# Citrix remote desktop? Alternatives?



## PacketMan (Dec 12, 2017)

I will soon be buying/building a new home server; primary use will be NAS, Emby, etc.  Then I got to thinking that since most of the time it sits idle, I could use it as a remote desktop server too.  So, is net/citrix_ica all I need on the server and remote machine?  I have no issue in having FreeBSD OS installed on the remote machine 'just to' host the remote desktop receiver, but I don't want to do a desktop install just to run a remote desktop on top of it.  I want to the remote machine to be a thin client so to say.  So do I just install Xorg and that's it?  Perhaps I should ask where can I do some reading on remote desktop thin client systems for FreeBSD?

And, it does not have to be Citrix.  If there are other great alternatives then I am all eyes.


----------



## poorandunlucky (Dec 14, 2017)

Citrix?  OMG...  My workplace uses that piece of garbage...  I hoped I'd never see the word again...

>641 message

I can't believe this is a real post...  You have to be trolling...


----------



## fernandel (Dec 14, 2017)

poorandunlucky said:


> Citrix?  OMG...  My workplace uses that piece of garbage...  I hoped I'd never see the word again...
> 
> >641 message
> 
> I can't believe this is a real post...  You have to be trolling...


What is wrong with you?? There are many universities which they use Citrix and not so long I was in one of them and I use Citrix 8 years and I didn't have any problem.


----------



## Datapanic (Dec 14, 2017)

Do you mean something like vncserver?  See net/tightvnc


----------



## Snurg (Dec 14, 2017)

I have no real knowledge about the matter.
But I thought X Windows is separated into server and client.
So you can have a Xserver on your thin client and on the big server machine you run the Xclient.
*Wouldn't it (at least theoretically) be possible to just connect both via plain TCP/IP?*

(I know nobody wants to have that data unencrypted on the WAN, but thats another issue).
Isn't Citrix sort of a Xserver with encrypted connection to the client?


----------



## PacketMan (Dec 15, 2017)

Datapanic said:


> Do you mean something like vncserver?  See net/tightvnc


Possibly, but don't I still need a desktop installed to run that? Which I don't want.  Or do I just need Xorg installed?  And I don't I need to have the 'server' desktop already logged on? Which I don't want to do.  Launch from the client, and watch the desktop load up.



Snurg said:


> But I thought X Windows is separated into server and client.
> So you can have a Xserver on your thin client and on the big server machine you run the Xclient.



Possibly, I don't know either.  I'll probably just give it a try this winter.  I was thinking/hoping there were ports that others used preferred and had great success with.


----------



## poorandunlucky (Dec 15, 2017)

PacketMan said:


> Possibly, but don't I still need a desktop installed to run that? Which I don't want.  Or do I just need Xorg installed?  And I don't I need to have the 'server' desktop already logged on? Which I don't want to do.  Launch from the client, and watch the desktop load up.
> 
> 
> 
> Possibly, I don't know either.  I'll probably just give it a try this winter.  I was thinking/hoping there were ports that others used preferred and had great success with.



I don't know if this helps you or not, but as far as I know, you can connect to remote X sessions... like have an X server running on the server, and connect to it from somewhere else... like graphical SSH, in true UNIX fashion...

Citrix works pretty well, but it's very complicated... it's one of those packages that's made to create employment...  Plus you have to pay for licenses...

You can run thin clients/headless terminals with X...  I don't see why you'd want to include something like Citrix to your equation...

"XenApps needs ..."  ugh, that thing's a nighmare...


----------

