Tunnelling X11 over SSH on VSI x86 9.2-1 VMS

[rodprince]

Server VSI OpenVMS 9.2-1 (with patch v100), OpenSSH V8.9-1F

Client Win10 Putty (0.64), xcursion (7.3-189)

I have not been able to figure out how to get X11 to forward over a putty (ssh) connection. I have insured that the ssh$root:[etc]sshd_config.; file specifies X11Forwarding yes (default is no). I have to assume I am just not doing something right somewhere and hoping someone can explain how to set things up.

Logging the putty connection toa log file, I see and the following message "Remote debug message: No xauth program; cannot forward X11."

Is there anything I can to to enable/define the xauth program on the VMS side or is it a wait until its working kind of thing?

Rod

[marty.stu]

Hello Rod,

Please find the answer here: viewtopic.php?f=37&t=8601&p=19293#p19268

[rodprince]

I wanted to thank Marty for the link to the official answer.

For now, I have enabled X11 over SSH on my VMS X86 system by enabling a remote port forward setup. Since I am using eXcursion (7.3-189) on my local Win10 PC, I set up a remote port (6000) to my local system port 6000 via a "R6000 127.0.0.1:6000" via the putty SSH tunnel setup. Now when I do a $set display/create/transport=tcpip/node=127.0.0.1, it will use the SSH tunnel to send traffic back and forth. For me, this is a very manageable risk compared to clear traffic going back and forth between my local PC and the VMS X86 system. Not to mention its only a temporary situation, I have faith in VSI, they will have XAuth working in no time

Rod

[connersegh]

I also get stuck on the "debug1: Remote: No xauth program; cannot forward X11" when trying "ssh -X user@hostname" to VSI OpenVMS X86 from linux or Windows. (Maybe this method is already posted elsewhere on the forum?)

VSI X86VMS OPENVMS V9.2-2
VSI X86VMS OPENSSH V8.9-1H01
VSI X86VMS TCPIP V6.0-25

My workaround to export my Display to Fedora Linux or MobaXterm on Windows 10:
Need xhost + server_address on the client client of course.

$ SET DISPLAY/CREATE/TRANS=TCPIP/NODE=hp-10/server=0/screen=0
$ RUN SYS$SYSTEM:DECW$CLOCK.EXE

Fedora needs some adjustments to sddm
$ grep -v "#" /etc/sddm.conf
[Wayland]

[XDisplay]
ServerArguments=-listen tcp
[X11]
ServerArguments=-listen tcp

[babydr]

@connersegh , Fyi , The two entries of " ServerArguments=-listen tcp" will allow any system with access to your network to create a X11 session unless otherwise filtered or with configured limits .
Hth , JimL

[mythwalker]

This is the config I got running on my host machine (Windows Server 2022).

First I installed Xming, didn't try WSL2 because that uses XWayland so it might be too new.

As others have mentioned, first you forward port 6000 to localhost.

```
> ssh -R 6000:127.0.0.1:6000
```

Then, start Xming with the XLaunch utility, full screen, disable access control (be careful about this, enabled just for testing purposes).

On OpenVMS, run:

```
$ SET DISPLAY/CREATE/TRANSPORT=TCPIP/NODE=127.0.0.1
$ sh display

Device: WSA1: [super]
Node: 127.0.0.1
Transport: TCPIP
Server: 0
Screen: 0
```

Start the session directly with:
```
$ RUN sys$system:decw$session
```

This should show the session menu bar.

YMMV, but I got a semi-working setup this way.