Given AnyDesk’s recent announcement regarding license requirements by August 31st, many are looking at alternative remote desktop software. RustDesk, a free and open-source self-hosted solution, presents a strong contender. This guide will walk you through setting up RustDesk Server on your Linux server.

Prerequisites:

Before starting, please ensure you have the following:

• A Linux server (Debian 12/Ubuntu 24.04 LTS) with a minimum of 1 CPU, 1 GB RAM, and 10 GB of disk space.
• SSH access to your server with sudo privileges.
• Basic familiarity with terminal commands.

Step 1: Creating a Dedicated User

Creating a separate user account specifically for running RustDesk Server is recommended:

sudo adduser rustdeskuser

Follow the prompts to set a password and any other optional details for the new user.

Step 2: Configuring Firewall Rules

Adjust your firewall settings to permit the necessary ports for RustDesk:

sudo ufw allow 21114:21119/tcp

sudo ufw allow 8000/tcp

sudo ufw allow 21116/udp

sudo ufw enable

Step 3: Downloading and Installing RustDesk Server

Log in as the newly created user and proceed with the installation:

su - rustdeskuser

wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/techahold/rustdeskinstall/master/install.sh

sudo chmod +x install.sh

sudo ./install.sh

Step 4: Setting Up RustDesk Server

During installation, you’ll be prompted to configure RustDesk Server. This might include establishing administrative passwords and verifying installation directories.

Step 5: Launching RustDesk Server

After installation, initiate RustDesk Server:

sudo systemctl start rustdesk

sudo systemctl enable rustdesk

Step 6: Documenting RustDesk Server Credentials and Key

Step 7: Reaching the RustDesk Dashboard

Use your web browser to go to http://your_server_ip:8000 to get to the RustDesk Server dashboard. Log in using the credentials established during installation.

Step 8: Establishing a Connection to RustDesk Server

Download the RustDesk client application from the official RustDesk website and establish a connection to your server using its IP address and the port designated during installation.

Download Debian/Ubuntu client: Release 1.2.6 · rustdesk/rustdesk (github.com)

RustDesk Server offers a practical option compared to commercial remote desktop software like AnyDesk, providing adaptability and authority over your remote access needs. Self-hosting RustDesk ensures data privacy and adherence to your organization’s policies.

Reference: Installation :: Documentation for RustDesk