Difference: SshTunnel (13 vs. 14)

How to tunnel port through SSH (e.g. for using VNC remotely)

Why?

VNC server

start the vnc server on the remote computer

• "old" cluster (16 nodes x 4 cores) 192.168.5.236
• "new" cluster (32 nodes x 12 cores) 192.168.5.231
• JEOL3200 computer running SerialEM
• JEOL1230 computer running leginon
• Robot computer running iRobot 192.168.5.172
• Helios Support PC: 192.168.5.183

Linux

• the Linux server will create a "virtual" Desktop that will only be seen by vnc clients
• vnc should be installed by default on most linux systems

    vncserver -geometry 1280x1024 :10

• geometry determines the size of the virtual desktop that will be created
• :10 determine the port that will be used (5900 + the number you enter - in this case 5910)
• First time you run, you will be prompted to enter a password. You will need to remember this later when you open the connection with a vnc viewer
• you can select a different window manager by editing the file .vnc/xstartup
  • icewm is a nice one. twm is annoying but uses minimal resources. kde is a memory hog, don't use it
  • to use icewm, comment out the line "twm &" by adding a # at the start
  • add the line "/usr/apps/icewm/bin/icewm &"

Windows

• the Windows server will display the standard Desktop
• download TightVNC^? and install
• click on VNCServer application
• specify password that you can remember
• you can specify the port number under the Properties->Server page
  • click "Display" and enter 10 or click or click on "Ports" and enter 5910
• you can specify password on the Properties -> Server page
• you can allow multiple people to connect to the server on Properties -> Administration page
  • choose "Automatic shared sessions"

ssh into nysbc from remote site

Windows

• download and use Putty
• in configuration page, edit the SSH->Tunnels
  • "Source port" = 5910
  • "Destination" = 192.168.5.236:5910 (where 192.168.5.236 is the cluster computer in this example, but could be 192.168.5.172 for the robot computer or local IP address of whatever computer you wish to connect to))
    • seems that you need to use the IP address of the "Destination" computer, cannot use common alias, like agamemnon or athena
  • click "Add" and you should see - L5910 192.168.5.236:5910 - appear in the box
• in configuration page "Session" tab
  • enter portal.nysbc.org (207.239.59.21), this is the NYSBC portal computer that will forward the port
    • you must have login privileges on this machine
• It is recommended that you name and save this session so you don't have to enter this next time
• Click "Open" to establish ssh connection (login)

Linux

• from command line type

        ssh -L 5910:192.168.5.236:5910 portal.nysbc.org
-or-
        ssh -L 5910:192.168.5.236:5910 207.239.59.21  

• 192.168.5.236 is the IP address of the cluster, replace with IP address of desired computer

Run VNCVIEWER from remote site

Windows

• "VNC server" = localhost:10
• or "VNC server" = 127.0.0.1:10
  • you are pretending that the vncserver is running on you local machine on port 5910, but ssh is instead tunneling this port to the remote machine as setup above

• In another shell (NOT the one where you are logged in to the remote computer) type:

       vncviewer :10

• you better make sure that you do not have vncserver running on port 5910 of your local machine!

Web server

• In order to access NYSBC internal websites (leginon dataserver, robot cameras, etc) on a remote machine, need to forward web port 80
• example: to browse athena (leginon server):

Establish ssh tunnel (to athena in this example)

Windows - download and use Putty

• in configuration page, edit the SSH->Tunnels
  • "Source port" = 8080
  • "Destination" = 192.168.5.233:80 (this is IP address of athena: the Leginon Server)
    • have to explicitly use IP address of athena, alias does not get translated by ssh
  • click "Add" and you should see - L8080 192.168.5.233:80 - appear in the box
• in configuration page "Session" tab
  • enter portal.nysbc.org (IP address of the portal computer is 207.239.59.21)
    • you must have login privileges on this machine
• It is recommended that you name and save this session so you don't have to enter this next time
• Click "Open" to establish ssh connection (login)

Linux

• from command line type

   ssh -L 8080:192.168.5.233:80 username@207.239.59.21
- or -
   ssh -L 8080:192.168.5.233:80 username@portal.nysbc.org

• Above command forwards athena port 80 data to the remote machine's port 8080
• have to use explicit IP address for athena on command line

open browser on local machine and connect to remote server (Windows or Linux)

• http://localhost:8080

example 2: to view robot cameras:

   ssh -L 8080:192.168.5.160:80 -L 8081:192.168.5.166:80 username@portal.nysbc.org
-or-
   ssh -L 8080:192.168.5.160:80 -L 8081:192.168.5.166:80 username@207.239.59.21

• In browser on remote machine, open following tabs:
  • http://localhost:8080
  • http://localhost:8081

• Set ALLOWTOPICVIEW =

-- DavidStokes - 21 Apr 2010