Hello,

I stopped using TeamViewer a very long time ago. Since then, I’ve been using DWService and I’m quite happy with it. I like the fact that I can access to the terminal without launching any graphical component on the machine (which is handy for my headless servers, and allows me not to open SSH port). I also like the fact that it works even if my VPN server is down, as I can access remote servers that aren’t accessible via the web when they’re no longer reachable through my VPN.

However, there are a few issues that are bothering me more and more. I’ve switched my mum’s computer to Fedora and, whilst it worked perfectly under Windows, remote control is very buggy under fedora because the connection isn’t great. Furthermore, it’s impossible to access the screen if the computer isn’t unlocked.

So, I’d really like to find a solution that meets my criteria:

  • Accessible via a web browser
  • Ideally open-source
  • Free
  • Ideally self-hostable, but I’m worried that if, for example, my reverse proxy or VPN crashes, I won’t be able to access my machines to debug them?
  • Allows access to servers without a monitor
  • Allows access to computers running Fedora without the need for prior unlocking

Thanks!

  • miaowoo_lw@lemmy.worldEnglish
    23·
    7 hours ago

    Since you’re on Fedora + Linux only (so no TeamViewer/AnyDesk-style proprietary clients), here’s how I’d map your criteria:

    For the mum’s Fedora desktop (the GUI/screen case):

    • Rustdesk — open source, browser-ish clients (there’s a web client), self-hostable relay. Fedora Wayland support has matured a lot; for the locked-screen problem you need to enable autologin on the target (Wayland logind screen locks are what block most tools) or use a greeter-level unlock. If you control her machine, just setting autologin + a locked wallet/bios is the practical answer every remote tool needs anyway.
    • Apache Guacamole is the true “browser-only, self-hosted” answer: it proxies VNC/RDP/SSH through a web page. On Fedora run xrdp (RDP backend) + Guacamole in Docker, and you get full desktop-in-browser even on the lock screen (RDP sessions get their own login prompt — no unlock problem at all). This directly solves your “can’t access the screen if not unlocked” complaint.

    For headless servers (keep what you have):

    • DWService’s real value in your setup is the out-of-band rescue path. The open equivalent people pair it with is Tailscale as the always-on layer + SSH — Tailscale’s free tier needs no open ports and works when your VPN/reverse proxy is dead because it IS the VPN, coordinating via their hosted control plane (or self-host Headscale if you want zero third party).
    • Your worry about “reverse proxy/VPN crashes and I can’t reach the machines” is the right one — the standard answer is a separate out-of-band path: a cheap ESP32/Pi on the same LAN running Tailscale (or a phone hotspot + Tailscale on a USB stick), so the rescue path shares no components with the primary path. That single rule fixes 95% of lockouts.

    My honest recommendation: Guacamole for the human-usable browser desktop (RDP backend → lock screens stop mattering), Tailscale + SSH for everything headless, and one tiny always-on rescue node that can’t fail with the main infra.