse shell is possible with ssh, allowing a client to be controlled without their port 22 open.
As far as security goes, 1 open port and 1000 open ports contain basically the same level of risk exposure to the internet- a hole will always be a hole. If you need to open a few more for rustdesk, just do it, and be diligent about your firewall rules.
I’ve used VNC inside my LAN before with decent results, and it doesn’t break graphics drivers like windows RDP does. However, not FOSS.
I use NoMachine, but that’s in a Linux-to-Linux environment.
Did a test last weekend sitting in a department store parking lot on the store’s public wifi, wifi bitrate about 50Mbps both ways, 50ms between me and my homelab … very very usable experience with quality set at 6/10.
Thank you. Sounds good, but linux to linux is not enough for me unfortunately. I need something that works on android and windows as well
At work we are using anydesk and boy… Even the paid Version isnt really better than the free one imho.
Rust is the next one i wanna try. About the opening ports. Maybe run it in a docker Container? For me a self hosted solutions also Sounds super nice and i gonna Look into it.
Edit: sorry for All the typos… Stupid phone and typing while walking xD
At work we are using anydesk and boy… Even the paif Version isnt really Taster than the free one imho. Rufst is the next one i wanna try. About the openong ports. Maybe run it in a docker Container? For me a self hosted solutions also Sounds super nice and i gonna Look into it.
FTFY
At work we are using anydesk and boy… Even the paid version isn’t really faster than the free one imho.
Rust is the next one i wanna try. About the opening ports. Maybe run it in a docker Container? For me a self hosted solution also Sounds super nice and I’m gonna look into it.
