Connecting Observatory to Home? Other · Dale Penkala · ... · 20 · 397 · 0

DalePenkala 19.38
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Hello all you Techy people!

I would like to be able to check things on my computers in the observatory from my house. This is mainly to be able to monitor whats going on out there and in the event make very minor adjustments. From what little I know about computers and  connecting them I think what I have to do is below. I know many of you are already doing this so I’m looking for your guidance/suggestions/recommendations.

I think I have to have a router in the observatory that I would connect the computers to. Then in my house I have to have another computer that would connect to the router in the observatory. I was planning on using Teamviewer to connect the observatory computer to the computer in the house and then access the software.

1) Is this correct? If not how are you guys doing it?
2) Does the router need to be anything special? I have a couple of older routers laying around so I thought I could ustilize one of them in that manner?
3) The observatory is approximately 150ft away from the house. Would that be an issue distance wise?

Thanks for any and all reply’s!

Dale
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andymw 11.96
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Dale Penkala:
Hello all you Techy people!

I would like to be able to check things on my computers in the observatory from my house. This is mainly to be able to monitor whats going on out there and in the event make very minor adjustments. From what little I know about computers and  connecting them I think what I have to do is below. I know many of you are already doing this so I’m looking for your guidance/suggestions/recommendations.

I think I have to have a router in the observatory that I would connect the computers to. Then in my house I have to have another computer that would connect to the router in the observatory. I was planning on using Teamviewer to connect the observatory computer to the computer in the house and then access the software.

1) Is this correct? If not how are you guys doing it?
2) Does the router need to be anything special? I have a couple of older routers laying around so I thought I could ustilize one of them in that manner?
3) The observatory is approximately 150ft away from the house. Would that be an issue distance wise?

Thanks for any and all reply’s!

Dale

Is your observatory on the same power supply as your house?  If so, you could just use a powerline adapter kit or if you prefer a wifi powerline adapter kit.  I do the same as I have a nearby power socket in my garage.
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davidelmore 1.51
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Yes this is the way.  I recommend using AnyDesk or Google Chrome Remote Desktop rather than TeamViewer.  TeamViewer will terminate your free access from time to time.  Screen quality is a little better in Chrome Remote Desktop than AnyDesk.  AnyDesk is a little easier to set up and file transfers of folders rather than just individual files is possible.  If you are a Mac person Screen Sharing is the way to go.
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DalePenkala 19.38
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Andy Wray:
Dale Penkala:
Hello all you Techy people!

I would like to be able to check things on my computers in the observatory from my house. This is mainly to be able to monitor whats going on out there and in the event make very minor adjustments. From what little I know about computers and  connecting them I think what I have to do is below. I know many of you are already doing this so I’m looking for your guidance/suggestions/recommendations.

I think I have to have a router in the observatory that I would connect the computers to. Then in my house I have to have another computer that would connect to the router in the observatory. I was planning on using Teamviewer to connect the observatory computer to the computer in the house and then access the software.

1) Is this correct? If not how are you guys doing it?
2) Does the router need to be anything special? I have a couple of older routers laying around so I thought I could ustilize one of them in that manner?
3) The observatory is approximately 150ft away from the house. Would that be an issue distance wise?

Thanks for any and all reply’s!

Dale

Is your observatory on the same power supply as your house?  If so, you could just use a powerline adapter kit or if you prefer a wifi powerline adapter kit.  I do the same as I have a nearby power socket in my garage.

Hi Andy,
Yes, the main power to the observatory is from my Main Power box in my garage which in turn is connected to the rest of my house. The observatory is on its own separate breaker however.

What are these power line adapter kits? Where do you get them and how much are these?

Dale
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andymw 11.96
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Also, FWIW:  I just use Windows Remote Desktop to control the PC remotely.
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DalePenkala 19.38
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David Elmore:
Yes this is the way.  I recommend using AnyDesk or Google Chrome Remote Desktop rather than TeamViewer.  TeamViewer will terminate your free access from time to time.  Screen quality is a little better in Chrome Remote Desktop than AnyDesk.  AnyDesk is a little easier to set up and file transfers of folders rather than just individual files is possible.  If you are a Mac person Screen Sharing is the way to go.

