If you try to manage a Windows Server from Ubuntu and your first move is to install an SSH client, you’re already in the wrong lane.

Linux servers are usually managed with SSH. Windows Server, on the other hand, expects you to use RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol).

On Ubuntu 18.04, the easiest way to remote into a Windows Server is with an RDP client called Remmina.

Below is a practical, step-by-step guide to get you from “staring at a terminal” to actually seeing the Windows desktop from your Ubuntu machine.

Who This Is For (And What We’re Doing)

This guide is for you if:

• You’re using Ubuntu 18.04 on your desktop or laptop.
• You need to remote into a Windows Server (any Windows Server that exposes RDP).
• You want a simple GUI way to do it, not a wall of command-line options.

What we’ll cover:

• Installing the Remmina Remote Desktop Client.
• Creating an RDP profile for your Windows Server.
• Choosing the right resolution and color depth.
• Avoiding a common H264 / color depth error in Remmina.

No risky stuff here: we’re just installing a client on your Ubuntu machine and connecting to a server that’s already set up for RDP.

Step 0 – Install Remmina on Ubuntu 18.04

First, we need the RDP client itself.

Remmina is a remote desktop client that supports several protocols, including RDP, which is what we need for Windows Server.

1. Open a terminal in Ubuntu.
2. Install Remmina with apt:

sudo apt install remmina

That’s it. The package manager will pull in Remmina and any dependencies it needs.

If you’re on a production workstation, it’s a good habit to:

• Make sure your user is allowed to install packages (sudo access).
• Avoid randomly adding third-party repositories unless you really need them.

Here we’re just using the normal Ubuntu packages, so it’s safe.

Step 1 – Open Remmina and Create a New RDP Profile

Once Remmina is installed, we’ll create a connection profile so you don’t have to retype everything every time.

1. Launch Remmina:
2. Open the application menu.
3. Search for Remmina and start it.
4. Create a new connection profile:
5. In the Remmina window, click the + button (add new connection).

You’ll see a form where we plug in all the details for your Windows Server.

Step 2 – Fill in Basic Windows Server Connection Details

Now we tell Remmina where to connect and with which account.

In the new profile window, fill in these fields:

• Name:
• Any label you like.
• Example: Prod Windows Server or RDP – Accounting Server.
• Server:
• The IP address of your Windows Server.
• Example: 192.168.1.10.
• User name:
• The Windows login username.
• Same one you’d use if you sat at the server physically.
• User password:
• The Windows login password.

These credentials are what Windows Server uses, not your Ubuntu user.

If you mistype them, you’ll just get a login failure later, so double-check.

Step 3 – Choose Resolution Settings That Fit Your Screen

Next, we decide how big the remote desktop window should be.

Remmina gives you two main options for resolution:

• Use client resolution:
• Uses the same resolution as your local Ubuntu screen.
• Good if you want the remote desktop to basically fill your monitor.
• Custom:
• Lets you set your own width and height, like 1024x768.
• Helpful if your Windows Server runs at one resolution but you want a different size on your Ubuntu side.

Example setup:

• Windows Server might be running at 1366x768.
• You can still remote in at 1024x768 if that fits better on your monitor.

Pick what feels comfortable for your workflow. You can always edit the profile later if the window feels too big or too small.

Step 4 – Set the Right Color Depth (Avoid the H264 Error)

This is where a lot of people hit an annoying error and think Remmina is broken.

If the color depth isn’t set correctly, you can see an error like:

You requested an H264 GFX mode for server xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx, but your libfreerdp does not support H264. Please check Color Depth settings

To avoid that problem:

1. In the connection profile, find Color depth.
2. Select True color (32 bpp).

Why this matters:

• Some modes trigger that H264 GFX issue when libfreerdp (the backend library Remmina uses) can’t handle it.
• Sticking to True color (32 bpp) avoids the error and gives you full color.

If you’re already seeing that error, just edit your existing profile, change the color depth to True color (32 bpp), and reconnect.

Step 5 – Save and Connect to the Windows Server

Once you’ve filled in all the fields, it’s time to actually connect.

1. In the profile window, click Save and Connect.
2. Remmina will try to establish an RDP session to your Windows Server using the IP, username, password, and settings you provided.

If everything is correct, Remmina will open a window showing the Windows Server desktop.

From there it works like you’re sitting at the server:

• You can open Server Manager.
• Manage services.
• Install apps.
• Do whatever you normally do on that Windows box.

If the connection fails:

• Double-check the Server IP.
• Confirm the username and password.
• Make sure you’re using the right resolution and True color (32 bpp).

Quick Safety and Good Practices

Even though we’re just using an RDP client from Ubuntu, it’s still good to stay a bit cautious:

• Use correct permissions on your Ubuntu user:
• Don’t run graphical apps as root unless you really need to.
• Installing Remmina with sudo apt install remmina is fine.
• Be careful with passwords:
• Remmina can save your password in the profile.
• Only do this on machines you control and trust.
• Remote changes on Windows Server:
• Anything you do through RDP is as powerful as sitting at the server.
• Before changing configs or installing software there, consider backups or snapshots on the Windows side.

You’re not changing any system files on Ubuntu by connecting, but you can absolutely break things on the Windows Server if you go wild.

Recap

To remote into a Windows Server from Ubuntu 18.04:

1. Install Remmina:
   bash
sudo apt install remmina
2. Open Remmina and hit the + button to create a new RDP profile.
3. Fill in:
4. Name (any label)
5. Server (Windows Server IP)
6. User name (Windows user)
7. User password (Windows password)
8. Choose Resolution:
9. Use client resolution or set a Custom size.
10. Set Color depth to True color (32 bpp) to avoid the H264 GFX error.
11. Click Save and Connect.

If you see the Windows Server desktop on your Ubuntu machine, you’re done.

Need more help? Check the latest CrushEdge posts.