The supported platforms are:

Linux

• RedHat Enterprise Linux 4/5
• SuSE 10/10.1/10.2/Enterprise 10
• Mandriva 10.1/2005/2006/2007
• Fedora Core 4/5/6
• Fedora 7
• Debian GNU/4.0 Etch
• Ubuntu 5.10 Breezy/6.06 Dapper/6.10 Edgy/7.04 Feisty Fawn
• Xandros Desktop 4.1/Xandros Server 2.0

Solaris Sparc

• 8/9/10

Windows

Before going ahead with the installation of the NX Web Companion, please be sure you have installed the Apache HTTP Server or the IIS Web Server on Windows.

NoMachine has verified that the NX Web Companion works in the following environments:

• Debian GNU/Linux Sarge 3.1 and Apache HTTP Server version 1.3
• SuSE Linux 9.2 Apache HTTP Server version 2.0.54
• Solaris Sparc 9 and Apache HTTP Server version 1.3
• Windows XP Professional and Apache HTTP Server version 1.3
• Windows XP Professiona and IIS version 5.1

The following NX Web Companion packages are available:

• RPM, DEB i386/AMD64 for Linux
• Compressed TAR i386/AMD64 for Linux and Windows
• SPARC.GZ for Solaris SPARC

The list of the supported platforms may be updated from time to time, please refer to the download page to get the latest information:

The instructions reported in the following sections mainly refer to the installation of the NX Web Companion on Linux and Solaris and assume that the Web Server is Apache.

The installation instructions can be easily extended to the Windows platform and also to the IIS Web Server, keeping in mind that:

• The compressed TAR package will be extracted in the /usr/NX/share/plugin folder.
• The plugin folder should be copied to the public directory of your Web server.

The following NX Web Companion packages are available:

• RPM, DEB and Compressed TAR for Linux i386/AMD64

Open an xterm terminal or similar, move to the directory where you have downloaded the package from the NoMachine Web site and install it using the rpm utility

# sudo rpm -ivh nxplugin-X.Y.Z-W.i386.rpm

Alternatively, you can use the graphical package manager provided by your Linux distribution.

The Web Companion will be installed in the /usr/NX/share/plugin directory.
To make it accessible via Web, please copy the plugin directory in the proper
public directory of your Web server, e.g.:

# sudo cp -a /usr/NX/share/plugin /usr/local/apache/htdocs/

Open an xterm terminal or similar, make a backup of your current NX Web Companion installation and protect sensitive information that may be present
inside the TAR archive by making the backup readable only by the 'root' user:

# sudo tar cvzf /root/nx-BACKUP.tar.gz /usr/local/apache/htdocs/plugin
# sudo chmod 0600 /root/nx-BACKUP.tar.gz

Next, move to the directory where you have downloaded the package from the NoMachine Web site and run:

# sudo rpm -Uvh nxplugin-X.Y.Z-W .i386.rpm

Open an xterm terminal or similar and remove the package using the rpm utility:

# sudo rpm -e nxplugin

Open an xterm terminal or similar, move to the directory where you have downloaded the package from the NoMachine Web site and install it using the dpkg utility:

# sudo dpkg -i nxplugin_X.Y.Z-W_i386.deb

The Web Companion will be installed in the /usr/NX/share/plugin directory.
To make it accessible via Web, please copy the plugin directory in the proper public directory of your Web server, e.g.:

# sudo cp -a /usr/NX/share/plugin /usr/local/apache/htdocs/

Open an xterm terminal or similar, make a backup of your current NX installation
and protect sensitive information that may be present inside the TAR archive
by making the backup readable only by the 'root' user:

# sudo tar cvzf /root/nx-BACKUP.tar.gz /usr/local/apache/htdocs/plugin
# sudo chmod 0600 /root/nx-BACKUP.tar.gz

Next, move to the directory where you have downloaded the package from the NoMachine Web site and run:

# sudo dpkg -i nxplugin_X.Y.Z-W_i386.deb

Open an xterm terminal or similar and run:

