🌐 Internet Tunnel Setup

What is ngrok?

ngrok is a free service that creates a secure tunnel from the internet to your local computer. This allows people from anywhere in the world to connect to your VNCme server without complicated port forwarding or firewall configuration.

📋 Step-by-Step Setup Guide

Step 1: Sign Up for ngrok (Free)

1. Visit ngrok.com
2. Click "Sign up" in the top right corner
3. Create a free account (no credit card required)
4. Verify your email address

Step 2: Get Your Auth Token

1. Log into your ngrok dashboard at dashboard.ngrok.com
2. Click on "Your Authtoken" in the left sidebar
3. Copy your authentication token (it looks like: 2abc_DEF123...)

Step 3: Install Your Auth Token

Open a command prompt or terminal and run:

# Windows (PowerShell or Command Prompt)
npx ngrok config add-authtoken YOUR_TOKEN_HERE

# macOS / Linux (Terminal)
npx ngrok config add-authtoken YOUR_TOKEN_HERE

Replace YOUR_TOKEN_HERE with the token you copied in Step 2.

Step 4: Enable Tunnel Mode in VNCme

1. Open the VNCme GUI application
2. Check the "Enable Internet Tunnel" checkbox
3. Click "Start Server"
4. Wait a few seconds for the tunnel to establish
5. Your public URL will appear in the connection info

Step 5: Share Your Public URL

Once the tunnel is established, you'll see a public URL like:

https://abc123.ngrok.io

Share this URL with anyone who needs to view your screen. They can open it in their web browser to connect!

🔧 Troubleshooting

Error: "ngrok authentication required"

Problem: You haven't installed your auth token yet.

Solution: Follow Step 3 above to install your token using the npx ngrok config add-authtoken command.

Error: "spawn UNKNOWN"

Problem: ngrok can't find your auth token configuration.

Solution:

1. Make sure you ran the auth token command from Step 3
2. Restart your terminal/command prompt
3. Try running the command again

Tunnel disconnects frequently

Problem: Free ngrok accounts have session time limits.

Solution:

• Restart the server to get a new tunnel
• Consider upgrading to ngrok Pro for longer sessions
• Use local network mode instead of tunnel for persistent connections

Can't access the tunnel URL

Problem: The tunnel may not have established yet, or there's a network issue.

Solution:

1. Wait 5-10 seconds after starting the server
2. Check the connection info for the public URL
3. Make sure your VNCme server is still running
4. Try restarting the server with tunnel mode

💰 ngrok Free vs Paid

Free Plan (Perfect for Most Users)

• ✅ Unlimited tunnels (one at a time)
• ✅ HTTPS tunnels
• ✅ Random URLs (changes each restart)
• ⚠️ 2-hour session limit
• ⚠️ 40 connections/minute limit

Paid Plans ($8-25/month)

• ✅ Custom subdomain (keep same URL)
• ✅ Longer session times
• ✅ More concurrent connections
• ✅ Reserved domains

For most VNCme users, the free plan is more than sufficient!

🏠 Alternative: Local Network Access

If you don't need internet access, you can use VNCme on your local network without ngrok:

1. Disable "Enable Internet Tunnel" in VNCme GUI
2. Start the server
3. Find your computer's local IP address:
   • Windows: Run ipconfig in Command Prompt
   • macOS: Run ifconfig in Terminal
   • Linux: Run ip addr in Terminal
4. Share the URL: http://YOUR_IP:3000

📞 Need Help?

If you're still having trouble setting up the tunnel:

• Check the full documentation
• Visit ngrok's official documentation
• Try using local network mode instead
• Contact support at support@vncme.co.uk