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Knowledge Base

Unix Research - X Windows

What is X Windows?
X Windows is a network based graphical user interface (GUI). It allows for the application and the displayed interface to run on separate machines connected by a TCP/IP network. It serves as the GUI on Unix systems. It is also available for Windows, OSX and many other operating systems. You will need an X Windows Server running on your local workstation to display the GUI enviroment availible on research servers.

How do I get an X Windows Server for Windows XP and Vista?
All OSU affiliated persons can download X-Win32 from the OSU Site Licensed Software site.

Another option for all users, including guests and those not directly affiliated with OSU, is Cygwin/X which is available under GPL license terms.

How do I get an X Windows Server for OSX?
You need to install X11.app which can be found on the Developer Tools portion of the OSX install media.

I have an X Windows server. How do I connect and get the GUI?
You will need to set up your ssh client to tunnel the X11 connection. To set this up with the SSH Secure Shell V3.2.9 client installed by Fisher IT Services:

  1. Click on the Secure Shell Client, click the Profiles button, choose "Add Profile”
  2. Enter research1 for Profile Name
  3. Click on the Profiles button again and choose "Edit Profiles.”
  4. Click on “research1” in the left panel
  5. Enter your username in the appropriate box, enter research1 for the “Host name” and click OK
  6. Again, click “Edit Profiles”
  7. Click on “research1” in the left panel
  8. Click the Tunneling tab
  9. Make sure the “Tunnel X11 connections” box is checked, and click OK.

Then repeat the above procedure substituting research2 or research3 to create profiles for connecting to those machines.