# sudo dpkg -r nxplugin

Open an xterm terminal or similar, move to the directory where you have downloaded the package from the NoMachine Web site and extract the archive:

# sudo tar --absolute-paths -xvzf nxplugin-X.Y.Z-W.i386.tar.gz

The Web Companion will be installed in the /usr/NX/share/plugin directory.
To make it accessible via Web, please copy the plugin directory
to the proper public directory of your Web server, e.g.:

# sudo cp -a /usr/NX/share/plugin /usr/local/apache/htdocs/

Open an xterm terminal or similar, make a backup of your current NX installation and protect sensitive information that may be present inside the TAR archive by making the backup readable only by the 'root' user:

# sudo tar cvzf /root/nx-BACKUP.tar.gz /usr/local/apache/htdocs/plugin
# sudo chmod 0600 /root/nx-BACKUP.tar.gz

Next, move to the directory where you have downloaded the package and extract the archive:

# sudo tar --absolute-paths -xvzf nxplugin-X.Y.Z-W.i386.tar.gz

Open an xterm terminal or similar and remove the installation directory:

# sudo rm -rf /usr/local/apache/htdocs/plugin

Open a terminal, move to the directory where you have downloaded the package from the NoMachine Web site, expand the package archive and install it using the pkgadd utility:

# sudo gunzip nxplugin-X.Y.Z-WW.sparc.gz
# sudo pkgadd -d nxplugin-X.Y.Z-WW.sparc

Open a terminal, make a backup of your current NX installation and protect sensitive information that may be present inside the TAR archive by making the backup readable only by the 'root' user:

# sudo gtar cvzf /root/nx-BACKUP.tar.gz /usr/local/apache/htdocs/plugin
# sudo chmod 0600 /root/nx-BACKUP.tar.gz

The next step is to remove the previous installation, otherwise the installation will fail because only a single instance of the package is supported at one time on the same system:

# sudo pkgrm NXplugin

Finally, expand the package archive and install it using the pkg utility :

# sudo gunzip nxplugin-X.Y.Z-WW.sparc.gz
# sudo pkgadd -d nxplugin-X.Y.Z-WW.sparc

Open a terminal and remove the NX Web Companion installation using the pkgrm utility:

# sudo pkgrm NXplugin

These are the basic requirements to allow the user to run an NX session from the Web Companion:

• A specific session file, identified by a unique name, should be created for every user and be resident on the Web Server in a public directory accessible by the NX Web Companion. It needs to have the .nxs extension to be identified by the NX Client as a session file.
• The nxapplet HTML file should be modified to allow each user to access his own session file via Web. It is necessary to specify the name of the file and its path on the Web server. The Web Companion will download the proper session file on the user's machine and launch the NX Client to start the session.

The NX Client Configuration GUI allows you to create and save a session file. These files are saved in the User NX directory set in the 'Configuration -> Environment' dialog.

Insert the login and password of the user, who will run the remote session via Web, in the NX Client Login dialog and try to run the session. Please also remember to check the 'Configuration -> General -> Remember my password' field to ensure that the user's password is saved in the session file. Otherwise, when the user starts the remote session via the Web Companion, the client dialog asking for the password will appear.

Another NX application, the NX Client Profile Builder, will allow you to create a session file via the Web. This application will take you through a step by step configuration of the session in a way similar to that of the NX Client Connection Wizard.

Starting from version 2.0.0, the NX Enterprise and NX Advanced Servers support the automatic provision of guest accounts provided that the NX Client version you have also allows guest user login. If you want to generate session files to run guest sessions on the server, you need to enable the 'Login as guest user' check box in the NX Client login dialog when running the session.

If you would like to create your own application to generate valid session files, please note that when saving the session password in the configuration file, it is stored in a scrambled format. More information is available at:
http://www.nomachine.com/ar/view.php?ar_id=AR01C00125

The plugin/nxapplet.html file provides the following parameters to configure the NX Web Companion according to your needs.