Hi David,
Ok, thanks for this. I assume this is somewhere in Google Chrome? I’ve heard of it but don’t know much about it. I like the idea about getting away from teamviewer as I’ve had what your talking about happen to me on occasion!

Dale
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dkoslicki 1.51
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Hi Dale,

You have a few different remote access options. Some of these include:
1) TightVNC: for Linux and Windows, only works on local networks (i.e. you home WiFi/internet), great for use with very tenuous connections as it can compress the heck out of the data sent back and forth.
2) Microsoft Remote Desktop: I've used this on Mac and Windows. This is my preferred option (as long as the bandwidth of the connection is relatively high) as it also passes through sound/warning chimes, etc., but it requires you to be on your local network, or have a VPN setup.
3) Chrome Remote Desktop: cross-platform, can be used even when you're not on your local network. I've used this quite successfully to control my setup while off traveling.
4) Team Viewer: I tried it and didn't find much value-add over the above options. But to each their own!

As for the setup of routers and the like, I'll describe my setup: I have a ~50ft ethernet cable snaking from my home router out to the garage connected to a PoE WAP (power over ethernet wireless access point). This sends the wifi long enough to reach my observatory another ~100 feet away. This is sufficient when the observatory is open, but when it's closed, due to the mylar insulation, it's almost like a Faraday cage, so I have a wireless repeater to grab the signal from the WAP and send it to the computer inside the "Faraday cage". Likely you will be able to get away with just a single WAP if it's a clear shot and you don't have reflective insulation.

As for what kind of router you use, you'll want to make sure it has a "Wireless Access Point" mode. I assume you already have a router set up for home WiFi, so a WAP will just take the WiFi (fed via ethernet) from your home router and "extends" it to a new location. If you have the router in "router mode" instead of WAP mode, this can cause some annoyances if not set up correctly (different credentials, networks overlapping and devices not knowing which to connect to, different "local networks", etc.).

Another option is to run ethernet out to your observatory. Cat-5E cables are rated out to ~300 feet, so you could easily run a cable out. This will definitely give you the best bandwidth, reliability, and lowest latency option. But you would need to figure out how to actually run the cable out (eg. if you have accessible conduit already from the house bringing power to the observatory).
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DalePenkala 19.38
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David Koslicki:
Hi Dale,

You have a few different remote access options. Some of these include:
1) TightVNC: for Linux and Windows, only works on local networks (i.e. you home WiFi/internet), great for use with very tenuous connections as it can compress the heck out of the data sent back and forth.
2) Microsoft Remote Desktop: I've used this on Mac and Windows. This is my preferred option (as long as the bandwidth of the connection is relatively high) as it also passes through sound/warning chimes, etc., but it requires you to be on your local network, or have a VPN setup.
3) Chrome Remote Desktop: cross-platform, can be used even when you're not on your local network. I've used this quite successfully to control my setup while off traveling.
4) Team Viewer: I tried it and didn't find much value-add over the above options. But to each their own!

As for the setup of routers and the like, I'll describe my setup: I have a ~50ft ethernet cable snaking from my home router out to the garage connected to a PoE WAP (power over ethernet wireless access point). This sends the wifi long enough to reach my observatory another ~100 feet away. This is sufficient when the observatory is open, but when it's closed, due to the mylar insulation, it's almost like a Faraday cage, so I have a wireless repeater to grab the signal from the WAP and send it to the computer inside the "Faraday cage". Likely you will be able to get away with just a single WAP if it's a clear shot and you don't have reflective insulation.

As for what kind of router you use, you'll want to make sure it has a "Wireless Access Point" mode. I assume you already have a router set up for home WiFi, so a WAP will just take the WiFi (fed via ethernet) from your home router and "extends" it to a new location. If you have the router in "router mode" instead of WAP mode, this can cause some annoyances if not set up correctly (different credentials, networks overlapping and devices not knowing which to connect to, different "local networks", etc.).

