Tufts EECS Systems Information

X11 Forwarding

What is X11 Forwarding?

X11 Forwarding is what gives you the ability to run GUIs from a server on your own local machine (neat, huh?). For example, you can run Emacs from homework.eecs.tufts.edu from the comfort of your dorm.

How do I use X11?

Simple! All operating systems have a quick process to setup X11 Forwarding. Please see below for specific instructions based on operating system.

X11 Forwarding in Linux/Mac OS X

– For Macs, your best option is to download xQuartz from xQuartz.org. This is free software which will allow you to forward X11 on a Mac.

  • Download the xQuartz DMG, open it, and follow the installation instructions.
  • Run xQuartz from the Applications folder.

– For Linux, depending on your distribution, there may be no pre-requisites.

Connecting With X11 through SSH
  • Connect to your favorite EECS server using ssh, but remember to tell it to forward X by adding the “-X” parameter.
    • Example: ssh –X [username]@homework.eecs.tufts.edu
  • To test to make sure X11 is working properly, run “xeyes” and a simple GUI should appear on the screen.
  • That’s it! Any other application (Emacs, Matlab, etc) that you’d like to run the GUI for, simply start the program and a window will appear.

 

X11 Forwarding in Windows with MobaXterm

  1. We recommend using MobaXterm for all your Windows X11 Forwarding needs.
  2. Simply download the installer, or run the portable edition, onto your computer.
  3. Follow all setup defaults for the installation.
  4. Run MobaXterm and use the Start local terminal button to begin a session.
  5. SSH to an EECS server as you normally would, but be sure to specify the -Y option. For Example:
    • ssh -Y [username]@[servername].eecs.tufts.edu
  6. You’re now good to run GUI-based applications over ssh!

X11 Forwarding in Windows with PUTTY/Xming

  1. Xming is a lightweight and reliable X11 forwarding utility that can be used in conjuncture with Putty.
  2. Launch Xming: A small program will appear in the taskbar; keep this running for the duration of the session.
  3. Launch PuTTy, an SSH (Secure SHell) client: Start->Programs->PuTTy->PuTTy.
  4. In the left-hand menu, expand “SSH”, open the “X11” menu, and check “Enable X11 Forwarding.” Do not forget this step!
  5. Go back to the “Session” menu, and under “Host Name” type yourusername@linux.cs.tufts.edu, then press Open.
  6. If a security alert pops up, press yes, then type your password into the open shell.
  7. You’re in Linux! Everything, such as “emacs myfile &”, will work just like a Linux lab machine.
    If you want to ssh to another server during your session but want to keep X11 forwarding enabled, you must use the command “ssh -Y servername”.

X11 Forwarding in Windows with Cygwin/X

There are some cases in which Putty simply does not have enough functionality, and a more robust SSH/X11 client is necessary. In these cases, Windows users are best off using Cygwin. While Cygwin is extremely powerful and versatile, it can be a little overwhelming or confusing to setup and use your first time. The steps below will walk you through installing and running X11 Forwarding with Cygwin.

  1. Go to www.cygwin.com and download the latest version.
    Find Link On Webpage
  2. Run the setup.exe that you downloaded.
    Run Installer
  3. Select “Install From Internet” as your download source.
    Choose Download Source
  4. Leave the ‘Root Directory’ as default.
    Select Root Directory
  5. Choose where you want your package files installed.
    Select Package Directory
  6. Leave “Use System Proxy Settings” selected.
  7. Select any Download site, though the top one will be fine.
  8. Leave the default packages selected and change the View to Full.
  9. Use the Search box to search for openssh.
  10. Left-Click openssh: The OpenSSH server and client programs to set it to install the latest version. You can see that the New column has changed from Skip to the current version.
    Select Openssh Packages
  11. Use the search box once again to search for xinit.
  12. Left-Click xinit: X Org X server launcher so that it switches from Skip to the current version.
    Select xinit Packages
  13. Press next to Continue and review.
  14. Note towards the bottom all the xorg packages which will also be installed. These are all necessary.
    Review and Confirm Changes
  15. Press Next to install everything (this may take a few minutes).
  16. Once installed, Open Cygwin to be presented with a terminal window.
    Opening Cygwin
  17. Run startx to open a new X11-enabled terminal window.
    Startx Window
  18. In the new window, connect to the computer you would like to by using ssh -Y [username]@[hostname] – The “-Y” is required.
  19. Once connected, you’ll be able to run any X-based gui applications in your Cygwin window.