NoMachine (free version) – Installation and Configuration Guide (v.6)

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ID: DT02O00124

Version: NoMachine 6

Added on: 2017-02-27

Last Update: 2020-12-17

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NoMachine (free version) - Installation and Configuration Guide (v.6)

Table of Contents

Introduction

1. NoMachine (free version) - Installation and Configuration Guide

1.1. About This Guide

How to set-up NoMachine

2. Install NoMachine

2.1. Prerequisites

2.2. Windows Installations

2.3. Mac Installations

2.4. Linux Installations

2.5. RPM Packages

2.6. DEB Packages

2.7. TAR.GZ Packages

2.8. The NoMachine Monitor in Your System Tray

Connect to NoMachine

3. Initiating a NoMachine Connection

3.1. Connect from Your Computer to a Computer with NoMachine Installed

3.2. What if the Remote Computer is a Headless Linux?

3.3. Disabling Accepting Connection to your Desktop

Configurations and optimizations

4. Configuring NoMachine

4.1. The User Interface for Server's Administration

4.2. Quick Access to Server's Administration

4.3. Personalization of User's Interface and Other Settings for Connections to Another Computer

4.4. Optimization, Device Sharing and Other Functionalities During the Remote Desktop Connection

Introduction
1. NoMachine (free version) - Installation and Configuration Guide

Welcome to the NoMachine Installation and Configuration Guide for version 6. This document is intended to provide you with step-by-step instructions on how to (i) install, update or remove the NoMachine software on your system, (ii) initiate your first connection to the remote computer and (iii) configure appearance of user interface (GUI, Graphical User Interface) and NoMachine's features. What is NoMachine for? NoMachine, tailored for personal use, allows you to connect from your computer to the desktop of another computer with NoMachine software installed. The double side of NoMachine, a client and a server all-in-one Each NoMachine installation provides everything that is necessary to give access to your own computer from remote (NoMachine acts as a server). It allows one connection to the physical desktop of its host. The same NoMachine installation can also be used to connect you to other NoMachine computers (NoMachine acts as a client). NoMachine is fully operative once installed Once installation has been completed with success, NoMachine is up-and-running and ready to accept connections to the physical desktop of its host machine. All the necessary services are automatically started. Headless Linux machines A headless computer is configured to operate without a monitor, keyboard, and mouse. In this case, or when more in general the local X server cannot be found, NoMachine will use its own display service (that is an embedded X server) to let users connect seamlessly a physical desktop running in background on the remote machine. No manual intervention or configuration is needed, but a desktop environment needs to be installed on such machine.

TIP

If you just need it to connect to a remote computer (i.e. using NoMachine as a client), you may shutdown the NoMachine services. Click on the !M icon in the system tray to open the menu and click on 'Show the service status'. When clicking on the 'Shut down the server' button, you will be requested if the server has to be automatically restarted when rebooting. When the server is shutdown, it's not possible to connect to this machine from another one.

1.1 About this guide

This guide is organized in the following areas:

Installation
How to install NoMachine, update an exiting installation or uninstall it.

How to connect to this host
Use NoMachine to connect to another computer with NoMachine installed.

Configuration
The NoMachine user interface: a graphical interface to administer and monitor NoMachine services on this host (e.g. accept/deny connections) and configure connections to other computers.

How to set-up NoMachine
2. Install NoMachine

2.1. Prerequisites
Supported Operating Systems Windows 32-bit/64-bit XP/Vista/7/8/8.1/10 Windows Server 2008/2012/2016 Mac OS X Intel 64-bit 10.7 to 10.14 Linux 32-bit and 64-bit RHEL 4 to RHEL 8 SLED 10 to SLED 15 SLES 10 to SLES 15 openSUSE 10.x to openSUSE 15.x Mandriva 2009 to Mandriva 2011 Fedora 10 to Fedora 30 Debian 4.0 to Debian 9 Ubuntu 8.04 to Ubuntu 19.04 Raspberry Pi 2/3 ARMv6/ARMv7/ARMv8 Software requirements A desktop environment must already be installed. This applies also to headless Linux machines. Hardware requirements The software is designed to work on computers with minimal HW requirements. Although the software may work with inferior CPUs or reduced RAM, for best performance NoMachine recommends you match the listed requirements. - Intel Core2 Duo or AMD Athlon Dual-Core or equivalent - 1 GB RAM - Network connection (either a LAN, or Internet link: broadband, cable, DSL, etc...) Size required on disk: Windows 130 MB Linux 110 MB Mac 100 MB ARMv6 95 MB ARMv7 85 MB ARMv8 105 MB Compatibility Between Client/Server Versions Compatibility between client/server versions 5 or 4 and v. 6 is fully preserved.

