I have my 3D printer set up at work (using octopi 0.15.1 and Octoprint 1.3.8) on the guest side of our network. Right now I have the GUI installed and am monitoring things through Chromium on the pi using VNC. I really want to be able to use the standard web interface or even an app to control and monitor the octopi but I have no control here over the network, so I won't be able to open ports or even obtain a static IP.
I installed the AstroPrint plugin and am able to use that for monitoring because it causes the OctoPrint server to connect to their servers as a go between. I have PIA VPN which I've considered as an option as well, but their client will not install on Raspbian and is required to do port forwarding through their tunnel.
I've been searching through the plugins and haven't really found anything outside of AstroPrint that helps as a workaround. Is there a plugin or service or something that I can connect my octopi to to handle the network navigation? It's an unusual setup I know, but it seems like it should be possible.
Thanks for any suggestions you might have for me!
You have access to the internet, right?
Why are you fixed on PIA VPN? There are a ton of other solutions in the net from a small virtual server (where you install your own gateway) to VPN providers that provide a private virtual LAN. Depends a bit on your experience (especially with linux) and your planned budget.
The VPN solution (even with a minimal SSH-based port forwarding hack) has the benefit that your PI is shielded from the evil internet and only you can access it. If you want public access, I think you should go by the virtual server as you can configure it as you need it.
Christian
That's a good idea. I do have a home VPN set up using Mac OS Server, but it's IPSEC and I haven't found any reasonable information yet on how to set that up on the Raspberry Pi. The information I've seen seems to imply that things are different for Raspbian than the distributions for which they are written. I'm somewhere between mediocre and beginner with my Linux, so I mostly just have to follow guides and don't have a strong knowledge base for troubleshooting. I'd love to just be able to use my home VPN if I could figure it out.
Raspbian is a simpe Debian ported to ARM for use in the PI. Nothing special although not all packages are available. 10 Secs of google lead to https://wiki.debian.org/IPsec where you can find a section called "quick How-to on configuring an IPsec tunnel". Read it. I think it might be all you need. You can at least try it and see if it works. If not you might investigate further.
The configuration in the how-to is non-persistent. After a reboot it is reset. If you manage to get it running this way, I can help you to automate it, if this was the problem in the end.
Here two more links: https://www.admin-magazin.de/Das-Heft/2010/03/Linux-IPsec-Software-im-Interoperabilitaetsvergleich (German unfortunately) and https://linuxwiki.de/IPSec
Cheers
Christian
When you say the "guest side of your network", is that Ethernet or wi-fi? What would happen if you brought in a laptop and also attached to the guest side of the network, would this allow you the connectivity you're looking for while at work?
If it were me, I'd consider adding another Raspberry Pi as a hardware VPN endpoint and to put it on the same guest network, assuming that guests-can-see-guests, network-wise.
I think this is mainly what he wants to do but the problem resides the same: He needs to create a VPN connection from a PI to his home network. But without more information we cannot help much more.