At BTCPVS, we’ve had many customers reach out asking how to effectively use their Ubuntu VPS as a remote desktop. To simplify your setup securely, we’ve created this concise guide on installing XRDP with XFCE, a lightweight desktop environment ideal for VPS servers.

Step 1: Update and Install Packages

Update your system and install XFCE and XRDP:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo apt install xfce4 xfce4-goodies xrdp -y

Enable XRDP to start automatically at boot:

sudo systemctl enable --now xrdp

Step 2: Create a New User

For security reasons, it’s mandatory to create a dedicated user for remote desktop access:

sudo adduser yourusername
sudo usermod -aG sudo yourusername

Replace yourusername with your chosen username. You will be prompted to set a strong and unique password.

Step 3: Configure XRDP to Use XFCE

Tell XRDP to launch XFCE when connecting:

sudo -u yourusername bash -c 'echo "startxfce4" > ~/.xsession'
sudo -u yourusername chmod +x /home/yourusername/.xsession
sudo systemctl restart xrdp

Step 4: Connecting to Your VPS

Use an RDP client like Windows Remote Desktop, Remmina (Linux), or Microsoft Remote Desktop (macOS):

• Host/IP: Your BTCPVS VPS IP address
• Port: 3389
• Username/Password: Credentials for your newly created user

If the connection was successful, you should see something like this:

Note: Remote desktop performance may vary depending on your ping and network speed. Additionally, running a graphical user interface can be CPU-intensive. We recommend choosing a higher-specification VPS for smoother performance.

Optional: Installing Additional Software

You can easily install additional software such as Firefox or other applications:

sudo apt install firefox -y

Troubleshooting Common Issues

• Blank screen upon connection: Ensure your .xsession file is set correctly.
• XRDP not starting: Check status using sudo systemctl status xrdp.

Conclusion

With XRDP and XFCE installed on your BTCPVS Ubuntu VPS, you gain a secure, straightforward way to remotely manage your server. This setup is perfect for administrative tasks and everyday usage.