Raspberry Pi Connect: new native panel plugin and connectivity testing
The latest release of Raspberry Pi OS includes an all-new, native panel plugin for Raspberry Pi Connect, our secure remote access solution that allows you to connect to your Raspberry Pi desktop and command line directly from your web browser.
Since the launch of our public beta with screen sharing back in May, and the addition of remote shell access and support for older Raspberry Pi devices in June, we’ve been working on improving support and performance on as many Raspberry Pi devices as possible — from Raspberry Pi Zero to Raspberry Pi 5 — both when using Raspberry Pi OS with desktop and our Lite version.
By default, Raspberry Pi Connect will be installed but disabled, only becoming active for your current user if you choose ‘Turn On Raspberry Pi Connect’ from the menu bar, or by running rpi-connect on from the terminal.
If this is your first time trying the service, using the menu bar will open your browser to sign up for a free Raspberry Pi Connect account; alternatively, you can run rpi-connect signin from the terminal to print a unique URL that you can open on any device you like. Once signed up and signed in, you can then connect to your device either via screen sharing (if you’re using Raspberry Pi desktop) or via remote shell from your web browser on any computer.
You can now stop and disable the service for your current user by choosing ‘Turn Off Raspberry Pi Connect’ or running rpi-connect off from the terminal.
With the latest release of 2.1.0 (available via software update), we now include a new rpi-connect doctor command that runs a series of connectivity tests to check the service can establish connections properly. We make every effort to ensure you can connect to your device without having to make any networking changes or open ports in your firewall — but if you’re having issues, run the command like so:
$ rpi-connect doctor
✓ Communication with Raspberry Pi Connect API
✓ Authentication with Raspberry Pi Connect API
✓ Peer-to-peer connection candidate via STUN
✓ Peer-to-peer connection candidate via TURNFull documentation for Raspberry Pi Connect can be found on our website, or via man rpi-connect in the terminal when installed on your device.
Updates on updates
We’ve heard from lots of users about the features they’d most like to see next, and we’ve tried to prioritise the things that will bring the largest improvements in functionality to the largest number of users. Keep an eye on this blog to see our next updates.
8 comments
Hubert
rpi-connect is a perfect solution if the raspi is behind a LTE-router, most of the providers do not let you connect to the router, with rpi-connect it is possible. Thank you. It would be interesting to know, how much data is used per hour or day to ping the connect server once a minute or so.
The font of the terminal-connect could be a tick bigger and on mobile devices there is sometimes the last line with the command not visible. Screen sharing on mobile devices works, is nice, but i do not have the chance to input any text because there is no keyboard …
Szaja
I love this tool. Thank you!
Richard Franklin
Please help me out here. I need to have rpi-connect with screen sharing start automatically on reboot. The reason is that I am running it remotely, and the location loses power far too often, and the Rpi must restart and be available remotely with screen sharing on reboot unattended.
From what I have read, one can not simply execute the command rpi-connect on startup, since that is before the windows are automatically up. (I need auto screen sharing to come back after a power outage).
I am wondering if executing the command on startup of,
rpi-connect-vnc, before the windows comes up will enable the screen sharing once windows comes up. I have not yet tested this, and wanted to get some input before trying this. This is a common situation for those of us that need access to an rpi remotely with screen sharing, after a reboot from a power outage. Again, no one is in attendance at the rpi location for this situation.
Thank-you very much.
AndrewS
Yes, once you’ve enabled Raspberry Pi Connect, it’ll start automatically after every reboot (you don’t need to do anything “special”). I also use it to monitor / control several remote headless Raspberry Pis :-)
Richard
Andrew,
Many thanks for your observation. I should have checked this.
What do you do to transfer files from say Home Assistant running on say a Pi5 that is available when you rpi-connect to a remote Pi4 on the same local network as the remote Pi5? Need to be able to download data and image files from home assistant.
Anders
I use the tool to reboot Pis, they come right back once they have restarted and you can use connect with them again.
If you were to remotely use the tool above to turn off desktop sharing and remote shell, then I think you would lose connect access and have to re-enable it another way.
Rob Driessen
very useful article on an equally useful service. Thank you for both.
Zan
Very cool, but has thought been put in on whether this will allow you to access your rpi from ios/android? A lot of people use VNC from their phone with a VPN into their lan. I feel like maintaining an ios and android app might be a lot of work?
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