Desktop as a service

Overview

On Linux, accessing your Vying.io cloud desktop is done in two steps:

  1. Connect to OpenVPN using your .ovpn profile
  2. Use Remmina (or any RDP client) to connect to your cloud desktop’s private IP (192.168.x.x)

This setup works on all major distros: Ubuntu, Debian, Mint, Pop!_OS, Fedora, Arch, Manjaro, etc.

🐧 

1. Install OpenVPN (CLI or Network Manager)

You can connect with:

✔ The OpenVPN CLI

or

✔ Network Manager GUI plugin

Choose whichever you prefer.

Option A — Install OpenVPN CLI (recommended for reliability)

Open a terminal:

Ubuntu / Debian / Mint / Pop!_OS:

sudo apt update

sudo apt install openvpn


Fedora:


sudo dnf install openvpn


Arch / Manjaro:


sudo pacman -S openvpn



Option B — Install Network Manager OpenVPN plugin (GUI method)


Ubuntu / Debian / Mint:


sudo apt install network-manager-openvpn-gnome


Then restart Network Manager:


sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager


This lets you import .ovpn files through the GUI.

📥 

2. Import Your .ovpn File

We provide a full .ovpn file that includes:

  • your VPN configuration
  • certificates
  • keys

✔ CLI method:

Place the file somewhere accessible, then run:


sudo openvpn –config yourfile.ovpn

Leave the terminal open — this becomes your VPN session.

✔ GUI (Network Manager) method:

  1. Open Settings → Network
  2. Click + next to VPN
  3. Select Import from file…
  4. Choose your .ovpn file
  5. Save and enable the VPN

The VPN indicator will appear in your system tray.

🔌 

3. Connect to the VPN

CLI:

Run:


sudo openvpn –config yourfile.ovpn

When you see Initialization Sequence Completed, you are connected.

GUI:

Just toggle the VPN ON.

✔ When VPN is successful:

  • You get access to the 192.168.x.x internal network
  • You can ping your cloud desktop
  • RDP becomes reachable

🌐 

4. Verify VPN Connectivity

Open a terminal and ping your cloud desktop:


ping 192.168.x.x

If replies come back → everything is working.

If not → let us know immediately.

🖥️ 

5. Install Remmina (RDP client)

Remmina is the most popular RDP client on Linux.

Ubuntu / Debian / Mint:


sudo apt install remmina remmina-plugin-rdp


Fedora:


sudo dnf install remmina


Arch / Manjaro:


sudo pacman -S remmina

🧩 

6. Connect to Your Cloud Desktop (RDP)

  1. Open Remmina
  2. Click + to create a new connection
  3. Set:
    • Protocol: RDP
    • Server: 192.168.x.x
    • Username: the one we provided
    • Password: temporary password from us
  4. Save
  5. Double-click the connection to start

Your Windows cloud desktop should load instantly.

🖨️ 

7. Clipboard, File Sharing & Printer Redirection

✔ Clipboard

Copy/paste text between Linux ↔ cloud desktop works by default.

✔ Printer redirection

Supported, but depends on your Linux printer configuration.

✔ File sharing

You can redirect Linux folders into the RDP session:

In Remmina:

  • Edit your connection
  • Go to Advanced
  • Enable Share folder
  • Choose the folder you want to expose

It appears in Windows under This PC → Redirected drives.

✔ USB tokens

Linux does not reliably forward Windows USB signing tokens.

For signatures, use Windows or macOS.

🛠️ 

8. Troubleshooting

❌ VPN connects but RDP fails

  • Ensure VPN is really active
  • Check the private IP
  • Try pinging the IP
  • Check firewall rules on your Linux machine
  • Restart Remmina

❌ RDP is slow

  • Switch to 5 GHz WiFi
  • Lower the RDP color depth (Remmina → Advanced tab)
  • Close heavy Linux apps
  • Ask us about CPU/RAM upgrades

❌ VPN keeps dropping

  • Use wired or stable WiFi
  • Try running OpenVPN from CLI
  • Check your system time (must be correct)

✔ Summary

Connecting from Linux is straightforward:

  1. Install OpenVPN
  2. Import the full .ovpn
  3. Connect (CLI or GUI)
  4. Install Remmina
  5. Add your 192.168.x.x RDP entry
  6. Connect and start working

Secure, fast, and compatible with all major Linux distributions.