Connect through one of your PCs

A computer on a home or office network, like a NAS, a Raspberry Pi or a desktop, usually can't be reached from outside that network. If one of your PCs with RemoteAccessApp is on the same network, the connection can go through it: that PC opens the connection on its network, and everything travels through our relay. Your PCs never connect to each other directly.

Set it up

1. On Connections, edit the host (or add one).
2. Under Advanced, open Network. In Connect through a PC, click Through a PC and choose the PC that is on the same network. Directly is the default: it connects from this computer, as before.
3. Save. The host remembers the PC. The choice is kept with your account, so your other computers and the website use the same PC for this host.

You can also right-click a host and choose Connect through, then a PC. It connects straight away and remembers the choice.

A host that goes through a PC shows Through HOME-PC on its card, and at the top of its right-click menu. Editing it opens with Network unfolded, so you can see the PC.

Which hosts can go through a PC

• SSH and SFTP, on any port.
• Remote Desktop and VNC, on the port the host is saved with. A VNC host that goes through an SSH host follows that SSH host instead.
• Web panels (like iDRAC, a router or a NAS page) in the Windows Console. The Linux Console opens web panels in your own browser, which can't go through a PC, so there it says Not available on Linux yet.
• Not FTP: it opens a new connection on another port for every file. Use SFTP instead.

The connection always goes to the address and port the host is saved with. A PC never connects to itself, or to the port RemoteAccessApp itself uses, for you.

Will someone at the PC have to click Allow?

It works the same way as a remote session from your Console:

• If unattended access is on at that PC, and your Console is trusted there (or it's your own account), the connection goes straight through. Nobody has to click anything.
• If unattended access is off, someone at that PC is asked to allow it, with where the connection goes. After they allow it, more connections to the same host in the next few minutes don't ask again.

This doesn't turn unattended access on, and it doesn't change who that PC trusts. You can change that only at the PC itself.

What you see

The tab shows Through HOME-PC next to the address. While it connects, it says what it's waiting for, for example Waiting for someone at HOME-PC to allow the connection….

While the connection is open, the Remote session active notice shows on HOME-PC. If the person there clicks its X (End on Linux), the connection ends straight away. The tab (or the website's terminal) says The person at HOME-PC ended the connection. and doesn't reconnect by itself. Click Reconnect to try again. Someone at HOME-PC is asked again, even within those few minutes. With unattended access on and your Console trusted, it goes straight through, the same as a remote session.

Which PCs can be used

Only your own PCs that are online and have an up-to-date RemoteAccessApp. A PC shared with you by a team can't be used for this. PCs that can't be used are greyed with the reason: Offline, Update its app first, Only your own PCs, or Update the app on HOME-PC first when its app only connects to SSH servers on SSH's usual port and the host uses another port.

When it doesn't connect

• HOME-PC is offline right now: turn that PC on, choose another PC, or click Connect directly instead.
• The person at the PC didn't allow the connection (or nobody answered): ask the person at that PC, or connect directly.
• The person at HOME-PC ended the connection.: they ended it from the notice on their screen. Click Reconnect when they're ready.
• Update the app on HOME-PC first: update RemoteAccessApp on that PC (tray icon > Check for updates), or choose another PC.
• HOME-PC asks for its connection password: the app can't type a PC's connection password for this yet. Connect directly, or choose another PC.
• For anything else, see can't connect to a server.