Parameters for configuring the applet initialization phase

To define the applet background color:

<PARAM NAME="boxbgcolor" VALUE="236, 235, 229">

To enable or disable the progress bar:

 <PARAM NAME="progressbar" VALUE="true">

To personalize the message provided during the applet initialization:

<PARAM NAME="boxmessage" VALUE="Please wait while Java applet loads...">

To define the root path to which all the relative paths will be appended.
Please note that it is necessary to modify this value, otherwise the applet
can't be initiated:

 <PARAM NAME="SiteUrl" VALUE="http://webserver">

Parameters to configure the applet appearance

To define the base directory where the images used for the background are placed:

 <PARAM NAME="BackgroundsUrl" VALUE="/plugin/images/backgrounds/">

To specify the background images:

 <PARAM NAME="Background1" VALUE="background-1.png">
 <PARAM NAME="Background2" VALUE="background-2.png">
 <PARAM NAME="Background3" VALUE="background-3.png">
 <PARAM NAME="Background4" VALUE="background-2.png">
 <PARAM NAME="Background5" VALUE="background-4.png">
 <PARAM NAME="Background6" VALUE="background-4.png">
 <PARAM NAME="Background7" VALUE="background-5.png">
 <PARAM NAME="Background8" VALUE="background-6.png">
 <PARAM NAME="Background9" VALUE="background-7.png">

To define the base directory where the message images are placed:

 <PARAM NAME="StringsUrl" VALUE="/plugin/images/strings/">

To specify the message images:

<PARAM NAME="String1" VALUE="string-1.png">
 <PARAM NAME="String2" VALUE="string-2.png">
 <PARAM NAME="String3" VALUE="string-3.png">
 <PARAM NAME="String4" VALUE="string-4.png">
 <PARAM NAME="String5" VALUE="string-5.png">
 <PARAM NAME="String6" VALUE="string-6.png">
 <PARAM NAME="String6" VALUE="string-7.png">

To define the base directory where the error message images are placed:

 <PARAM NAME="ErrorsUrl" VALUE="/plugin/images/errors/">

To specify the error message images:

<PARAM NAME="Error1" VALUE="error-1.png">
 <PARAM NAME="Error2" VALUE="error-2.png">
 <PARAM NAME="Error3" VALUE="error-3.png">
 <PARAM NAME="Error4" VALUE="error-4.png">
 <PARAM NAME="Error5" VALUE="error-5.png">
 <PARAM NAME="Error6" VALUE="error-6.png">
 <PARAM NAME="Error7" VALUE="error-7.png">
 <PARAM NAME="Error8" VALUE="error-8.png">
 <PARAM NAME="Error9" VALUE="error-9.png">
 <PARAM NAME="Error10" VALUE="error-10.png">

To define the base directory where the button images are placed:

 <PARAM NAME="ButtonsUrl" VALUE="/plugin/images/buttons/">

To specify the button images:

<PARAM NAME="Cancel" VALUE="cancel.png">
 <PARAM NAME="CancelOver" VALUE="cancel-over.png">
 <PARAM NAME="CancelActive" VALUE="cancel-active.png">
 <PARAM NAME="Continue" VALUE="continue.png">
 <PARAM NAME="ContinueOver" VALUE="continue-over.png">
 <PARAM NAME="ContinueActive" VALUE="continue-active.png">
 <PARAM NAME="Download" VALUE="download.png">
 <PARAM NAME="DownloadOver" VALUE="download-over.png">
 <PARAM NAME="DownloadActive" VALUE="download-active.png">
 <PARAM NAME="Run" VALUE="run.png">
 <PARAM NAME="RunOver" VALUE="run-over.png">
 <PARAM NAME="RunActive" VALUE="run-active.png">
 <PARAM NAME="Details" VALUE="details.png">
 <PARAM NAME="DetailsOver" VALUE="details-over.png">
 <PARAM NAME="DetailsActive" VALUE="details-active.png">
 <PARAM NAME="Pause" VALUE="pause.png">
 <PARAM NAME="PauseOver" VALUE="pause-over.png">
 <PARAM NAME="PauseActive" VALUE="pause-active.png">
 <PARAM NAME="Resume" VALUE="resume.png">
 <PARAM NAME="ResumeOver" VALUE="resume-over.png">
 <PARAM NAME="ResumeActive" VALUE="resume-active.png">

To define the URL to which the user will be redirected when exiting the applet.

