Remote access to Wayland desktops under Fedora 29
Bird's Eye View

Lead Image © M Tomczak, fotolia.com
In Fedora 29, you can enable a VNC server on Wayland with a few mouse clicks, thus enabling remote desktop access.
On Linux, the X Window System (short X11) still draws the graphical user interface on the screen in most cases. Thanks to its integrated network functions, it can even transport program windows from remote computers onto the screen if required. This facilitates remote maintenance and simplifies thin client setup. While the computationally intensive application runs on a powerful computer, the user looks at the output on their local PC, which requires very little in terms of resources.
In Wayland, the newly-developed X11 successor, these neat network functions are missing in the plain vanilla version. Although Wayland is leaner and significantly more secure than X11, it lacks some proven functions. If you want to share your desktop on Wayland, you need separate remote desktop software.
Pimped Up
The lack of remote access in Wayland was a thorn in the Fedora team's side. While they used proven components and protocols to restore these missing network capabilities, they had to adapt or slightly modify existing software to meet their goal [1].
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.

News
-
Cairo Dock 3.6 Now Available for More Compositors
If you're a fan of third-party desktop docks, then the latest release of Cairo Dock with Wayland support is for you.
-
System76 Unleashes Pop!_OS 24.04 Beta
System76's first beta of Pop!_OS 24.04 is an impressive feat.
-
Linux Kernel 6.17 is Available
Linus Torvalds has announced that the latest kernel has been released with plenty of core improvements and even more hardware support.
-
Kali Linux 2025.3 Released with New Hacking Tools
If you're a Kali Linux fan, you'll be glad to know that the third release of this famous pen-testing distribution is now available with updates for key components.
-
Zorin OS 18 Beta Available for Testing
The latest release from the team behind Zorin OS is ready for public testing, and it includes plenty of improvements to make it more powerful, user-friendly, and productive.
-
Fedora Linux 43 Beta Now Available for Testing
Fedora Linux 43 Beta ships with Gnome 49 and KDE Plasma 6.4 (and other goodies).
-
USB4 Maintainer Leaves Intel
Michael Jamet, one of the primary maintainers of USB4 and Thunderbolt drivers, has left Intel, leaving a gaping hole for the Linux community to deal with.
-
Budgie 10.9.3 Now Available
The latest version of this elegant and configurable Linux desktop aligns with changes in Gnome 49.
-
KDE Linux Alpha Available for Daring Users
It's official, KDE Linux has arrived, but it's not quite ready for prime time.
-
AMD Initiates Graphics Driver Updates for Linux Kernel 6.18
This new AMD update focuses on power management, display handling, and hardware support for Radeon GPUs.