Connect to Ubuntu via https

[Mister Pi]

I have a 20.04 desktop with multiple user accounts on a private home network. Sometimes we would like to use a Chromebook to access the desktop remotely, but the Chromebooks have been severely locked down (no terminal, no ssh, basically just the Chrome browser. I have an iPad on which I installed VLC, and VLC there provides a simple web server (simple HTTP protocol) for file transfer. I can access it from Chrome on the Chromebooks and transfer files in both directions.

I'm trying out shellinabox, but wondering if there is something more advanced. What I would like would be to connect to my Kubuntu desktop from the browser on the Chromebook, using https or some other secure protocol. (This is strictly on my home network but I would still prefer encryption.) There should be some login mechanism to restrict access to the user's own files on the Kubuntu desktop. I'd like the browser to show a virtual desktop on the Kubuntu machine. I would like to be able to view photos and open documents, but don't plan on watching videos or playing any advanced games, so gfx perf isn't an issue.

I need file transfer in both directions. One use case, for instance, would be to upload a PDF from the Chromebook to the desktop, then open it up on the virtual desktop with Okular and send selected pages to the printer (which is connected to the desktop).

[claydoh]

Are your Chromebooks locked down from a school administration or policy? Chromebooks do have terminals and can ssh, etc normally.
Most fairly recent ones even can run an embedded Linux container that can be used to install and run Linux software in Chrome OS (I run Firefox, for example). it is a bit clunky/complicated for many, though.

You are mostly limited by Chrome OS native and by-design security nature. You can add secure shell and samba access to its file manager, and most Chromebook support Android apps, so using KDE Connect is a no-brainer in most cases, for sharing files and other things
I usually have to add my desktop/laptop to the CrOS device by IP address at first, but otherwise works well.

Remote desktop access, I don't know. There are numerous solutions that probably still work on Plasma, but it has been at least a decade, probably more than a dozen years since I have looked at these.
Team Viewer looks to have a Chrome OS client, so that might be a place to start looking.

[oshunluvr]

A chromebook should be able to "see" a samba share from your desktop.

[claydoh]

A chromebook should be able to "see" a samba share from your desktop.

Yes. I wish they supported NFS shares, though.



Bidirectional is a bit annoying, but KDE Connect helps in the PC-Chromebook direction
KDEConnect is also added to a file's right-click Share options in Chrome OS

[Mister Pi]

Well like I said, the Chromebooks are seriously locked down, so saying "install XYZ" on it is a non-starter. Whereas I can install whatever I want on the Kubuntu 20.04 desktop. But AFAIK about my only way out of the Chromebook is via its browser. So I'm looking for something like RDP (Windows) or equivalent, but that works through a browser rather than a dedicated GUI,

Like I said, my VLC setup on my iPad includes a simple built-in web server such that I can turn it on and then on the Chromebook I can type http://192.168.1.2 (or whatever) into the URL bar, and then I get a window into the VLC files. Now what I'm looking for is something that can serve a virtual desktop to the Chromebook's browser (so, say, when I first connect I see a KDE login screen).

If anyone can throw out the name of a product that does that I can look it up. I'm sure there's something that does that -- preferably something in one of the Canonical repos.

[claydoh]

Most Chromebook support Android apps and the Play Store, as well as having an available Linux LXC container that can be used to install applications that is somewhat integrated into Chrome OS -- it is a bit locked down, however.
So there *are* potential options worth investigating.

Chrome OS does have SSH and SMB available for its file manager
Ssh is most definitely available on Chrome OS, via multiple options:
https://www.makeuseof.com/use-ssh-on-chromebook/

KDE Connect does work, though you may have to manually input the computer's IP address on the app on CB to get started


Linux on Chrome OS
https://support.google.com/chromeboo.../9145439?hl=en

Not necessary, but possible
https://chromeunboxed.com/how-to-swi...ian-to-ubuntu/

https://www.androidauthority.com/lin...ebook-1139944/

I mentioned Teamviewer, which has Chrome OS client viewers, and has long supported Linux for remote desktop usage.

The Linux container has some networking limitations by design so I am not sure if installing something Linux-y for this purpose will work well, I haven't used remote desktop in probably 15 years.

I am guessing that the VLC in the ipad is doing some sort of mdlna server provided bu iOS, that is easy enough to find and install on Linux, as there are tons of such software on Linux, from simple to full on tools like Plex and Jellyfin
But probably all you might want is MiniDLNA (now known as ReadyMedia)
https://www.bananatronics.org/instal...na-readymedia/

VLC and many to most media players can access miniDLNA , as well as smart tv and streaming devices. I forget that my NAS has this, and I can view my video files from any system or device I have that has a media player.

[Snowhog]

Well like I said, the Chromebooks are seriously locked down,

But you haven’t answered ‘why’ and by ‘who’.

[Mister Pi]

How relevant is this? Suffice it to say: 1) The Chromebook is not ours; it's on loan; 2) We don't have the root password; 3) There are many machines like this, and the user base skews toward the non-nerdy end of the spectrum. I don't begrudge the sysadmins wanting rigid uniformity to prevent noobs from installing crap, or having to answer any more "why won't this work" questions than absolutely necessary, or having to deal with "this security patch won't install on THIS Chromebook because the user changed it in some way..."