2.2. Windows Installation

INSTALL
Download the package for Windows from the NoMachine web site and install it by double-clicking on the icon of the executable: a setup wizard will take you through the installation. Accept to reboot the machine, this is mandatory for completing the installation.

Provide your administrative credentials if requested to authorize the installation.

Step 1: Welcome to the installer! Click on Next to start the installation.

Step 2: Read and accept the License Agreement and click Next to go on.

Step 3: Click Next to proceed and please wait while Setup completes the installation … You can then select where to install NoMachine or let the default location as it is.

TIPS

I	What's important to remember is that all successive updates will take place there. To change the place of installation you will have to uninstall the software and proceed with a fresh install.
II	Reboot is requested to complete the installation.

Step 4: Accept to reboot your machine to complete the installation and exit the Installer.

UPDATE
There are two ways to update your current installation:

Automatic updates

You can update your installation from our repositories. Just open the NoMachine User Interface from your Programs Menu, access the 'Settings' panel and click on 'Server preferences'. Go to the 'Updates' panel and click on the 'Check now' button.

NoMachine has the automatic check for updates enabled: it will periodically check our repositories (by default every two days) to verify if updates are available. In this case, NoMachine will prompt a dialog informing that a new version is available but it will never automatically update the current installation.

Checking for updates can be disabled from that dialog by selecting the 'Don't ask again for this version' option or in the Updates panel by unchecking the 'Automatically check for updates' option.

Detailed instructions for configuring the Automatic Updates are available in this separate document: https://www.nomachine.com/DT10O00149.

Update with NoMachine packages

Alternatively, you may download the latest available package from the NoMachine web site and click on the executable file to launch Setup. As for the installation, Setup will guide you through all steps necessary for updating your installation.

UNINSTALL
You can uninstall NoMachine from the Windows Control Panel and the 'Add or Remove Programs' in Windows XP or 'Program and Features' in Windows Vista, 7, 8 or 10. Find the NoMachine program in the list of installed programs and choose to uninstall it.

On Windows 8 or later you can use the Search box from the Charms bar on the right side of the screen: type Control Panel to open it. Then access the Programs - 'Uninstall a program' panel.

On Windows 7, Vista and XP, click on the Start button and click to open the Control panel from the Start menu. Then access panel 'Programs and Features' or 'Add or Remove Programs', depending on your Windows version.

TIP

Reboot is requested to complete the uninstalling process.

2.3. Mac Installations

INSTALL
Download the DMG package from the NoMachine web site and double click on the package icon to mount the disk image. Next double-click on the package to install it; the Installer will take you through the installation.

Step 1: Welcome to the installer! Click on Continue to start the installation.

Step 2: Read the License Agreement and Agree. Then click on Continue to proceed.

Step 3: Provide administrative credentials and confirm by clicking on Install Software. Then click on Install and wait until Installer completes.

Step 4: The installation phase is now complete, click on Close to exit Installer.

UPDATE
There are two ways to update your current installation:

Automatic updates

You can update your installation from our repositories. Just open the NoMachine User Interface from Applications, access the 'Settings' panel and click on 'Server preferences'. Go to the 'Updates' panel and click on the 'Check now' button.

Checking for updates can be disabled from that dialog by selecting the 'Don't ask again for this version' option or in the Updates panel by unchecking the 'Automatically check for updates' option.

Detailed instructions for configuring the Automatic Updates are available in this separate document: https://www.nomachine.com/DT10O00149.

Update with NoMachine packages

UNINSTALL
To uninstall, just drag and drop NoMachine from Applications to trash or select 'Move to trash' from the mouse button menu. Administrative credentials are requested.

2.4. Linux Installations

Installing for the first time
You can install, update and uninstall using the graphical package manager of your Linux distribution or from command line by running commands from an xterm or similar with the sudo utility, or as root user if you don't have sudo installed. Instructions below refer to installation by command line .

Successive updates
The update procedure for server and node installations requires to stop all NoMachine services in order to correctly replace libraries and binaries. This implies that all running sessions are terminated during the update procedure and cannot be recovered later. This applies to upates made by using NoMachine packages and to automatic updates from NoMachine repositories.

There are two ways to update your current installation:

Automatic updates

Checking for updates can be disabled from that dialog by selecting the 'Don't ask again for this version' option or in the Updates panel by unchecking the 'Automatically check for updates' option.

Detailed instructions for configuring the Automatic Updates are available in this separate document: https://www.nomachine.com/DT10O00149.

Update with NoMachine packages

Alternatively, you may download the latest available package and use the graphical package manager of your system to install it or do it from command line as explained below.