Another option is to run ethernet out to your observatory. Cat-5E cables are rated out to ~300 feet, so you could easily run a cable out. This will definitely give you the best bandwidth, reliability, and lowest latency option. But you would need to figure out how to actually run the cable out (eg. if you have accessible conduit already from the house bringing power to the observatory).

Hello David,
Thank you for your response. I really do want to stay away from running cords/wire etc.. if possible. Ok so I have home wireless router from T-Mobile that I use for my internet. Are you saying that I can use this instead of a separate router out to the observatory?

Dale
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andymw 11.96
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Dale Penkala:
Hi Andy,
Yes, the main power to the observatory is from my Main Power box in my garage which in turn is connected to the rest of my house. The observatory is on its own separate breaker however.

What are these power line adapter kits? Where do you get them and how much are these?

Dale


Readilly available on Amazon or most electrical stores. Where in the world are you?  In the UK you could use something like: 
https://www.amazon.co.uk/TL-PA8033PKIT-Passthrough-Powerline-AmazonBasics-RJ45-CAT6-Ethernet-LAN-Patch-Cable/dp/B07V4F7LDW/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1J3BLCHS5NWT6&keywords=amazon+wifi+powerline+kit&qid=1664038328&refinements=p_76%3A419158031&rnid=419157031&rps=1&sprefix=%2Caps%2C59&sr=8-3
You do need to connect it to one spare LAN port on your router in the house;  hopefully you have one free.
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DalePenkala 19.38
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Andy Wray:
Dale Penkala:
Hi Andy,
Yes, the main power to the observatory is from my Main Power box in my garage which in turn is connected to the rest of my house. The observatory is on its own separate breaker however.

What are these power line adapter kits? Where do you get them and how much are these?

Dale


Readilly available on Amazon or most electrical stores. Where in the world are you?  In the UK you could use something like: 
https://www.amazon.co.uk/TL-PA8033PKIT-Passthrough-Powerline-AmazonBasics-RJ45-CAT6-Ethernet-LAN-Patch-Cable/dp/B07V4F7LDW/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1J3BLCHS5NWT6&keywords=amazon+wifi+powerline+kit&qid=1664038328&refinements=p_76%3A419158031&rnid=419157031&rps=1&sprefix=%2Caps%2C59&sr=8-3
You do need to connect it to one spare LAN port on your router in the house;  hopefully you have one free.

Hi Andy,
I’m in the USA so I’d just have to find something available here in the States. So I assume that 1 would go in the observatory and the other in the house somewhere correct?

Dale
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andymw 11.96
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Dale Penkala:
Andy Wray:
Dale Penkala:
Hi Andy,
Yes, the main power to the observatory is from my Main Power box in my garage which in turn is connected to the rest of my house. The observatory is on its own separate breaker however.

What are these power line adapter kits? Where do you get them and how much are these?

Dale


Readilly available on Amazon or most electrical stores. Where in the world are you?  In the UK you could use something like: 
https://www.amazon.co.uk/TL-PA8033PKIT-Passthrough-Powerline-AmazonBasics-RJ45-CAT6-Ethernet-LAN-Patch-Cable/dp/B07V4F7LDW/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1J3BLCHS5NWT6&keywords=amazon+wifi+powerline+kit&qid=1664038328&refinements=p_76%3A419158031&rnid=419157031&rps=1&sprefix=%2Caps%2C59&sr=8-3
You do need to connect it to one spare LAN port on your router in the house;  hopefully you have one free.

Hi Andy,
I’m in the USA so I’d just have to find something available here in the States. So I assume that 1 would go in the observatory and the other in the house somewhere correct?

