RDP Connection Guide for false.work UE5 Builder #

Quick Connect #

From your dev container:

cd /workspaces/aesthetic-computer/false.work/unreal-builder/scripts
./connect-rdp.sh

This will show you the command for your host OS.

Connection Details #

IP: 136.114.176.135
Username: builduser
Password: (in aesthetic-computer-vault/false.work/ue5-builder.env)

Connect from Host Machine #

🪟 Windows #

mstsc /v:136.114.176.135

Or search for "Remote Desktop Connection" in Start menu.

🍎 macOS #

open rdp://builduser@136.114.176.135

Or download Microsoft Remote Desktop from App Store (recommended).

🐧 Linux (Fedora/RHEL) #

Option 1: GNOME Connections (Recommended for GNOME desktops)

# Install if needed
sudo dnf install gnome-connections

# Launch directly
gnome-connections rdp://136.114.176.135

# Or open via GUI:
# 1. Open 'Connections' app (search in Activities)
# 2. Click '+' for New Connection
# 3. Select 'RDP'
# 4. Enter: 136.114.176.135, builduser, password
# 5. Connect and save for future use

Benefits:

• Native GNOME app (clean UI)
• Simpler than Remmina
• Saves connections easily
• Modern and well-maintained

Option 2: Remmina (Feature-rich alternative)

# Already installed!
remmina -c rdp://builduser@136.114.176.135

Or launch Remmina and:

1. Click "+"
2. Protocol: RDP
3. Server: 136.114.176.135
4. Username: builduser
5. Password: (from vault)
6. Save and connect

Option 3: xfreerdp (Command-line)

# Already installed with Remmina
xfreerdp /v:136.114.176.135 /u:builduser /cert:ignore /scale:140

Comparison:

Client	Best For	Pros	Cons
GNOME Connections	GNOME users	Simple, native, modern	Fewer advanced options
Remmina	Power users	Feature-rich, protocols	More complex UI
xfreerdp	Scripts/CLI	Fast, scriptable	No GUI

Troubleshooting #

"Cannot connect" / "Connection refused" #

Check VM is running:

gcloud compute instances describe ue5-builder-falsework \
  --zone=us-central1-a \
  --format="value(status)"

If stopped, start it:

gcloud compute instances start ue5-builder-falsework --zone=us-central1-a
# Wait 60 seconds for boot
sleep 60

"Password incorrect" #

Get the current password:

cat ~/aesthetic-computer-vault/false.work/ue5-builder.env | grep VM_PASSWORD

Or reset it:

gcloud compute reset-windows-password ue5-builder-falsework \
  --zone=us-central1-a \
  --user=builduser

"Certificate error" / "Security warning" #

This is normal for first connection. Choose:

• ✅ "Accept" or "Trust"
• ✅ Check "Don't ask again for this host"

Slow connection / lag #

1. Check your internet speed
2. Try lower color depth in Remmina (Settings → Color depth → 16 bit)
3. Disable desktop effects in Windows on the VM

Black screen after connect #

Wait 10-20 seconds - Windows may be loading. If still black:

1. Disconnect
2. Wait 30 seconds
3. Reconnect

Tips for Best Experience #

GNOME Connections Settings (Recommended) #

• Fullscreen: Enable for best experience
• Quality: Automatic (it handles this well)
• Remember connection: Save for quick access
• Keyboard shortcuts: Automatically mapped

Remmina Settings (If Using Remmina) #

• Resolution: Fit window
• Color depth: 32-bit (or 16-bit for slower connections)
• Compression: Enable
• Quality: Good or Best
• Sound: Off (saves bandwidth)

Windows VM Settings #

Once connected, optimize for remote work:

1. Disable animations: Settings → System → About → Advanced system settings → Performance → "Adjust for best performance"
2. Disable Windows Search indexing: Services → Windows Search → Stop
3. Set power plan to "High Performance"

Using RDP Files #

If you have a .rdp file:

Windows:

mstsc your-file.rdp

Linux:

xfreerdp your-file.rdp

Shortcuts While Connected #

Windows Key Combinations #

• Ctrl+Alt+End - Ctrl+Alt+Del on remote
• Ctrl+Alt+Break - Toggle fullscreen
• Ctrl+Alt+Home - Show connection bar

Disconnect vs Logout #

• Disconnect: Keeps your session running (recommended)
• Logout: Closes all programs

Security Notes #

• Always disconnect when done (don't leave it logged in)
• Use strong password (already set)
• VM automatically stops overnight if configured
• Firewall only allows RDP from internet (port 3389)

Performance Monitoring #

Once connected, check VM performance:

1. Open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc)
2. Check CPU, RAM, Disk usage
3. During builds, CPU should be near 100% (this is good!)

File Transfer #

To VM (from your machine): #

• Drag and drop files (works in Remmina)
• Or use gcloud: gcloud compute scp local-file ue5-builder-falsework:C:\

From VM (to your machine): #

• Copy/paste text works
• Or use gcloud: gcloud compute scp ue5-builder-falsework:C:\file local-path

Next Steps After Connecting #

See: NEXT-STEPS.md for what to do inside the VM.