Appearance
Remote access
What is this?
Remote access lets your team reach a Linux device in the field from the Dataplicity dashboard - without SSH port forwarding, VPN setup, or customer firewall changes.
Dataplicity provides several access methods:
| Method | Use for |
|---|---|
| Remote shell | Command-line access in the browser |
| File retrieval | Resilient transfer from intermittently connected devices |
| Wormhole | Persistent access to web services on the device |
Why does it matter after devices ship?
Devices in customer networks sit behind NAT and firewalls. Traditional remote access requires port forwarding, static IPs, or VPN accounts that customer IT must configure. Dataplicity uses outbound connections from the device, so access works without inbound firewall changes.
How does it work in Dataplicity?
The agent maintains an outbound connection. Remote shell and supported device services are routed through Dataplicity without opening inbound firewall ports.
No inbound ports are opened on the device or customer router.
When should I use it?
- Remote shell - diagnostics, log inspection, service restarts, quick fixes
- File retrieval - when a support artifact must survive intermittent connectivity
- Wormhole - web dashboards, REST APIs, or control panels running on the device
Example workflow
A kiosk device at a retail site stops responding to its local API. Support opens the device in the dashboard, checks online status, opens remote shell to restart the service, and uses Wormhole to verify the web interface is responding - all without contacting the store's IT department.