This article describes installation and configuration of TeamViewer on headless Linux systems (e.g. servers)
- possibly without a screen attached
- possibly without an X server running
- possibly via ssh
- possibly for unattended access
Basic installation is the same as described in How to install TeamViewer on Linux.
Xorg without a screen
Note: By default, Xorg will not start if no screen is detected. You can prevent this by creating a Xorg configuration with a dummy screen definition.
Framebuffer console without Xorg
TeamViewer can be used to access machines without a graphical desktop environment (Xorg, Wayland). TeamViewer lets you connect to the foreground console (as indicated by fgconsole). In other words, the VT (virtual terminal) which is currently visible on the screen – or would be visible if a screen was attached.
Note: The console must be a framebuffer console. If the file /dev/fb0 does not exist, you might have to adapt your kernel configuration or kernel boot parameters.
Connections to the console are exclusive. If an X server is running, incoming connections will go to the active X session.
Note: If no X server is installed or used, dependencies to Qt can technically be ignored. Instead of forcing the package manager to ignore them, you may use the TAR package.
Unattended access: command line configuration
When installing on the console or via ssh, the UI is not available to see the TeamViewer ID, set a password or to assign the device to your TeamViewer account. However, the same functionality is also available on the command line.
teamviewer help # list all available commands
teamviewer info # show TeamViewer ID
teamviewer passwd # set password
teamviewer setup # assign device to account
If you assign a device to your account, you don't need to set a password. Just follow the setup assistent and your done. The device will then show up in your Computers & Contacts.
An example installation and setup would look like this:
$ apt install ./teamviewer*.deb
$ teamviewer setup
Please enter your e-mail: [email protected]
Please enter your password: ******
You have successfully added this computer to your Computers & Contacts.