Looking for a "home" IP-KVM solution

Tushon

I did some googling and everything I was finding was priced over $350. So, maybe I'm asking the wrong question. I'm looking for a remote monitoring solution, so that when my PC goes off Teamviewer (i.e. it looks like it BSOD or something similar), I can look at it, or remote restart it (better than nothing). I generally don't actually have something "wrong", as the computer will run fine for days. I imagine it is folding stress that does it. I would like to put this on at least two machines, that can be located near each other but are not currently. Any ideas?

Straight_Man

Tushon wrote:

I did some googling and everything I was finding was priced over $350. So, maybe I'm asking the wrong question. I'm looking for a remote monitoring solution, so that when my PC goes off Teamviewer (i.e. it looks like it BSOD or something similar), I can look at it, or remote restart it (better than nothing). I generally don't actually have something "wrong", as the computer will run fine for days. I imagine it is folding stress that does it. I would like to put this on at least two machines, that can be located near each other but are not currently. Any ideas?

Do you have always-on internet for your boxes?? You really need one monitored remotely, right?? Are you running Windows or Linux on your folding box?? There is some software that is available, at least for Linux, for remote monitoring... MIGHT be some for Windows. In essence you can get logon to remote locations, if it is Windows turn on Remote Assistance and logon from a hotspot from same Windows version off of a laptop.

For software, Citrix Online comes to mind(Windows or *nix versions are available). Dell uses that to remote login for support purposes-- and can login regardless of Windows' Remote Assistance settings over an ordinary Internet connection.

I have an ordinary wired router that is hooked to a cable modem, the router DHCPs from the modem and DHCPs to what is connected to it. Might think about that too.

Want a somewhat old Linuxed (Fedora 16) Lenovo 3000 C200 laptop?? Free, it is about 5 years old. In good shape, but only 1 GB RAM. If you can get a fixed IP for your folding box, you can link to it.

Cheaper solutions:

https://secure.logmein.com/products/pro/purchase.aspx

Direct connection wired cable from one computer to the other, if you plan to admin the first (folding) computer from another computer and have two only.
John.

Tushon

I've got Teamviewer installed on all machines for those sort of purposes. I'm looking for a "my computer bluescreened and I need to reset it from afar". Alternatively, I suppose I could just enable auto-reboot after BSOD, which I had disabled during my OC testing.

Straight_Man

Tushon wrote:

I've got Teamviewer installed on all machines for those sort of purposes. I'm looking for a "my computer bluescreened and I need to reset it from afar". Alternatively, I suppose I could just enable auto-reboot after BSOD, which I had disabled during my OC testing.

OK, Yup.... I'd just try the auto-reboot setting, that might help unless the folding box is overheating, in which case that will loop the folding box probably. Well, if it does not work, will see what I can find for rebooting remotely.

John.

Hatop

Remote management of that nature depends on the type of machine. A lot of enterprise hardware has a LOM(Lights Out Management) port that can allow the type of access you're looking for. However, you need a dedicated port for this. Typically, device makers will include this port and use specific types of compression to forward monitor traffic to the appropriate client that connects. Dell uses something called DRAC. A more open implementation is IPMI or Intelligent Platform Management Interface. IMPI is useful in a variety of situations, but is also side band or out of band communications and does not function on the same network as regular traffic.

It can be a bit tricky to determine if you've got IPMI available on your hardware. I'm not sure of a great way to tell other than reading your BIOS documentation. I would doubt that a consumer level board supports IPMI as this feature is typically only used by SAs in datacenters. Super Micro sells boards that support IPMI and also sells addon cards that enable the extra network port AND give another data port for regular LAN use.
http://www.supermicro.com/products/accessories/addon/SIM.cfm

At the bottom of the page it lists per product which boards they sell that are supported.

Tushon

The home in the title meant non-enterprise hardware, and the closest that I'm seeing as far as costs is at least $500 which is out of my budget for this. I'm fairly certain what I want is not going to be met by the market of what I can afford.

Hatop

Sadly, this sort of functionality is pretty limited due to price and availability. If you're willing to use linux, you could implement a serial to ssh conversion box. This would allow you to connect to a direct terminal to the machine. However, it sounds like you're wanting Windows, which really limits the ability to remotely monitor the system.

Tushon

Yeah, I've pretty much sold myself on the idea that the device I want does not exist at a home user price point. All gravy.

Hatop

I did find this device:http://www.lantronix.com/it-management/kvm-over-ip/securelinx-spider.html

It may have the functionality you're looking for, at a sub 500 price level.

Tushon

I believe I ran across that and, while true, the price point is still an enterprise level. I reiterate that the kinda functionality just doesn't exist at the home user level. It is really just a "why did this box go down" while I'm at work problem, and certainly not going to be worth 350 to know. Thanks for looking though.