In continuing to integrate CAC into Linux, I went to the RDesktop SourceForge CVS website, followed the cvs download directions (using “rdesktop” as the modulename), and downloaded the latest version of rdesktop, which is supposed to have smartcard reader support. This piggybacks off of the installation of the CAC reader software in the previous post.
Once downloaded, cd to the rdesktop directory and do the following:
- Run the command “declare -x PKG_CONFIG_PATH=/usr/cac/lib/pkgconfig”
- “./configure –prefix=/usr/cac –enable-smartcard” – look for the line, “checking for PCSCLITE:” – it should say “yes” (thanks to the previous “declare” command)
- make && make install
- Run with “rdesktop -r scard <remote IP>:<remote port>
I was able to RDP over a VPN tunnel I established to a Windows machine I could test with, and confirmed that ActiveCard Gold utilities on the remote computer read and accepted my card certs from my local computer. Next, I was able to pass the certs to my (remote computer’s) Outlook e-mail client in order to send signed and encrypted messages.
Linux Free Trade Zone 
First off, thanks for the great how-to!
Did you connect to the rdesktop CVS anonymously? I’ve tried anonymous for several days and always get ‘connection refused.’ Is there any other place to get the latest dev patches for rdesktop?
RTM, I used the following commands:
cvs -d:pserver:anonymous@rdesktop.cvs.sourceforge.net:/cvsroot/rdesktop login (press when prompted for a password)
cvs -z3 -d:pserver:anonymous@rdesktop.cvs.sourceforge.net:/cvsroot/rdesktop co -P rdesktop
I tested this before posting this comment, so it definitely works. The most current version was downloaded, and it looks like there are some recent bug fixes (use the web-based CVS browser to see what I mean).
I do not know of any other sites, but I am sure they would come up on Google. Being that this is the primary development site, however, I still think this is your best bet.
Thanks for stopping by, and hope this helps!
symbolik, I know that I’m missing something, but the (current) cvs download of the 1.5 client doesn’t have a configure file. Is there some trick to compiling without it?
Thanks.
Kevin
Kevin – sorry, I don’t know. I would just download everything again, and Google if there is no configure file. Someone out there has probably found a way around this already.
I have followed these directions and they worked for me. Thanks. But do you know how to integrate this recompiled rdesktop into tsclient so that the tsclient (with smart card support) can be used vs the command line rdesktop call?
Sorry Randy, but it has been a while since I played around with that. I don’t have an answer for you.
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