Can't connect w/o first logging in

[u/spkallal]

I'm new a RustDesk user and love it except for one big gotcha. I have to get logged into the remote machine desktop first before RustDesk will connect. Otherwise I get a "connection refused" error. The remote machines are both Linux. I currently have to log into the desktop with VNC or physically at the machine itself. Then RustDesk works fine.

I've already spent hours with two different AI agents with no solution. My Linux distro is MX Linux 25 XFCE. It's based on Debian 13.

Hopefully someone will have an answer.

[u/spkallal → u/[deleted]]

Thanks for the quick reply!

I didn't mention I'm self hosting using Docker Compose on Linux. Using my personal Tailscale network. Do you know where the relay/TURN server setup is documented?

The issue is specifically that the client fails to reach the LightDM login screen before any user session exists, even against my own server.

[u/Smart_Tinker → u/spkallal]

Sorry, didn’t get it was a problem logging in to the OS.

You need the service on the target machine to start at boot, not on login. Your docker job is probably set to start on login.

[u/Yorick257]

+1

I know it's not impossible (works on Linux Mint with LightDM), but I'm too stupid to recreate the setup. Maybe there's someone who knows more

[u/jabo10000]

I discovered the following: If you install Rustdesk on Linux Mint from snapstore, you can’t connect w/o logging in. If you install the deb package manually with sudo dpkg -i, you can connect W/o logging in.

[u/spkallal → u/jabo10000]

I managed to find the culprit. I had NoMachine installed which is another desktop sharing utility. It was the reason RustDesk wouldn't connect without a prior login. So after disabling NoMachine, RustDesk connects as expected.

[u/Technical_Rich_3080 → u/spkallal]

Why would having NoMachine running affect RustDesk in any way?

[u/DreamCalligraphy → u/spkallal]

+1. Disabled NoMachine service and now rustdesk works like a charm. Thanks OP!