Made for Raspberry Pi 3B architecture based devices and compatibles
https://hub.docker.com/r/hilschernetpi/netpi-desktop-hdmi
The image provided hereunder deploys a container with installed Debian, display server, desktop environment, virtual network computing, remote desktop software and ssh server.
Base of this image builds debian with installed HDMI display server X.org and a desktop environment Xfce turning the device in a desktop PC. The ALSA audio sound package outputs on HDMI. The REALVNC server enables the access from remote via VNC clients, while the AnyDesk server the access over the internet.
The container has been successfully tested on the following hosts
- netPI, model RTE 3, product name NIOT-E-NPI3-51-EN-RE
- netPI, model CORE 3, product name NIOT-E-NPI3-EN
- netIOT Connect, product name NIOT-E-TPI51-EN-RE
- netFIELD Connect, product name NIOT-E-TPI51-EN-RE/NFLD
- Raspberry Pi, model 3B
netPI devices specifically feature a restricted Docker protecting the Docker host system software's integrity by maximum. The restrictions are
- privileged mode is not automatically adding all host devices
/dev/to a container - volume bind mounts to rootfs is not supported
- the devices
/dev,/dev/mem,/dev/sd*,/dev/dm*,/dev/mapper,/dev/mmcblk*cannot be added to a container
The container binds the SSH server port to 22 by default.
For an alternative port use the environment variable SSHPORT with the desired port number as value.
The container needs to run in host network mode.
This mode makes port mapping unnecessary. The following TCP/UDP container ports are exposed to the host automatically
| Used port | Protocol | By application | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 or SSHPORT | TCP | SSH server | |
| 5900 | TCP | VNC server |
The following host devices need to be added to the container
- for HDMI support the devices
/dev/tty0,/dev/tty2,/dev/fb0 - for mouse and keyboard support the device
/dev/input - for sound over HDMI support the device
/dev/snd
The privileged mode option needs to be activated to lift the standard Docker enforced container limitations. With this setting the container and the applications inside are the getting (almost) all capabilities as if running on the Host directly.
Pulling the image may take 10 minutes.
STEP 1. Open netPI's web UI in your browser (https).
STEP 2. Click the Docker tile to open the Portainer.io Docker management user interface.
STEP 3. Enter the following parameters under Containers > + Add Container
| Parameter | Value | Remark |
|---|---|---|
| Image | hilschernetpi/netpi-desktop-hdmi | |
| Network > Network | Host | |
| Restart policy | always | |
| Adv.con.set. > Env > +add env.var. | name SSHPORT -> value any number value | optional for different SSH port |
| Adv.con.set. > Devices > +add device | Host path /dev/tty0 -> Container path /dev/tty0 | |
| Adv.con.set. > Devices > +add device | Host path /dev/tty2 -> Container path /dev/tty2 | |
| Adv.con.set. > Devices > +add device | Host path /dev/fb0 -> Container path /dev/fb0 | |
| Adv.con.set. > Devices > +add device | Host path /dev/input -> Container path /dev/input | |
| Adv.con.set. > Devices > +add device | Host path /dev/snd -> Container path /dev/snd | |
| Adv.con.set. > Privileged mode | On |
STEP 4. Press the button Actions > Start/Deploy container
docker run -d --privileged --network=host --restart=always -e SSHPORT=22 --device=/dev/tty0:/dev/tty0 --device=/dev/tty2:/dev/tty2 --device=/dev/fb0:/dev/fb0 --device=/dev/input:/dev/input --device=/dev/snd:/dev/snd -p 22:22/tcp -p 5900:5900 hilschernetpi/netpi-desktop-hdmi
A docker-compose.yml file could look like this
version: "2"
services:
desktop:
image: hilschernetpi/netpi-desktop-hdmi
restart: always
privileged: true
network_mode: host
ports:
- 22:22
- 5900:5900
devices:
- "/dev/tty0:/dev/tty0"
- "/dev/tty2:/dev/tty2"
- "/dev/fb0:/dev/fb0"
- "/dev/input:/dev/input"
- "/dev/snd:/dev/snd"
environment:
- SSHPORT=22
The container starts the desktop over HDMI, the SSH server, the VNC server and AnyDesk automatically when deployed.
Make sure you have a mouse and keyboard connected before you deploy the container else they are not recognized by it.
A HDMI monitor in general will only be recognized if it was already connected when the device is powered else the screen remains black.
For an SSH terminal session use an SSH client such as putty with the Docker host IP address (@port number 22 or SSHPORT or bridge mode mapped one).
Use the credentials testuser as user and mypassword as password when asked and you are logged in as non-root user testuser.
Continue to use Linux commands in the terminal as usual.
Control the desktop with any VNC client over port 5900. The REALVNC viewer works right away. For others like UltraVNC change the authentication method in the server/options/security/authentication settings from UNIX password to VNC password.
Control the desktop over the internet with AnyDesk software. Use the This Desk ID shown on the desktop in the AnyDesk software Remote Desk ID field to connect. Accept the connection on the desktop afterwards.
Copyright (c) Hilscher Gesellschaft fuer Systemautomation mbH. All rights reserved. Licensed under the LISENSE.txt file information stored in the project's source code repository.
As with all Docker images, these likely also contain other software which may be under other licenses (such as Bash, etc from the base distribution, along with any direct or indirect dependencies of the primary software being contained). As for any pre-built image usage, it is the image user's responsibility to ensure that any use of this image complies with any relevant licenses for all software contained within.
