How to Install Xrdp on Ubuntu 20.04

Introduction

Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) is a Microsoft protocol providing a remote graphical connection to another computer via the network. It supports strong encryption, audio, and disk redirection. xrdp is an open-source project to implement the RDP on the Linux X desktop. This tutorial explains how to install xrdp on a Ubuntu 20.04 instance with GNOME desktop environment.

Prerequisites

• Deploy a Vultr Ubuntu 20.04 instance.
• Create a sudo user.
• Update the Ubuntu server.

Installation Steps

1. Connect to your instance via SSH or the Web Console as your sudo user.

2. Install GNOME desktop.

   $ sudo tasksel install ubuntu-desktop
   

3. Reboot your instance.

   $ sudo reboot
   

4. After the reboot, connect to your instance again via SSH or the Web Console as your sudo user.

5. Install xrdp.

   $ sudo apt install xrdp
   

6. It's recommended to change the RDP port. For example, change the default port of 3389 to 13389. If you choose a different port, adjust the sed command below.

   $ sudo sed -i 's/3389/13389/g' /etc/xrdp/xrdp.ini
   

7. Open the port in the Ubuntu firewall, ufw.

   $ sudo ufw allow 13389
   

8. If you use the Vultr Firewall, open the port there as well.

9. Restart the xrdp service:

   $ sudo systemctl restart xrdp
   

10. Connect your instance with an RDP Client.

More Resources

• xrdp Official Site