2.5. RPM Packages

If you want to install to default location /usr/NX, run from a console any of the following commands as root:

INSTALL

rpm -ivh <pkgName>_<pkgVersion>_<arch>.rpm

UPDATE

rpm -Uvh <pkgName>_<pkgVersion>_<arch>.rpm

UNINSTALL

rpm -e nomachine

If you want to install to a non-default location, for example /opt/NX

INSTALL

rpm -ivh <pkgName>_<pkgVersion>_<arch>.rpm --prefix /opt

UPDATE

rpm -Uvh <pkgName>_<pkgVersion>_<arch>.rpm --prefix /opt

UNINSTALL

rpm -e nomachine

2.6. DEB Packages

If you want to install to default location /usr/NX, run from a console any of the following commands as sudo user:

INSTALL

sudo dpkg -i <pkgName>_<pkgVersion>_<arch>.deb

UPDATE

sudo dpkg -i <pkgName>_<pkgVersion>_<arch>.deb

UNINSTALL

sudo dpkg -r nomachine

If you want to install to a non-default location, for example /opt/NX

INSTALL

sudo NX_INSTALL_PREFIX=/opt dpkg -i <pkgName>_<pkgVersion>_<arch>.deb

UPDATE

sudo NX_INSTALL_PREFIX=/opt dpkg -i <pkgName>_<pkgVersion>_<arch>.deb

UNINSTALL

sudo dpkg -r nomachine

2.7. TAR.GZ Packages
If you want to install to the default location /usr/NX ensure that package is placed there.

INSTALL
cd /usr sudo tar xvzf <pkgName>_<pkgVersion>_<arch>.tar.gz sudo /usr/NX/nxserver --install

UPDATE
cd /usr sudo tar xvzf <pkgName>_<pkgVersion>_<arch>.tar.gz sudo /usr/NX/nxserver --update

UNINSTALL
sudo /usr/NX/scripts/setup/nxserver --uninstall

then, remove the installation dir:

sudo rm -rf /usr/NX

If you want to install to a non-default location, for example /opt/NX, extract the archive in /usr/NX and then use the following commands:

INSTALL
sudo NX_INSTALL_PREFIX=/opt /usr/NX/nxserver --install

UPDATE
sudo NX_INSTALL_PREFIX=/opt dpkg -i /usr/NX/nxserver --update

UNINSTALL
sudo /opt/NX/scripts/setup/nxserver --uninstall

then, remove the installation dir:

sudo rm -rf /opt/NX

2.8. The NoMachine Monitor in Your System Tray

Once you have terminated the installation or the update, including reboot when requested, a NoMachine icon (!M) will appear in your system tray. This is the NoMachine Monitor, a small application which gives you fast access to server management tools and User Interface and advises you when someone is requesting to connect.

Click on the !M icon to open the menu and have quick access to its functionality:

Fig. 1 - Use the Monitor (!M) to access server functionality via 'Show the service status'

Connect to NoMachine

3. Initiating a NoMachine Connection

3.1. Connect from Your Computer to a Computer with NoMachine Installed

If you want to connect to a computer, you will need to know its IP address. To know the IP address of a specific NoMachine host, open the NoMachine User Interface on that computer, and you will see a 'Welcome' panel like this one:

Fig. 2 - Open the NoMachine application on the host to know its IP address

If you want to connect to this computer over the Internet, write down the external IP address and its port number. In our example: nx://151.1.192.128:29382. If you are connecting on a local network instead, you just need the private IP, 192.168.2.29 in this case. You will need this information when creating the connection to this host from your client device. Follow these quick steps:

Step 1: Go now to the client device from which you want to connect to this host. Install NoMachine, which can make connections as well as accept incoming connections) or NoMachine Enterprise Client.

Step 2: Run the NoMachine User Interface from the programs or applications menu.

Step 3: A wizard will take you through the steps necessary to set-up your first connection, just click on 'Create a new connection'. You will need the IP address and port number of the computer you want to connect to (you made a note of it earlier).

Fig. 3 - Use the connection wizard to start a new connection

If you prefer to skip the wizard, click on 'Continue'. The fastest way to create a new connection is to write the name or IP of the NoMachine host you want to connect to in the text field and click on the 'Press enter to create a new connection' link. This method will use the default NX protocol on port 4000.

Alternatively, you can click on the 'New' icon next to the white text field to configure the session in more detail.

See also this Getting Started Guide: https://www.nomachine.com/getting-started-with-nomachine

TIP

IPv6 is supported since version 4.1. Specify IP of the server host in IPv6 format (e.g. 2001:0:5ef5:79fb:30c6:1516:3ca1:5695) if you want to use it instead than IPv4.

