VNC-GUI Remote Control of a Raspberry Pi

VNC Viewer

These instructions show you how to use VNC Viewer to control a Raspberry Pi over a network.
This 'remote access' technology has revolutionized remote work, allowing individuals to access and support numerous devices all over the world from their computer, or in some cases, phone.
This also makes it much easier for organizations and individuals to collaborate.
More information on RealVNC is available online.
Being able to use this software will greatly simplify working with the Raspberry Pi, Arduino UNO and micro:bit.

After completing this assignment you will be able to:

1. Connect to the Raspberry Pi using RealVNC
2. Control the Raspberry Pi from your laptop using RealVNC
3. Transfer files in both directions between the Raspberry Pi and your laptop

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This assignment reviews basic computer concepts that you will need in this course and throughout your career.

You are expected to have a working knowledge of SBC hardware and software.
If you do not understand how to use an item, perform a Google Search, refer to the WSU Technology Knowledge Base,  ask a teaching assistant, or ask the instructor.

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1. These steps are performed on your laptop.
2. Open a browser to: https://www.realvnc.com/en/connect/download/viewer/
3. Download and save RealVNC Viewer to your ' ' folder.
   
4. Use File Explorer, find the RealVNC Viewer install file, and double-click to install the program.
5. During the install of RealVNC Viewer accept all of the default settings.
6. Press the Windows key and type: VNC Viewer , then press the ' Enter' key to start VNC Viewer.
7. The first time VNC Viewer starts, there are no connections, so it looks like this:
   

   VNC Viewer

8. There is no need to sign in or to create a RealVNC account.

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1. These steps are performed on your Raspberry Pi.
2. Turn on the power and allow the Raspberry Pi to boot up.
3. On the monitor press the colored dot to display the Pi desktop.
   If you do not have a keyboard and mouse (input devices) connected to the Raspberry Pi, you cannot interact with it.
   This is where the need arises to run the VNC Viewer.
   And this is why you enabled VNC when you originally configured your Raspberry Pi.
4. Your Raspberry Pi desktop should appear after about 30 seconds.
   If the desktop does not appear, see a teaching assistant or the professor.

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1. These steps are performed on your laptop.

2. Your laptop MUST be connected to the WSU network with a WIRED connection, a wireless connection will NOT work.
   Look for this icon in your task tray: Wired Network Connection Icon

3. The Raspberry Pi must be connected to the WSU Guest wireless.
   Do NOT connect to the Warrior or Wazoo wireless networks.
4. ONLY CONNECT TO WSU GUEST NETWORK!!!
   FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS
   When prompted make a new account, supply bogus information and log in.
   Note: periodically you will need to open the Raspberry Pi browser to 'winona.edu' or other website, and repeat the WSU Guest Network login process.
5. On the Raspberry Pi you MUST open the Chromium browser and verify that you can reach a website such as:
   google.com
   If not, you will be redirected to a web authentication page, where you can create a WSU guest account, and logon.
6. If VNC Viewer is not running on your laptop, start it per the instructions in Excercise 1.

7. In the VNC Viewer address bar at the top, enter the IP address of your Raspberry Pi that you saved from your previous assignment.
   Enter IP Address
   

8. Press the Enter key.
   You may get a warning about logging into a new machine, ignore it and press OK.
9. An Authenication dialog box will appear.
   Enter your username and password for the Raspberry Pi.
   username: pi
   password:
   

   W1n0nA

   Check the 'Remember password' box.
   Click OK.
   

   Login
   

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1. These steps are done on your laptop, in VNC, viewing the Raspberry Pi desktop.
   Choose Menu>Accessories>Text Editor
   Enter your name and today's date.
2. Choose File>Save
   name the file Readme.txt and save the file in your /home/pi folder.
   Then close the Text Editor.
   

   Create Text File
   

3. In the top right of the VNC Viewer right-click the VNC icon and select File Transfer...
4. In the lower left of the 'VNC Server - File Transfer' dialog box click the 'Send Files' button.
   There will be a listing of the files in the /home/pi directory
   Select the Readme.txt file that you just created.
   Click OK to send the files to your laptop.

   Transferring File
   

5. To see where on your laptop the Readme.txt file was sent, in the upper-left corner of VNC Viewer click the icon and select Transfer Files.
   The VNC Viewer dialog box appears and indicates the folder receiving (fetching) the files.
   

   Recevie Files Folder
   

   
   
6. On your laptop, verify that the Readme.txt file did arrive in the correct folder.
   Use File Explorer to browse to that location, double-click Readme.txt to open it up.
   Open NotePad (PC) or on the Raspberry Pi go Menu>Accessories>Text Editor
   Enter your Name, Assignment (IOTP02) and date so that it is visible in the screen shot.
   Position the dialog boxes as shown below and take a screenshot.
   

   Transfer Success
   

   
   Note that the main window is the VNC session.
   The File Explorer and NotePad windows are from your computer.
   The other dialog boxes and the desktop are from the Raspberry Pi VNC session.

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Use the Snipping Tool on your laptop to take a screenshot shown above to document your work.

1. On your laptop position the windows as indicated and shown above.
2. Open the Snipping Tool and take a screenshot.
3. Save the screenshot as "IOTP02" in your ' ' folder.
   

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Submit to the appropriate D2L Assignment folder a screenshot that documents your work.

Based on your experience in this exercise and what you just learned, develop a brief statement about the value of VNC as a remote access tool for organizations.
Think about what type of problems these devices could solve, and would it be cost-effective?
Consider businesses that deploy IoT 'solutions', on the order of thousands or millions of devices-how can support of these devices be automated?

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