Connect to Tux from iPad - Remote Desktop (RDP)

Remote Desktop allows you to use a full, graphical interface to the Linux compute servers. This can be more convenient when you need to print or use graphical apps like Matlab and Maple. 

To connect to Remote Desktop, you'll need to be on Drexel's network, be that a hardwired network jack in your dorm, a Drexel workstation in one of the labs, on DragonFly3 wireless, or connected to VPN if you're off-campus.

There are many apps which can be used for the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) which Tux supports, but our instructions support Microsoft Remote Desktop.

Please note that Remote Desktop connections are closed 5 minutes after you disconnect. Save your work often in case you lose connection to the server unexpectedly.


  1. Find the Microsoft Remote Desktop app in the App Store.
    https://apps.apple.com/us/app/microsoft-remote-desktop/id714464092
  2. Open the Remote Desktop app and click the + button, then choose "Desktop":
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  3. Type 'xtux.cci.drexel.edu' into the "PC Name" field and click 'Save'.
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  4. Once you save the connection, you can tap the machine to connect:
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  5. You may be prompted that the connection can't be verified. This is an advanced feature which we aren't yet supporting with Tux, and can be safely dismissed. You may select "Don't ask me for connections to this computer" if you'd like.
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  6. Next, you'll have to enter your user information. Your username is your Drexel user id (eg abc123), and your password is your Drexel password.
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  7. Once you click "Done", your connection should open. If you mistyped your password, you'll be asked for it again. You can also disconnect and open a new connection to try again. If you had a previous connection open, you may see a screen saver. Press a key on the keyboard, and you'll be asked to enter your password. Do that and you should get back to your desktop.
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  8. To disconnect from your session, press the hamburger menu button and choose "End Session". This menu also lets you put the interface in Touch mode (where you tap the things you want to select) or Pointer Mode (which lets you use the screen like a trackpad on a laptop).
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  9. The Keyboard button brings up the on-screen keyboard. If you have a hardware keyboard, you can ignore this sometimes, but there are also extra buttons which show up here. Pressing the "123" button gets you more special keys, function keys, and number keys.
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  10. To log out, go to the gear/power button at the top right and choose "Log Out". 
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