Hello selfhosters, I've been using different remote desktop apps to support few friends and family members with their Windows or Linux desktop machines. Sometimes I also use phone (Android) when I'm away from home.

I tried 3 services so far:

  1. TeamViewer - its amazing, but it recognized me as non-private user and asking for money…
  2. AnyDesk - even better experience than TeamViewer. It also started with non-private use and messages to buy a license (after creating account it stopped doing that). It works perfectly fine, but sometimes it gets super slow and it tends to reduce stream quality by too much
  3. RustDesk - finally found open source solution and it has the same features like others I tried. The problem with RustDesk is simmilar to AnyDesk, sometimes its super slow, laggy and with reduced stream quality and sometimes connection breaks. It has permanent message on the bottom:

Ready, For faster connection, please set up your own server.

Sounds like a perfect task for my server on fiber network.

I checked self hosted RustDesk service, but it requires opening ports. I have open wireguard port to my home server to connect to home network when needed. I don't like idea of opening more ports just because it doesn't feel safe in my hands, but maybe I'm wrong. Am I missing something? What do you use for remote desktop? Do you have the same experience with any service I mentioned here? Is anyone selfhosting RustDesk server? Are there better (free or affordable) alternatives available? I prefer selfhosted if possible. 10$ a month is kinda steep for me and my needs. I don't need super high quality stream, but would be nice to have simple solution that just works

All tips are welcome

  • Boring@lemmy.mlEnglish
    91·
    1 year ago

    You can tunnel RDP over SSH. Then you'd only open a port that requires authentication to access and is encrypted.

    • rambos@lemm.eeOPEnglish
      1·
      1 year ago

      Do I need to open port on client pc for that? Ill take a look anyway, thx

      • Boring@lemmy.mlEnglish
        2·
        1 year ago

        No only the server, you can host an openssh server and have clients connect remotely.

        Sorta like how you can host a webserver and a client doesn't need 443 open. Except a reverse shell is possible with ssh, allowing a client to be controlled without their port 22 open.