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FreeSurfer Remote Access

Suppose you want to run freesurfer from home remotely? (this means freesurfer runs on a different computer, and the screen is forwarded to a different computer)

For simplicity, let's call the host computer (the one running freesurfer) "WORK". And the remote computer (the one viewing the copy of the screen) "HOME".

1. Get a VNC client:

To view freesurfer remotely, you need a VNC viewer program for HOME.

• For linux	vncviewer
  For windows	realVNC
  For Mac	chicken of the VNC

All three abovementioned programs are free and available on the web.

2. Get a VNC server

You also need a vnc server on WORK. vncserver.glx and vncserver are free linux programs. Get them if you don't have them already.

3. If needed, learn about SSH tunnelling

If you are logging into a remote computer with fancy security, you may need to use SSH tunnelling. Check the internet for details about how to do this. (it is not hard)

4. Run your vncserver.glx

From the WORK computer, simply enter:

vncserver.glx

(note: password protection is available... see vncserver documentation)

5. Run your vnc clinet

From you HOME computer, run the client, and log into the WORK computer.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

• VNC is supposed to be optimized for sending remote screen images. Therefore, it is preferred over using X forwarding if you are not on a local intranet.
• If you are using SSH tunnelling, then you have encrypted the connection, which is a good thing if whatever you are doing shouldn't be seen by others.

• vncserver WILL NOT run freesurfer correctly. Only vncserver.glx will do the job. Here is the vncserver.glx script if your server is not at the NMR Center (in which case you will also need xf4vnc, to get GLX support with VNC).

• On some machines, the colors will be funky with vncserver.glx. They will be normal with vncserver. That's just how it is.

• If these instructions are not working for you, then try these.