Dale

Basically it goes like this:

* You put the base unit near your home broadband router and plug it in
* You connect it to one of the LAN ports on your broadband router using a LAN cable
* You then plug the remote unit into the mains power supply near your observatory
* Those two boxes then talk to each other and effectively extend your home network over the mains cables
* You can then either connect to the remote box from your scope control PC either wirelessly or using a network cable

I hope that makes sense; just using the power cables as a way of extending your network.

i.e. the telescope control PC looks like it is in the house ... on the same wifi or wired network.

another added benefit:  if you have areas in your house where the wifi is weak, you can add another remote box to boost the signal in that part of the house
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andymw 11.96
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Andy Wray:
Hi Andy,
I’m in the USA so I’d just have to find something available here in the States. So I assume that 1 would go in the observatory and the other in the house somewhere correct?

Dale


This is the US version of what I use in the UK:
https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Powerline-Extender-TL-WPA8631P-KIT/dp/B08RHZBHTM/ref=sr_1_2?crid=PQ6TFBSWQZ7I&keywords=tp+link+powerline+kits&qid=1664040906&sprefix=tplink+powerline+kits%2Caps%2C143&sr=8-2
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DalePenkala 19.38
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Andy Wray:
Dale Penkala:
Andy Wray:
Dale Penkala:
Hi Andy,
Yes, the main power to the observatory is from my Main Power box in my garage which in turn is connected to the rest of my house. The observatory is on its own separate breaker however.

What are these power line adapter kits? Where do you get them and how much are these?

Dale


Readilly available on Amazon or most electrical stores. Where in the world are you?  In the UK you could use something like: 
https://www.amazon.co.uk/TL-PA8033PKIT-Passthrough-Powerline-AmazonBasics-RJ45-CAT6-Ethernet-LAN-Patch-Cable/dp/B07V4F7LDW/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1J3BLCHS5NWT6&keywords=amazon+wifi+powerline+kit&qid=1664038328&refinements=p_76%3A419158031&rnid=419157031&rps=1&sprefix=%2Caps%2C59&sr=8-3
You do need to connect it to one spare LAN port on your router in the house;  hopefully you have one free.

Hi Andy,
I’m in the USA so I’d just have to find something available here in the States. So I assume that 1 would go in the observatory and the other in the house somewhere correct?

Dale

Basically it goes like this:

* You put the base unit near your home broadband router and plug it in
* You connect it to one of the LAN ports on your broadband router using a LAN cable
* You then plug the remote unit into the mains power supply near your observatory
* Those two boxes then talk to each other and effectively extend your home network over the mains cables
* You can then either connect to the remote box from your scope control PC either wirelessly or using a network cable

I hope that makes sense; just using the power cables as a way of extending your network.

i.e. the telescope control PC looks like it is in the house ... on the same wifi or wired network.

another added benefit:  if you have areas in your house where the wifi is weak, you can add another remote box to boost the signal in that part of the house

Ok thank you Andy, I'm installing the Google remote desktop addon now. I'll have to see if I can get my wifi connection out to the observatory afterwards. My guess is I'll have to do the extending as you & @David Koslicki are mentioning.

I'll see how far I can get without bothering any of you 

Dale.
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DalePenkala 19.38
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Andy Wray:
Andy Wray:
Hi Andy,
I’m in the USA so I’d just have to find something available here in the States. So I assume that 1 would go in the observatory and the other in the house somewhere correct?

Dale


This is the US version of what I use in the UK:
https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Powerline-Extender-TL-WPA8631P-KIT/dp/B08RHZBHTM/ref=sr_1_2?crid=PQ6TFBSWQZ7I&keywords=tp+link+powerline+kits&qid=1664040906&sprefix=tplink+powerline+kits%2Caps%2C143&sr=8-2

Ok so in reading the description its says that the 2 pluged in units have to be on the same breaker/circuit so I think that will goof me up as my router is in my dinning room and I planned to put the 2nd unit out in the garage or possibly in a bedroom closest to the observatory to make the connection.

Am I to assume this won't work then being they will be on separate breakers? 

