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Installing the Host

Installing on Linux

This page is for the person who installs the Remotle host on a Linux workstation. You need root access to the workstation. Check Host Requirements for the supported distributions.

Packages

Section titled “Packages”

Computle supplies two packages for each build. Install both together.

PackageContents
computle-enrolmentThe host’s identity with Computle. Versioned by date, for example 2026.9.29.
computle-hostThe host. Versioned by release, for example 2026-10-11-2304 (2026.10.11.2304 in the RPM file name).
DistributionFiles
Ubuntu, Debiancomputle-enrolment_<version>_amd64.deb, computle-host_<release>_amd64.deb
Rocky Linux, RHEL, AlmaLinuxcomputle-enrolment-<version>-1.el8.x86_64.rpm, computle-host-<release>-1.el8.x86_64.rpm
SUSE Linux Enterprisecomputle-enrolment-<version>-1.suse15.x86_64.rpm, computle-host-<release>-1.suse15.x86_64.rpm

The el8 packages install on Rocky, RHEL and Alma 8, 9 and 10. aarch64 packages exist for 64-bit Arm.

Install

Section titled “Install”

  1. Add the kernel module packages the host needs.

    DistributionUSB devices (vhci-hcd)Camera (v4l2loopback)
    Ubuntulinux-modules-extra-$(uname -r). Cloud and minimal images do not include it.v4l2loopback-dkms (universe)
    DebianIn the standard kernelv4l2loopback-dkms
    Rocky, RHEL, Alma 8 and 9kmod-usbip from ELRepokmod-v4l2loopback from ELRepo
    Rocky, RHEL, Alma 10kmod-usbip from ELRepokmod-v4l2loopback from RPM Fusion (free)
    SUSE Linux Enterprisekernel-default-extrav4l2loopback-kmp-default

    The host works without them; USB devices and the camera do not.

  2. Install the packages.

    sudo apt-get install -y ./computle-enrolment_*.deb ./computle-host_*.deb

    For a silent install, set DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive.

    A terminal: apt-get installing computle-enrolment and computle-host from local .deb files, ending with Setting up computle-host and a line from the package naming a kernel module it could not load and the package that provides it.

    The package reports any kernel module it cannot load, in the form “computle-host: kernel module <module> is not available for <kernel>; install <package>”. Install the named package and the module loads at the next boot.

  3. Sign out and sign in again.

    The session agent starts with the next GNOME session, the login screen included. A GNOME Shell extension for the pointer is enabled at the same time.

  4. Check the host.

    systemctl status computle-hostd
    cat /usr/lib/computle-host/VERSION

    computle-hostd reads active (running) and the version file names the release you installed.

    A terminal: systemctl status computle-hostd showing the unit enabled and active (running), its journal lines including registered with the connection service, and cat of the VERSION file printing 2026-10-11-2304.

  5. Enrol the host.

What the package does

Section titled “What the package does”
StepDetail
Service accountCreates the computle-host user and computle group. The install fails if they cannot be created.
Folders/etc/computle (root, group computle), /var/lib/computle and /var/log/computle (owned by computle-host, mode 0750)
Kernel modulesLoads vhci-hcd, v4l2loopback and uinput and adds udev rules for them
SELinuxLabels the host binaries bin_t
PolkitAllows computle-host one action, setting the system clock, so the host can set the time from the connecting device
GNOME Shell extensionEnables [email protected] for every user and the login screen, through a locked dconf setting
PAMInstalls pam_computle_logon.so and /etc/pam.d/computle-logon, used only where an administrator has set up silent logon
UnitsEnables every system unit and, for all users, every user unit, then starts them
ItemValue
Program folder/usr/lib/computle-host/, and /usr/bin/computle-session
Configuration/etc/computle/
Data/var/lib/computle/
Version/usr/lib/computle-host/VERSION

Upgrade

Section titled “Upgrade”

Install the newer packages with the same command. The maintainer script restarts the host services, in each signed-in user’s session as well. Settings in /etc/computle/ are kept.

A terminal: apt-get upgrading computle-host from 2026-10-11-2304 to 2026-10-15-0001, with computle-enrolment already the newest version, then the VERSION file printing the new release.

Hosts also update themselves. See Host Updates.

Uninstall

Section titled “Uninstall”

Remove computle-host with your package manager. Removing stops and disables every unit and removes the GNOME Shell extension setting.

On Ubuntu and Debian, purging the package (apt-get purge computle-host) also removes /var/lib/computle, /var/log/computle, the updater’s state and /etc/computle/update.conf. /etc/computle/provision.conf belongs to enrolment and stays.

A terminal: apt-get purge computle-host removing the package and purging its configuration files, then ls /etc/computle/ listing only provision.conf.

Section titled “Related”

Questions

Section titled “Questions”

The install printed a line about a kernel module. Did it fail?

Section titled “The install printed a line about a kernel module. Did it fail?”

No. The package installed and the host runs. The line names a module the kernel does not have, and the package that provides it. Without vhci-hcd USB devices do not work; without v4l2loopback the camera does not. Install the named package.

Where is the status window?

Section titled “Where is the status window?”

There is none on Linux. The same facts are in two status files and the service manager; see Opening the Host Status Window.