How to configure Debian with i3wm and VNC access in AWS cloud

aws-vnc.md

Instance configuration

1. Add PEM file in AWS (if you don't have one).
2. Set PEM file permissions: chmod 600 PEMFILE.
3. Create new Debian instance in AWS console.
4. Update instance credentials in following scripts:
   • up-instance.sh
   • dn-instance.sh
   • ssh2aws.sh
   • scp2aws.sh
   • vncview.sh
5. Log in with following command: ./ssh2aws.sh.
6. Go root: sudo su -.
7. Disable root password in /etc/shadow (change root:*:... to root:!:... ).
8. Add admin user to group tty: usermod -a -G tty admin.
9. Instal required software: ./install.sh.
10. Go back to admin: C-d.
11. Start VNC server and set passwords: vncserver.
12. Stop server: ./stopvnc.sh.
13. Move xstartup to VNC directory: mv xstartup ~/.vnc/.
14. Disconnect from the instance: C-d.
15. Connect to the instance with SSH tunnel: ./ssh2aws.sh 5901.

To start VNC server use ./startvnc.sh.

To stop VNC server use ./stopvnc.sh.

Local configuration

1. Install VNC viewer.
2. Connect: ./vncview,sh.

Useful links

1. http://www.brianlinkletter.com/how-to-run-gui-applications-xfce-on-an-amazon-aws-cloud-server-instance/

dn-instance.sh

#!/bin/bash

# Your instance ID
INSTANCE=i-396ac2a33748bb784

echo "Stopping instance..."
aws ec2 stop-instances --instance-ids $INSTANCE

echo "Waiting for instance stopped..."
aws ec2 wait instance-stopped --instance-ids $INSTANCE

echo "Done."

install.sh

#!/bin/bash
apt-get update
apt-get install --no-install-recommends --assume-yes xorg xserver-xorg-legacy i3 i3status vnc4server tigervnc-common

scp2aws.sh

#!/bin/bash

# Your instance ID
INSTANCE=i-396ac2a33748bb784

# Your PEM file
PEM=aws.pem

REMOTE_USER=admin

echo "Waiting for instance started..."
aws ec2 wait instance-running --instance-ids $INSTANCE

echo "Querying instance DNS name..."
HOST=$(aws ec2 describe-instances --instance-ids $INSTANCE --query 'Reservations[0].Instances[0].PublicDnsName'  | tr -dc '[:alnum:]-.')

echo "Instance DNS name: \"$HOST\"."

if [ -f $PEM ]; then
        echo "Starting SSH copy..."
        scp -r -i $PEM $1 $REMOTE_USER@$HOST:$2
else
        echo "SSH copy cancelled: PEM file ($PEM) not found."
fi

ssh2aws.sh

#!/bin/bash

# Your instance ID
INSTANCE=i-396ac2a33748bb784

# Your PEM file
PEM=aws.pem

PORT=$1
if [ $PORT ]; then
        echo "Port forwarding enabled for ${PORT}."
        FORWARD="-L $PORT:localhost:$PORT"
fi

echo "Waiting for instance started..."
aws ec2 wait instance-running --instance-ids $INSTANCE

echo "Querying instance DNS name..."
NAME=$(aws ec2 describe-instances --instance-ids $INSTANCE --query 'Reservations[0].Instances[0].PublicDnsName'  | tr -dc '[:alnum:]-.')

echo "Instance DNS name: \"$NAME\"."

if [ -f $PEM ]; then
        echo "Opening SSH session..."
        ssh $FORWARD -i $PEM admin@$NAME
else
        echo "SSH session cancelled: PEM file ($PEM) not found."
fi

startvnc.sh

#!/bin/bash
vncserver -geometry 1920x1080 -localhost yes

stopvnc.sh

#!/bin/bash
vncserver -kill :1

up-instance.sh

#!/bin/bash

# Your instance ID
INSTANCE=i-396ac2a33748bb784

# Your PEM file
PEM=aws.pem

echo "Starting instance..."
aws ec2 start-instances --instance-ids $INSTANCE

echo "Waiting for instance started..."
aws ec2 wait instance-running --instance-ids $INSTANCE

echo "Querying instance DNS name..."
NAME=$(aws ec2 describe-instances --instance-ids $INSTANCE --query 'Reservations[0].Instances[0].PublicDnsName'  | tr -dc '[:alnum:]-.')

echo "Instance DNS name: \"$NAME\"."

if [ -f $PEM ]; then
        echo "Opening SSH session..."
        ssh -L 5901:localhost:5901 -i $PEM admin@$NAME
else
        echo "SSH session cancelled: PEM file ($PEM) not found."
fi

vncview.sh

#!/bin/bash
vncviewer -FullColor -passwd vnc-password localhost:1

xstartup

#!/bin/sh

unset SESSION_MANAGER
unset DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS
startx &

[ -x /etc/vnc/xstartup ] && exec /etc/vnc/xstartup
[ -r $HOME/.Xresources ] && xrdb $HOME/.Xresources
xsetroot -solid grey

x-window-manager &
x-terminal-emulator &