Take Your Raspberry Pi Projects on the Go with Remote Access

Learn how to control your Raspberry Pi remotely using VNC, SSH, or a web interface. …


Updated August 28, 2023

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Learn how to control your Raspberry Pi remotely using VNC, SSH, or a web interface.

When working on a Raspberry Pi project, it’s often convenient to be able to access and control your device from anywhere in the world. Whether you need to check on progress or make changes, here are three methods for controlling your Raspberry Pi remotely.

  1. VNC (Virtual Network Computing) VNC is a graphical desktop sharing system that allows you to view and interact with your Raspberry Pi’s desktop from another device on the same network or over the internet. Here are the steps to set up VNC remote access:
  • Install the RealVNC server package by running sudo apt install realvnc-vnc-server in the terminal.
  • Start the VNC server with sudo systemctl enable --now vncserver-x11-serviced and set a password when prompted.
  • Configure your router to forward port 5900 to your Raspberry Pi’s IP address.
  • Install a VNC client on your remote device (such as RealVNC viewer for Windows or macOS, or Remmina for Linux).
  • Connect to the Raspberry Pi using the IP address and password you set earlier.
  1. SSH (Secure Shell) SSH allows you to control your Raspberry Pi through a command line interface. If you’re comfortable with working in the terminal, this is an easy way to remotely execute commands or transfer files. Here are the steps to set up SSH remote access:
  • Enable SSH by running sudo systemctl enable --now ssh.
  • Configure your router to forward port 22 to your Raspberry Pi’s IP address.
  • Use an SSH client (like PuTTY for Windows or the built-in terminal for macOS and Linux) to connect to your Raspberry Pi using its IP address, username (usually ‘pi’), and password (‘raspberry’).
  • Once connected, you can run commands on the Raspberry Pi just like if you were sitting in front of it.
  1. Web Interface Another option is to use a web interface to control your Raspberry Pi remotely. This allows you to view and interact with your device through a web browser, without needing to set up port forwarding on your router or install additional software. Here are some popular web interfaces for Raspberry Pi:
  • Webmin is an open source tool that provides a web-based interface for system administration tasks. To install it, run sudo apt install webmin. Once installed, access the web interface by navigating to http://<raspberry_pi_ip>:100000 in your browser and logging in with your Raspberry Pi credentials.
  • NoMachine provides a remote desktop solution that works on Windows, macOS, Linux, and mobile devices. It’s free for personal use; to install it, run sudo apt install nomachine. Once installed, start the NoMachine server with sudo systemctl enable --now nxserver and connect using the NoMachine client on your remote device.
  • Remote.it is a cloud service that provides remote access to Raspberry Pi and other devices through a web browser. You can install their agent by running curl -s https://remote.it/install.sh | sudo bash. Once installed, create an account on the Remote.it website and connect to your device using a web browser or mobile app.

Conclusion: With remote access options like VNC, SSH, and web interfaces, you can control your Raspberry Pi remotely from any internet-connected device. These methods are useful for monitoring progress, making changes, and troubleshooting issues without being physically present at the device.