Learn Remote Desktop - TigerVNC for Windows Server

#Introduction

So far our VNC servers have lived on Linux. But the real world isn't always that clean — many organizations have a mix of Windows and Linux workstations. Episode 8 brings TigerVNC to Windows: installing the server on Windows, running it as a service, then connecting to it from a Linux client and vice versa.

By the end of this episode, you'll be able to share a Windows desktop to a Linux viewer, share a Linux desktop to a Windows viewer, and understand what to watch out for when crossing platforms — such as clipboard sharing and Unicode support.

#Installing TigerVNC on Windows

#Installing the Server and Viewer

TigerVNC provides a Windows installer that carries both the server (winvnc) and the viewer (vncviewer). Download it from the official TigerVNC website, run the installer, and select the components you want:

TigerVNC Server  ->  install (winvnc)
TigerVNC Viewer  ->  install (vncviewer)

After installation completes, winvnc is available both as an application and as a service. Unlike Linux, where everything is done via the terminal, on Windows the initial configuration can be done through the GUI.

#Initial Server Configuration

When winvnc is first run, you'll be asked to set a password. This password is stored by the Windows service and used for all incoming connections:

1. Run TigerVNC Server from the Start Menu
2. Open Properties -> Authentication
3. Set Password for VNC connections
4. Save configuration

An important note: winvnc shares the currently running desktop session by default, similar to x11vnc on Linux. This means you see the same screen that the person sitting at that Windows machine sees.

#Running winvnc as a Windows Service

#A Service for Login-Free Connections

So that Windows can be accessed remotely even before anyone logs in, winvnc must run as a Windows service. During installation, TigerVNC usually registers a service named vncserver. Control it via PowerShell:

Get-Service vncserver
Start-Service vncserver
Set-Service vncserver -StartupType Automatic

The Start-Service vncserver command starts the service, and Set-Service -StartupType Automatic makes it start automatically when Windows boots. This way, a Windows workstation is ready to be accessed anytime without a physical login.

#Verifying the Service Is Running

Get-Service vncserver | Select-Object Status,StartType

If Status shows Running, the server is ready to accept connections. To see which port is open, use netstat:

netstat -ano | findstr :5900

The netstat -ano | findstr :5900 command shows connections on port 5900 — proof that winvnc is listening, before you test from another machine.

#Cross-Platform Connections

#Linux Client to Windows Server

Now let's test the first bridge: a Linux viewer connecting to a Windows server:

vncviewer 192.168.1.30:5900

Replace 192.168.1.30 with the Windows machine's IP address. The Linux TigerVNC viewer will ask for the password set in winvnc, then display the Windows desktop on the Linux screen.

#Windows Client to Linux Server

The reverse direction: open vncviewer from Windows and connect to a Linux VNC server:

vncviewer.exe 192.168.1.20:5901

The Windows vncviewer.exe accepts the same host:port format as the Linux version. This proves the RFB protocol is truly cross-platform — viewer and server don't need to be from the same vendor.

#UTF-8, Unicode, and Clipboard Sharing

#Character and Keyboard Support

Locale differences often become a problem when crossing platforms. TigerVNC supports Unicode clipboards, so text with special characters — including accented letters and languages with non-Latin scripts — can be copy-pasted between Windows and Linux. Keyboard settings can also be synchronized:

vncviewer -Shared -SetPrimarySelection server:1

The -SetPrimarySelection option connects the X11 clipboard with the VNC clipboard, so a selection on Linux is immediately available in Windows applications and vice versa.

#Practical Clipboard Sharing

The fastest way to test clipboard sharing: copy text in Linux, paste it in Windows. If it doesn't work, check two things — whether the server has the clipboard feature enabled, and whether the viewer uses the right options. For winvnc, make sure the "Clipboard" option isn't unchecked in the server Properties.

Linux  ->  select text  ->  Windows  ->  paste  ->  works?

#Conclusion

Episode 8 opened the cross-platform bridge: installing the TigerVNC server and viewer on Windows, running winvnc as a Windows service so workstations are ready to be accessed even before login, and practicing two-way connections between Windows and Linux with clipboard and Unicode support.

Key takeaways:

• winvnc shares the running Windows desktop, like x11vnc.
• Run it as a service so Windows can be accessed without a physical login.
• Get-Service vncserver and netstat -ano | findstr :5900 for verification.
• RFB is cross-platform: Linux viewers to Windows servers and vice versa.
• Clipboard sharing supports Unicode across platforms with -SetPrimarySelection.

In the next episode, episode 9, we cover an implementation commonly used on Windows: TightVNC — features and advantages — focusing on TightVNC Server 2.8.x on Windows, the Tight encoding advantage, the file transfer feature, and practice installing TightVNC Server and connecting to it from TigerVNC or Remmina viewers. See you there!