Setup X11 Server On Macos

05 Jan 2020

https://www.unixtutorial.org/get-x11-forwarding-in-macos-high-sierra

Get X11 forwarding in MacOS

1. Download and install the latest release from xquartz.org website
2. Start XQuartz

3. IMPORTANT: verify xauth location SSH configuration file /etc/ssh/ssh_config might contain path to xauth tool, which may be incorrect depending on your OSX/MacOS version. Here’s how to check:

    greys@maverick:~ $ grep xauth /etc/ssh/sshd_config
   

   if this returns nothing, you can skip to Step 4 below. If this gives you an output, compare it to the path from the next command:

    greys@maverick:~ $ which xauth
    /opt/X11/bin/xauth
   

   If the locations differ or if path is missing, update the /etc/ssh/ssh_config file:

    greys@maverick:~ $ sudo vim /etc/ssh/ssh_config
   

   Add the following lines in the configuration file:

    Host *
      XAuthLocation /opt/X11/bin/xauth
   

4. Connect to remote server using -X option which does X11 forwarding for SSH:

   greys@maverick:~ $ ssh -X centos.unixtutorial.or

5. Check the DISPLAY variable, it should now be set correctly:

    greys@centos:~ $ echo $DISPLAY
    localhost:10.0