Remote WSPR with a Raspberry Pi behind a DSL Modem/Router (5031NV)

 

This blog post continues my setup of a remote WSPR station using a Raspberry Pi and my FT-1000D transceiver.

The first blog post describes remote operation when operating within a local area network, for example, when the transceiver and Raspberry Pi are in one room of a house and you are controlling them from another room via a wireless router.

Here is an example of that basic setup:

In this blog post control of the Raspberry Pi will not be done locally, but over the internet from a second network (or using a cellphone), as shown, below:

The Raspberry Pi and Transceiver are at the "far end" of the internet link, on a local-area-network that is behind, in my case, a DSL Modem/Router (Pace Model 5031NV).

My laptop (or tablet device, etc.) is on a separate local-area-network (the "near end" network of the internet link).  With it I monitor and control the far end WSPR operation using "VNC Viewer", as described in my first blog post.

At the near-end, "VNC Viewer" on my laptop must have a two-way communication's link with the Raspberry Pi at the far-end.  To do this, I need to set up my 5031NV DSL Modem/Router to allow the VNC application two-way communications through the 5031NV.

This blog post describes the set up of my 5031NV Modem/Router to provide the two-way VNC link through it.

Step 1:  Access the 5031NV's Configuration Controls:

To set up my DSL Modem/Router, I first need to access its configuration "panel".  To do this, I enter into my laptop's browser the "For Advanced Configuration" IP address printed on the label attached to the modem/router's side cover.

If I've correctly entered the modem's IP address into my browser, I should see the following "home" screen:

(The text in red represents information that I've changed for privacy purposes.  For example, my network's name really isn't "JCA1234".)

Note that  "raspberrypi" is one of the devices listed in the "Home Network Device Lists" at the bottom of the screen.

Step 2:  Allowing access to the VNC Application on the Raspberry Pi:

Next, I want to enable two-way communication through the Modem/Router for the VNC app on my Raspberry Pi.  (This app was automatically installed on my Raspberry Pi by the Pi's NOOBS software).

To do this, I first go to the "Settings" tab and then select the "Firewall" tab.

Under the "Firewall" tab I select "Applications, Pinholes and DMZ", as shown below:

Selecting "Applications, Pinholes and DMZ" will bring up the next window.  Under the "1) Select a computer" heading, choose "raspberrypi". 

Continuing down the screen, do the following:

Under the "2) Edit firewall settings for this computer" select the "Allow individual application(s)" radio-button.

Then, scroll through the Application List until you see the entry for "VNC".  Select it and click the "Add" button.  VNC should then appear as a "Hosted Application".

Next, click on "Status" under the "Firewall" tab.  You should now see:

This screen tells you that you can remotely access VNC on the Raspberry Pi via port 5500, 5800, or 5900 at http://1111.11.11.11 (this latter IP address is a fake one, for privacy purposes).

If you'd like, you can do a quick check by returning to the "Home" screen and clicking on the "Details" button for "raspberrypi".

You should be taken to the "LAN" tab under the "Settings" tab and see something that looks like this:

(Again, information in RED is not my actual network's information.  I've changed it for privacy).

That's all there is to this Modem/Router's setup!  My 5031NV Modem/Router will now allow remote access to my Raspberry Pi's VNC app.

The next step is to try it out...

3.  Logging in to VNC on the Remote Raspberry Pi:

To login to the remotely-located Raspberry Pi, open the VNC Viewer app on your "near-end" control device (e.g. laptop, tablet, smart-phone, etc.) and enter in the "Public IP", then a ':' (colon), and a VNC "Port Number".

In my case, the Public IP address is 1111.11.11.11, and I've chosen Port 5900 (see info on the previous image), so I would enter "1111.11.11.11:5900", as shown, below:

After hitting <ENTER> (and possibly getting a warning screen, which I just ignore), I then see my Raspberry Pi's desktop on my remote device!

That's it!  Done!

A Note on Security:

Important:  allowing VNC Viewer to access the Raspberry Pi from the world outside your router presents a security risk.  The Raspberry Pi's Port 5900 (its VNC port) could now be accessed and your Raspberry Pi, via VNC Viewer, controlled by someone else.  For example, an unknown third party could possibly load software onto your Raspberry Pi that might monitor your network's internal WiFi traffic.

At a minimum, change the Raspberry Pi's password from the default "raspberry".  Or go into the VNC settings and change VNC's password there (under Options>Security -- note that if you select "VNC password" in lieu of "UNIX password", there will be no Username field at the login)

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Standard Caveat:

I might have made a mistake in my designs, equations, schematics, models, etc. If anything looks confusing or wrong to you, please feel free to comment below or send me an email.

Also, I will note:

This design and any associated information is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.