The Remote Linux Lab Laboratory allows remote login for the CSS students. You can use the ssh protocol to execute remote commands, and can also use it as a tunnel to display content of graphical applications, from the Linux lab machines to your computer. This tutorial is intended to help students perform this procedure from a Mac or Windows machine.

 

Please note that the Linux lab Machines are located in the UW Private Network.
Therefore, if you are trying to access it off Campus (e.g. from Home) you need to use Husky OnNet VPN

On Mac

As of the latest MacOS versions (10.9 or later), X Window System features are not included by default. To enable X11 forwarding, you need to install XQuartz.

  1. Install XQuartz:
    Visit the XQuartz website for the latest version (Remember to reboot your machine after installation).
  2. Using XQuartz:
    After installation, open the X11.app (found in Applications → Utilities).
    You should see an X11 icon.
  3. With the X11.app running in background, open Mac default terminal:
    (Applications → Utilities → Terminal) and log into the linux lab, using the following command:

    Note: Username is your UWNetid.

    slogin –Y USERNAME@csslab01r.uwb.edu all the way to csslab11r.uwb.edu
    or
    ssh -X USERNAMe@csslab05r.uwb.edu all the way to csslab11r.uwb.edu

    Make sure you are replacing “USERNAME” by your netID (same as ###@uw.edu), and using the option “-Y” to enable Xforwading support.

  4. First-Time Connection:
    If it’s your first connection, set the $DISPLAY variable:
    export DISPLAY=localhost:10.0
  5. Test the Setup:
    In your SSH session, try running a graphical application like xeyes.
    If successful, you should see the application’s window on your Mac.
  6. If you have questions about how to connect to the linux Lab, please visit: csswiki.uwb.edu

On Windows

A more convenient solution may be MobaXterm.
1. Download and install MobaXterm.

2. Setup:
Launch MobaXterm.
Enable the X Server by clicking the X Server button on the top toolbar.

3. Creating SSH Session:
Go to the ‘Sessions’ tab and click on ‘SSH’.
Enter the remote host details (e.g., csslab07r.uwb.edu).
In ‘Advanced SSH settings’, ensure ‘X11-Forwarding’ is checked.

4. Test the Connection:
After connecting, try running a graphical application like xeyes or MATLAB.
You should see the application’s window on your Windows machine.

Remote Hosts: csslab01r.uwb.edu all the way to csslab11r.uwb.edu