Connecting to a Azure VM using ssh and RDP

Configure a VM based on the specs

Connecting with SSH

Directly connect using ssh create an inbound rule for ssh, you get the ssh key !

Connecting with RDP

RDP , install ubuntu-desktop, 3389 is the port for RDP , 22 for ssh , 80 for http , 443 for https !

Azure VM RDP Setup Guide

1. Install Desktop Environment (Ubuntu Desktop)

• Install desktop environment (if not already installed):

  sudo apt update
  sudo apt install ubuntu-desktop
  

2. Install and Configure XRDP

• Install xrdp:

  sudo apt install xrdp
  

• Start and enable xrdp service:

  sudo systemctl enable --now xrdp
  

3. Verify XRDP Service

• Check if xrdp is listening on port 3389:

  sudo ss -tulpn | grep 3389
  

• Check xrdp logs for issues:

  sudo journalctl -u xrdp --no-pager -n 50
  

4. Ensure Firewall Allows RDP

• Check firewall status:

  sudo ufw status verbose
  sudo iptables -L -n
  

• Allow RDP port (3389) in the firewall:

  sudo ufw allow 3389/tcp
  sudo iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 3389 -j ACCEPT
  

5. Check Azure NSG (Network Security Group)

• Ensure there’s an inbound rule allowing TCP port 3389 in the NSG associated with your VM’s network interface or subnet.

6. Test RDP Connection

• Use Remmina or another RDP client to connect to the VM:

  remmina --protocol=RDP --server=<VM_IP_ADDRESS>
  

• Check port availability with Nmap:

  nmap -p 3389 <VM_IP_ADDRESS>
  

7. Restart the VM (if needed)

• Perform a hard restart if you encounter issues:

  sudo reboot
  

By following these steps, you’ll set up and troubleshoot RDP access to your Azure VM with a GUI.