Wiregaurd to remotely Access BlueIris on PC?

[pbc]

I'm leaving for a trip and was curious if there was a secure way to be able to access my PC from afar to be able to review any BlueIris recordings while away. I figured I could set up my PC as a Wiregaurd server and VPN in. But can't seem to find a simple guide to do so. I was using the instructions here...

WireSock VPN Gateway – WireSock

www.wiresock.net

But it says to forward a port on my router, which I thought was not something I had to do with wiregaurd?

 

[Mike A.]

Yes, you'd have to open a port through your router to the PC where you'd set up the WireGuard server. Better to have the VPN at the edge of your network (e.g., on the router/firewall) vs inside if you can but not like just opening a port to a cam.

What router do you have? Maybe it supports OpenVPN which you could just turn on which might be faster/easier.

Might also look at Tailscale and zerotier. They don't require opening a port and probably a little easier than setting up a WireGuard server inside.

 

[pbc]

Yes, you'd have to open a port through your router to the PC where you'd set up the WireGuard server. Better to have the VPN at the edge of your network (e.g., on the router/firewall) vs inside if you can but not like just opening a port to a cam.

What router do you have? Maybe it supports OpenVPN which you could just turn on which might be faster/easier.

Might also look at Tailscale and zerotier. They don't require opening a port and probably a little easier than setting up a WireGuard server inside.

I do have an Asus that can use OpenVPN. Thinking about it, to access my cameras I use a RPI with Wire gaurd loaded to it.

Would I be able to access a PC on my network using Microsoft Remote desktop or whatever that functionality is?

Would you still suggest Tailscale or Zerotier? Looking for whatever is most secure, then fastest.

 

[The Automation Guy]

I do have an Asus that can use OpenVPN. Thinking about it, to access my cameras I use a RPI with Wire gaurd loaded to it.

Would I be able to access a PC on my network using Microsoft Remote desktop or whatever that functionality is?

Would you still suggest Tailscale or Zerotier? Looking for whatever is most secure, then fastest.

If you set up a VPN service on your local network (can be on your router/firewall or another computer on the network), then when you connect to the local network through the VPN it is as if your device is on the local network. So anything you can do with that device on your local network, you will be able to do remotely through the VPN. Certainly you can use RDP to "remote" into other computers on the network and you would actually use the exact same RDP settings to connect as you would if you were on the local network. Of course this is assuming you have set up the VPN to allow full access. Full access is usually the default way of setting things up, but it is also possible (and common) to limit the functionality of connected devices too. You may not want certain connected devices to have full access to your network.

Long story short, a VPN connection is extremely flexible in what you allow connected devices to do or not do.

 

[TonyR]

I do have an Asus that can use OpenVPN.

OpenVPN on a Asus router

Sept 2021 Turned off comments because of ads July 2021 Bought a new Asus router, an RT-AX86U. Loaded it right away with Merlin firmware, s...

randyshomeprojects.blogspot.com

How To Guide: Set Up & Configure OpenVPN Client/server VPN | OpenVPN

This How TO guide provides step-by-step instructions for configuration and set up of OpenVPN 2.x client/server VPN.

openvpn.net

 

[Mike A.]

Depending on how your network is set up you should be able to use the same WireGuard VPN to access your PC using RDP or whatever. If you have the cam side of your network segregated from the PC in some way, then you’d have to change things to be able to get there.

OpenVPN on the Asus also is relatively easy to setup and use too.

Generally no need to use Tailscale/Zerotier in the case that you have direct VPNs available. You could use all 3 or 4 if you wanted but typically no need for that. I have OpenVPN and WireGuard both available since there were some things that I couldn’t do with the client for one or the other to automate the connection but that’s (largely) no longer applicable. Gives me a shot at a backup way in if one doesn’t work for whatever reason.

 

[pbc]

Thanks, will check out the OpenVPN setup in that case. Assume Merlin firmware is fine IIRC that's what I installed.

Also, making the highly uneducated guess that OpenVPN direct from the router might be a faster connection than WireGaurd via the RPi which I have found to be relatively slow.

 

[Tygunn]

If you want a dead-simple VPN setup, I recommend PI VPN: PIVPN: Simplest way to setup a VPN
I used it to set up a Wireguard server and just punched the couple of ports it required through my router.
I've used OpenVPN before and it works great as well. Wireguard is definitely easier; you can generate a QR code on the PI via your shell login -- just scan with the client app on your phone and you're good to go.

