Table of Contents

What is Remote Desktop?
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Remote Desktop technology allows users to connect, control, and manage computers or virtual machines over a network. It’s widely used in IT support, DevOps, and enterprise environments for convenience, monitoring, and troubleshooting.

Common Remote Desktop Services
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Native OS Support (best performance, but limited to local networks):
- Windows – RDP (available only for Pro/Paid versions).
- Linux – xrdp.
- macOS – No full native support (only screen sharing or third-party apps).
Browser-Based Remote Desktop (lightweight, ideal for terminals):
- Apache Guacamole
- Kasm Workspace
Software-Enabled Remote Desktops (near-native performance):
- VNC – Powerful but requires configuration overhead.
- TeamViewer – Paid, uses vendor relay servers.
- AnyDesk – Free for personal use; subscription required for custom servers.
RustDesk – The Open-Source Alternative
- Written in Rust + Flutter.
- Works on Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, iOS, and Web.
- Offers self-hosting: deploy your own relay + signaling servers for data privacy and full control.

How to Self-Host RustDesk (Relay Server on AWS)
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Below is a step-by-step guide to setting up RustDesk self-hosted relay using Docker on an AWS EC2 instance.

Step 1: Install RustDesk Clients
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Download: RustDesk Official Site
Windows: Install as the user account you plan to remote into.

Linux (Kali Example):

sudo apt-get update && apt-get upgrade -y
sudo apt install -y pkg-config libssl-dev openssl libxcb-shape0-dev libxcb-xfixes0-dev
wget https://github.com/rustdesk/rustdesk/releases/download/1.3.7/rustdesk-1.3.7-x86_64.deb
sudo dpkg -i rustdesk-1.3.7-x86_64.deb

Step 2: Set Up Relay + Signaling Server
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Option A – VPN Based (most secure)
- Only authorized users with VPN access can reach the relay server.
Option B – Cloud Based (AWS EC2 Example)
- Launch EC2 Instance:
- OS: Ubuntu
- Size: 1 CPU / 1 GB RAM / 10 GB storage
Open required ports:
- 21116 (TCP/UDP)
- 21117 (TCP)
Optional: 21118, 21119 for web access.
Install Docker + Compose:

sudo apt-get update && apt-get upgrade -y
sudo apt-get install ca-certificates curl -y
sudo install -m 0755 -d /etc/apt/keyrings
curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | sudo tee /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc > /dev/null
echo "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu $(lsb_release -cs) stable" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-compose-plugin -y

Docker Compose Setup:

mkdir rustdesk && cd rustdesk
nano docker-compose.yml

services:
  hbbs:
    container_name: hbbs
    image: rustdesk/rustdesk-server:latest
    command: hbbs
    volumes:
      - ./data:/root
    network_mode: "host"
    depends_on:
      - hbbr
    restart: unless-stopped

  hbbr:
    container_name: hbbr
    image: rustdesk/rustdesk-server:latest
    command: hbbr
    volumes:
      - ./data:/root
    network_mode: "host"
    restart: unless-stopped

sudo docker compose up -d

Copy Keys + Configure Clients:
Retrieve public key (id_xxxx.pub) from /data directory.
Enter EC2 public IP + public key into RustDesk client under Network Settings.
Set a permanent password for persistent access.

Why RustDesk?
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Free & Open-Source (no vendor lock-in)
Cross-Platform (Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, iOS, Web)
Self-Hosted for Privacy (control your own relay servers)
Simple Docker Deployment (works on AWS, Azure, GCP, bare-metal, etc.)

RustDesk is ideal for DevOps engineers, IT support teams, and privacy-focused users who want secure and reliable remote desktop access without depending on paid SaaS vendors.

Final Thoughts
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If you’re tired of TeamViewer’s licensing limits or AnyDesk’s restrictions, RustDesk is your self-hosted alternative.
Deploy it on AWS EC2 with Docker in minutes and gain secure, private, and cross-platform remote desktop access.