  
 <PARAM NAME="RedirectUrl" VALUE="http://www.nomachine.com">

Parameters for specifying the session file

To define the URL from which the applet will download the session file. Please note that this name should be unique, in order to grant every user their own session file and that the .nxs extension is required:

 <PARAM NAME="SessionUrl" VALUE="/plugin/session/session.nxs">

To define how the downloaded session file should be renamed when saved locally. Please note that the .nxs extension is required:

 <PARAM NAME="SessionName" VALUE="testdrive.nxs">

To define the URL from which the applet will download the NX Client for Linux archive:

 <PARAM NAME="LinuxClientUrl" VALUE="/plugin/Linux/client.zip">

To define the version of the NX Client for Linux available in the client.zip archive. Please avoid modifying this value asit refers to the version of the client provided together with the NX Web Companion installation:

 <PARAM NAME="LinuxClientVersion" VALUE = "3.0.0-50">

To define the URL from which the applet will download the NX Client for Windows archive:

 <PARAM NAME="WindowsClientUrl" VALUE="/plugin/Windows/client.zip">

To define the version of the NX Client for Windows available in the client.zip archive. Please avoid modifying this value as it refers to the version of the client provided together with the installation:

 <PARAM NAME="WindowsClientVersion" VALUE = "3.0.0-50">

To define the URL from which the applet will download the NX Client for Mac OS/X archive:

 <PARAM NAME="MacOSClientUrl" VALUE="/plugin/MacOSX/client.zip">

To define the version of the NX Client for Mac OS/X available in the client.zip archive. Please avoid modifying this value as it refers to the version of the client provided together with the installation.

 <PARAM NAME="MacOSClientVersion" VALUE = "3.0.0-50">

To define the URL from which the applet will download the NX Client for Solaris archive:

 <PARAM NAME="SolarisClientUrl" VALUE="/plugin/Solaris/client.zip">

To define the version of the NX Client for Solaris available in the client.zip archive. Please avoid modifying this value as it refers to the version of the client provided together with the installation.

 <PARAM NAME="SolarisClientVersion" VALUE = "3.0.0-50">

 <PARAM NAME="archive" VALUE="nxapplet.jar">
 <PARAM NAME="code" VALUE="NXApplet.class">
 <PARAM NAME="type" VALUE="application/x-java-applet;version=1.2">

The NX Web Companion contains a signed Java applet used to download the required NX components and the NX session information. The process of signing an applet ensures that the applet's code cannot be modified while travelling over the network, so that it can be trusted by the browser and executed under the user's control. Nonetheless, the signing process does not mean that other data downloaded by the applet might not be subject to spoofing and other common Internet threats. Therefore, unless the access to the NX Web Companion is offered on a trusted network, it is strongly suggested that you protect your communication by means of a HTTPS/SSL connection.

By using the NX Web Companion the user needs to gain access to various information. You may consider putting the different data on different servers, these being HTTP or HTTPS servers, depending on the level of security you want to achieve. Some considerations to point out are:

• The Java applet itself and the other NX Web Companion's components are not considered critical data. As we have seen, the applet has been signed so that it can be verified by the browser upon execution, and the download of the other binary components will offer the same security as the download of the NX binary packages from any other server on the Internet.
• The Web page containing the applet parameters contains critical data because it exposes the address of the NX server and the URL where the session configuration can be downloaded. If the download of the NX session configuration has not been protected by additional means (host based access, HTTP password) a hacker would be able to intercept the data travelling over the network and get hold of the session configuration of the legitimate user.
• The NX session configuration file, including the cryptographic key used to gain access to the server and the user's credentials should be carefully protected and never transferred over the network across an unencrypted connection. This data is downloaded by the applet from the URL specified among the parameters and used to run the session without further interaction with the user.