Connecting to your Raspberry Pi securely from anywhere with SSH and VNC

Learn how to access, control, and manage your Raspberry Pi remotely using SSH and VNC. Secure your connection and keep your data safe! …


Updated October 29, 2023

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Learn how to access, control, and manage your Raspberry Pi remotely using SSH and VNC. Secure your connection and keep your data safe!

Introduction

In this article, we will learn how to connect remotely to a Raspberry Pi device over the internet using two popular protocols: SSH (Secure Shell) and VNC (Virtual Network Computing). Both methods allow you to access your Raspberry Pi from any location as long as it is connected to the internet, making remote management and control of your device much easier.

Preparation

Before we begin, make sure that you have completed the following steps on your Raspberry Pi:

  1. Set up your Raspberry Pi with an operating system (e.g., Raspbian or Ubuntu)
  2. Ensure that your Raspberry Pi is connected to a network (either wired or wireless) and has internet access.
  3. Update the software on your Raspberry Pi by running the following command in the terminal:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade
  1. Install the necessary packages for SSH and VNC by running these commands in the terminal:
sudo apt-get install ssh
sudo apt-get install tightvncserver
  1. Create a new user account or use an existing one, as we will need it to log into our Raspberry Pi remotely.
  2. Enable SSH by running this command in the terminal:
sudo systemctl enable ssh
sudo systemctl start ssh
  1. Enable VNC by running these commands in the terminal:
vncserver :1
vncserver -kill :1

Now that our Raspberry Pi is ready, let’s move on to connecting remotely.

Connecting with SSH

Secure Shell (SSH) is a protocol used for secure remote access and control of your Raspberry Pi. To connect via SSH, you will need the IP address or hostname of your device, as well as the username and password for your user account. Here’s how to do it:

  1. Open a terminal on your local computer (Windows users can use PuTTY).
  2. Type ssh <username>@<ip_address> and press Enter. Replace <username> with the username you created or want to use, and <ip_address> with the IP address of your Raspberry Pi.
  3. When prompted, enter the password for the user account on your Raspberry Pi.
  4. If this is your first time connecting via SSH, you may see a message about the authenticity of the host. Type ‘yes’ and press Enter to continue.
  5. You should now have secure access to your Raspberry Pi! Try running some commands to make sure everything works as expected.

Connecting with VNC

Virtual Network Computing (VNC) allows you to view and interact with the graphical interface of your Raspberry Pi remotely, just like if you were sitting in front of it. Here’s how to connect via VNC:

  1. On your local computer, download and install a VNC client such as TightVNC Viewer (Windows) or Screen Sharing (macOS/Linux).
  2. Note the display number that was assigned when you enabled VNC on your Raspberry Pi (e.g., :1). You will need this to connect.
  3. Open the VNC client and enter the IP address of your Raspberry Pi, followed by the display number (e.g., <ip_address>:1). Press Connect or OK.
  4. When prompted for a password, enter the one you used when setting up VNC on your Raspberry Pi (vncserver :1 command).
  5. You should now be connected to your Raspberry Pi’s graphical interface!

Securing Your Connection

While SSH and VNC allow for remote access and management of your Raspberry Pi, it is essential to secure these connections to protect your data and privacy. Here are some tips:

  1. Change the default port for SSH by editing the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file on your Raspberry Pi and setting a new value for Port. This will require you to specify the port when connecting with SSH.
  2. Use public key authentication instead of a password for SSH by generating an SSH key pair on your local computer (ssh-keygen) and adding the public key to your Raspberry Pi’s authorized_keys file. This eliminates the need for entering a password each time you connect.
  3. Enable encryption and disable password authentication in the VNC configuration file located at /home/<username>/.vnc/xstartup. This will ensure that your connection is encrypted and secure.
  4. Use a VPN or other secure network connections to further protect your data when accessing your Raspberry Pi remotely.

Conclusion

By following this guide, you should now be able to connect to your Raspberry Pi securely from anywhere with SSH and VNC. These methods can save time and effort by allowing you to manage and control your device remotely without needing to be physically present at its location. Remember to always keep your connections secure to protect your data and privacy!