3.2. What if the Remote Computer is a Headless Linux?

Pre-requisite is having a desktop environment installed. Steps to connect to the remote host are the same as described in the previous paragraph. When connecting, you are prompted with this dialog:
“Cannot detect any display running. Do you want NoMachine to create a new display and proceed to connect to the desktop?”
Just click on 'Yes' to let NoMachine use its own display service.

3.3. Disabling Accepting Connection to your Desktop

When you are sit in front of the computer, you can switch off/on the ability to accept connections to your desktop via NoMachine. When you disable the sharing of your screen, nobody can connect.

You can configure this setting via the NoMachine Monitor menu (right click on the !M icon in the system tray to open it) by clicking on item "Accepting connection is now enabled/disabled".

This setting lasts until you change it again, even when you physically log-out from the system.

See also this tutorial for more details: https://www.nomachine.com/disabling-access-to-your-local-desktop

TIP

Be careful if you decide to disable accepting connections when you are connected from remote: you will be no longer able to reconnect to the desktop via NoMachine once the current session is closed.

In this case, you can recover the ability to connect via NoMachine by changing settings in the Monitor menu on the physical computer.

Configurations and optimizations

4. Configuring NoMachine

4.1. The User Interface for Server's Administration

NoMachine comes with a graphical User Interface (the 'NoMachine preferences' GUI) which lets you manage settings and configurations for the server (Server preferences) and for the client (Player preferences).

This means that you have an administrative user interface for the server from which you can for example configure privacy settings or perform updates:

Fig. 4 - Server preferences

You have also an interface for configuring the client behaviour when you connect to another computer. For example change the language for the User Interface (Appearance tab) or define shortcuts to be used inside the session (Input tab):

Fig. 5 - Player preferences

TIP

Switch between the Player and the Server preferences interface by clicking on the link at the bottom of the 'NoMachine Preferences' panel.

For a detailed description of the NoMachine client/server User Interface functionalities please consult the document available on our website: https://www.nomachine.com/DT10O00154

4.2. Quick Access to Server Administration

The 'Server preferences' User Interface can be accessed in two ways: via the 'NoMachine preferences' interface, or via the NoMachine (!M) icon in the system tray of your computer by clicking on 'Show the service status'.

Fig. 6 - Click 'Show the service status' from the Monitor to access the server settings

The 'Service status' panel provides quick access to information like the IP of the host machine and the possibility to stop and restart the server. Click on 'Server preferences' button to open the User Interface for the server.

Fig. 7 - The NoMachine Service Status panel

The 'Server preferences' area of the User Interface (see Fig. 4) takes care of configuration of how NoMachine functions when it accepts in-coming connections from other remote computers. For example, starting the NoMachine services automatically when the machine is rebooted. Locking the physical screen of this host when someone is connected from remote or checking for automatic updates can be configured in the 'Security' panel and 'Updates' panel respectively.

There are specific tutorials showing users how to blank the screen of the host while somebody is connected from remote, or how to disable access to the computer (i.e. stop NoMachine services accepting connections) available in the 'Tutorials' section here: https://www.nomachine.com/all-documents

4.3. Personalization of User's Interface and Other Settings for Connections to Another Computer

As mentioned earlier, it is possible to configure the appearance of the NoMachine User Interface (e.g. change language, fonts, and even color). A quick tutorial is available here: https://www.nomachine.com/customizing-the-appearance-of-the-nomachine-user-interface.

Clicking on the !M shortcut icon on your desktop, or opening NoMachine from the Applications menu of your computer will open this interface to let you configure graphical elements, the language used and of course configure your connection. Just click on 'Settings'.

Fig. 8 - The NoMachine's player configuration is available via Settings in the User Interface

It's also possible to configure specific behaviour to be adopted when connecting to the remote host, such as using custom hot-keys and shortcuts which must be passed from the client side to the remote desktop. We recommend you take a look at the quick guide here: https://www.nomachine.com/DT10O00154.

There are a number of specific guides and tutorials available on the website which you can consult here:
https://www.nomachine.com/all-documents

4.4. Optimization, Device Sharing and Other Functionalities During the Remote Desktop Connection

When you are connected to the NoMachine desktop, it's possible to share devices like disks and printers, change view mode for the remote display (e.g. resize the remote desktop, full-screen etc ...), adjust display quality and performance or record desktop activities.

All of this and more can be done via the NoMachine menu panel inside the session. To open it, press ctrl+alt+0 inside the session or click on the page peel in the upper righ corner of the session.

Fig. 9 - NoMachine menu panel

See the guide to the functionality in the Menu Panel suitable for the Operating System of your client device for more details and instructions:

Linux https://www.nomachine.com/DT10O00156

Windows https://www.nomachine.com/DT10O00157

Mac https://www.nomachine.com/DT10O00158