Dale
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andymw 11.96
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Dale Penkala:
Andy Wray:
Andy Wray:
Hi Andy,
I’m in the USA so I’d just have to find something available here in the States. So I assume that 1 would go in the observatory and the other in the house somewhere correct?

Dale


This is the US version of what I use in the UK:
https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Powerline-Extender-TL-WPA8631P-KIT/dp/B08RHZBHTM/ref=sr_1_2?crid=PQ6TFBSWQZ7I&keywords=tp+link+powerline+kits&qid=1664040906&sprefix=tplink+powerline+kits%2Caps%2C143&sr=8-2

Ok so in reading the description its says that the 2 pluged in units have to be on the same breaker/circuit so I think that will goof me up as my router is in my dinning room and I planned to put the 2nd unit out in the garage or possibly in a bedroom closest to the observatory to make the connection.

Am I to assume this won't work then being they will be on separate breakers? 

Dale

To be honest, I don't know, but I personally would give it a go.  I think it's saying don't put a surge protector between the base unit and its connection into the wall mains;  I get that.
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DalePenkala 19.38
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Andy Wray:
Dale Penkala:
Andy Wray:
Andy Wray:
Hi Andy,
I’m in the USA so I’d just have to find something available here in the States. So I assume that 1 would go in the observatory and the other in the house somewhere correct?

Dale


This is the US version of what I use in the UK:
https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Powerline-Extender-TL-WPA8631P-KIT/dp/B08RHZBHTM/ref=sr_1_2?crid=PQ6TFBSWQZ7I&keywords=tp+link+powerline+kits&qid=1664040906&sprefix=tplink+powerline+kits%2Caps%2C143&sr=8-2

Ok so in reading the description its says that the 2 pluged in units have to be on the same breaker/circuit so I think that will goof me up as my router is in my dinning room and I planned to put the 2nd unit out in the garage or possibly in a bedroom closest to the observatory to make the connection.

Am I to assume this won't work then being they will be on separate breakers? 

Dale

To be honest, I don't know, but I personally would give it a go

Ok I will do that! I just got both computers connected and working great so now its a matter of getting them connected out to the observatory!

Dale
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DalePenkala 19.38
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Ok and update, all setup and running! I didn't know this but @Andy Wray my son had what you were telling me to get on amazon except his was made by netgear. Decided to give it a try and the led bounces from red to green and according to the instructions as long as I have a red led I will be connected with "good" connection up to green being excellent.

Thanks to all for the help! Really excited to actually put this into action! hopefully Sunday night here!

Dale
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thekubiaks 0.00
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This is the setup I use with Windows 10 Remote Desktop (Powerline AC1300), works like a champ.  You just have to think a little bit about what is on your desktop and what is on your remote (telescope computer).  There have been times when I was web surfing on my desktop only to realize I was surfing on the browser out on the telescope computer and why is it running slowly?
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DalePenkala 19.38
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This is the setup I use with Windows 10 Remote Desktop (Powerline AC1300), works like a champ.  You just have to think a little bit about what is on your desktop and what is on your remote (telescope computer).  There have been times when I was web surfing on my desktop only to realize I was surfing on the browser out on the telescope computer and why is it running slowly?

Thank you, I plan to have a dedicated computer for remote observatory communication and thats it. I’ll defiantly not do any surfing with that computer when I’m monitoring whats going on in the observatory.

Dale
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andymw 11.96
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Dale Penkala:
Thank you, I plan to have a dedicated computer for remote observatory communication and thats it. I’ll defiantly not do any surfing with that computer when I’m monitoring whats going on in the observatory.

Dale


To be honest you can do whatever you like on your computer indoors as it won't affect the one in the observatory that is controlling your scope.  Feel free to browse away or even play games.  Just don't play games or browse over the remote desktop session on your control computer. Although, to be honest, you could probably get away with browsing.
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dpaniukov 0.00
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I dropped an Ethernet cable to the observatory and plugged in the main computer to my home network. It’s a bit more reliable than Wifi. Since I have two computers with Windows, I run TightVNC on both for controlling the screen and transferring files.
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