Installing NoMachine for use as a remote desktop CLIENT
The following instructions describe how to install the NoMachine software on your Windows PC to act only as a CLIENT, not as a SERVER. This will prevent people from being able to connect TO your computer. Instructions are written for Windows 10...installation under Windows 7 should be similar.
1. Download the NoMachine Windows client here:
https://www.cvs.rochester.edu/cvspriv/downloads/NoMachine/nomachine_windows.exe
2. Either launch the installer from your web browser or your Downloads folder.
3. The NoMachine installer is pretty simple...just accept all of the default settings and agree to the license and the software will install. When it finishes a reboot will be necessary...allow the system to reboot.
4. By default NoMachine installs both client (so you can connect to other computers) and server (so other computers can connect to you) software. To prevent others from potentially making unwanted connections to your computer, we'll now disable the "server" portion of NoMachine.
- In the search field at the bottom left corner of your screen, type in "control" (without the quotation marks) and double-click on "Control Panel" when it appears in the menu. Windows 7 users need only click on the "Start" button and select "Control Panels" from the menu.
Run the "Administrative Tools" control panel, then select "Services" from the list. In the list of services that will appear, scroll down and find "NoMachine Device Server" and double-click on it to open its settings. Click on the "Stop" button to stop the service, then change the "Startup Type" field to "Disabled", then click the "Apply" and "OK" buttons.
- You can now close out of the control panels
5. Run the NoMachine application...there should be a shortcut to it on the desktop. A tutorial screen should appear...click "Continue" to close it.
6. The main NoMachine screen should appear and the software will start to automatically look for clients. Click on the "Settings" tab in the top right corner.
7. In the settings window, click on the "Server preferences" link at the bottom of the window.
8. In the resulting window, uncheck the "Start automatic services at startup" and "Advertise this computer on the local network" checkboxes, then click the "Done" button.
9. Back in the main NoMachine window, enter the following address in the search field at the top of the window and press RETURN:
nx://aaa.bbb.ccc.ddd
("aaa.bbb.ccc.ddd" is the IP address of the server you want to connect to)
10. You should see a window regarding the authenticity of the host. Click "Yes" to accept the certificate (this will only happen the first time you connect to a particular server).
11. You should now be shown a login prompt for the server. Enter the username and password for your account on the server itself and click "OK".
12. If the connection is successful you should be shown several tutorial windows...be sure to read them so you understand how NoMachine works! Once done the remote desktop window should be displayed. Simply closing this window when you're done will disconnect you from the server.
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