 

[pbc]

If you want a dead-simple VPN setup, I recommend PI VPN: PIVPN: Simplest way to setup a VPN
I used it to set up a Wireguard server and just punched the couple of ports it required through my router.
I've used OpenVPN before and it works great as well. Wireguard is definitely easier; you can generate a QR code on the PI via your shell login -- just scan with the client app on your phone and you're good to go.

Yes, I used that to setup Wiregaurd on my RPi which is how I view my cameras (via BlueIris's app after connecting through VPN). I can also access IP addresses on the network, though it is a slow process.

I am just not sure how, once I am VPN'd in, to get into my desktop server and run BlueIris, view stored videos on it, etc.

Sort of like a LogMeIn experience is what I'm looking for I guess for those that have used that for corporate use.

 

[pbc]

Maybe I will look into TeamViewer as I think they have a free version for private use.

 

[Tygunn]

Yes, I used that to setup Wiregaurd on my RPi which is how I view my cameras (via BlueIris's app after connecting through VPN). I can also access IP addresses on the network, though it is a slow process.

I am just not sure how, once I am VPN'd in, to get into my desktop server and run BlueIris, view stored videos on it, etc.

Sort of like a LogMeIn experience is what I'm looking for I guess for those that have used that for corporate use.

Got it, got it.. Once you're on your local network I've found that the quickest way to access BI is via the BlueIris app.
The BlueIris web gui is also another option via your phone's browser, though I found it was a bit frustrating to use when bandwidth was limited (not the web ui's fault).

You can use windows remote desktop on your BI server to get access to the full thing, but I suspect this would be quite frustrating on a small screen.

 

[pbc]

Got it, got it.. Once you're on your local network I've found that the quickest way to access BI is via the BlueIris app.
The BlueIris web gui is also another option via your phone's browser, though I found it was a bit frustrating to use when bandwidth was limited (not the web ui's fault).

You can use windows remote desktop on your BI server to get access to the full thing, but I suspect this would be quite frustrating on a small screen.

I would be accessing via my laptop from abroad, so not really a small screen.

 

[Tygunn]

I would be accessing via my laptop from abroad, so not really a small screen.

Cool, then yeah I think Windows Remote Desktop is likely a decent route for that. Enable Remote Desktop on your PC
Its definitely not a super secure protocol but if you're VPNed into a secured network, then I think its a reasonable solution.

The web GUI for BI on your laptop would honestly also be a pretty decent option. I use it from one of my other PCs at home with no major issues.

 

[pbc]

Cool, then yeah I think Windows Remote Desktop is likely a decent route for that. Enable Remote Desktop on your PC
Its definitely not a super secure protocol but if you're VPNed into a secured network, then I think its a reasonable solution.

The web GUI for BI on your laptop would honestly also be a pretty decent option. I use it from one of my other PCs at home with no major issues.

Ha...I didn't even realize the webGUI allowed one to view historical footage. That solves it, as I can use Wiregaurd or OpenVPN to gain access to the local network and then use the webgui to search!

 

[Tygunn]

Ha...I didn't even realize the webGUI allowed one to view historical footage. That solves it, as I can use Wiregaurd or OpenVPN to gain access to the local network and then use the webgui to search!

Yeah, the web gui is actually quite good. Unlike the mobile app, you can filter for alerts in the different zones, etc. I find its pretty much on par with the actual desktop app.

 

[pbc]

Yeah, the web gui is actually quite good. Unlike the mobile app, you can filter for alerts in the different zones, etc. I find its pretty much on par with the actual desktop app.

Not sure if this is normal, but when I connect via WebGUI, I see all my cameras and can look at old footage. But if I double click on any camera, it looks like it is going to show the single camera in full screen, but instead kicks back out to the all cameras view?

 

[pbc]

Okay, I figured out how to install TeamViewer and it works quite well. Admittedly, those sort of applications make me nervous but I guess I can use it for a couple weeks.

 

[Oso Polar]

Be aware that Teamviewer has a nasty habit of blocking free accounts because of "suspected commercial use" even in case there was none whatsoever. I'd recommend to also install Google Remote Desktop - it is much slower than Teamviewer (will be a pain if Internet connection is slow) but it'll work.