PLEASE READ!

I am not in any way affiliated with DWService! The files in this repository are simply my own notes for using DWService. Please don't open any issues or post questions about DWService here. Instead, contact DWService directly for support.

Computer Remote Control using DWService

VERSION: 20211210

AUTHOR: Steve Magnuson, AG7GN

DWService is an open source project that allows access to remote computers (Windows, Mac, Linux, Raspberry...) using a standard web browser - without any special software required on the client side. Wherever you may be in the world, you may need to access your home computer. You can start the web browser from any device to connect to DWService website and immediately gain control of the computer (Screen + Files + Running processes). DWService is a "cloud brokered" service, meaning that you connect to the computer you want to control through another computer "in the cloud".

DWService is an alternative to VNC and TeamViewer.

Terminology

• DWService

  DWService is the name of the service. You access the service via an account on the DWService website. Through your account, you can set up one or more computers that you can control from a remote location. You can also selectively make your computers available for other DWService users to access and control. You can control computers other DWService users have share with you.

• DWAgent

  The DWAgent is the software that runs on the computer you want to control. DWAgents are available for Windows, Linux, Mac and Raspberry Pi computers, among others.

• Server

  In this document, the server refers to the computer being controlled. The server software is the DWAgent.

• Client

  In this document, the client refers to the computer controlling the server. In DWService, the client software is a web browser.

Differences Between VNC (free account) and DWService

1. DWService has no restrictions on the number of hosts you can remotely access. VNC has a 5 host limit for the free account.
2. DWService allows you to share access to your hosts with an unlimited number of other users. VNC limits sharing to 2 other users for the free account.
3. The DWService client is a standard web browser, so no additional software is needed on the client. VNC requires software on the client.
4. DWService is free with the option of paying a subscription fee for greater bandwidth. Please support DWService if you find it useful!
5. You may notice when using DWService that the screen you are controlling is somewhat slow to respond. VNC is faster, but DWService is very usable.
6. DWService ONLY works via the "cloud". VNC can work directly to the host you want to control or via the cloud. I use both: VNC for situations where the client and server are both on my network and DWService for situations where I want to control hosts that are not on my network.
7. VNC has a chat feature that allows multiple users who are controlling the same computer to communicate with each other using a chat window. DWService does not have this feature.
8. VNC allows you to copy/paste from your client to the computer you are controlling. In DWService, copy/paste only works when the computer being controlled is running Windows.
9. Both services allow multiple clients to control a computer at a time. However, only VNC provides a way for connected users to see how many users are connected and who they are.

Initial Setup

Establish a DWService Account

Create Your Account

1. Create an account at DWService.

   Follow the instructions on the web page to set up your account. You will be emailed a code that you must enter on the DWService sign-up web page to complete your account setup.

2. Log in to your account.

   Once you've set up your account, login to DWService.

3. Configure your account.

   Click My Account and select the type of account (Personal or Company/Organization) and provide whatever other information you want to enter. For most users, "Personal" is the best choice. Click Update Account when done. Click the Home icon to return to the home page.

4. For WECG Members:

   If you want to be added to the WECG group, which allows you to control certain computers managed by WECG, send the email address you used for your DWService account to w7ecg.wecg@gmail.com. You'll get a reply from w7ecg.wecg@gmail.com with information about accessing/controlling WECG computers. Note that this is NOT an automated reply! It might take a day or 2 for me to check the account and add you to the group, so don't expect an immediate email reply.

   Once I add you to the WECG group and you receive a confirmation email from w7ecg.wecg@gmail.com, log in to DWService. Your DWService page will show a red square with a number in it on top of the Bell icon in the upper right corner indicating you have one or more messages waiting.

   If you see a message waiting:

   1. Click on the Bell and click Accept.
   2. Click Yes in the "Do you want to accept..." dialog window.
   3. Go to back to the Home page and click Shares, then Incoming Shares. You should see the WECG computers you can control listed there. You can now remotely connect to any of those computers that show "available" status by clicking on it.

   Skip to the Access and Control Remote Computers section in this document for more information on controlling remote computers.

5. If you aren't interested in remotely controlling your own computers with DWService, skip to the Access and Control Remote Computers section in this document.

OPTIONAL - if you want to control your own computers with DWService: Create Agents

1. If you aren't already, log in to DWService.

2. On your Home page, click Agents.

3. Click + to add a new agent. Enter a name meaningful to you (to identify a particular computer you want to control) and optionally a description for this agent. Leave the Group field empty for now. Click Confirm to finish.

   Repeat this step for as many agents you want to make. Each agent corresponds to a computer you want to remotely control.

4. IMPORTANT: In the lower right corner of each agent "box" is an install code. You'll need that when you install the agent on the computer you want to control.

5. Click the Home icon to go back to your Home page.

OPTIONAL: Create Agent Groups (If you want to control your own computers with DWService)

Agent Groups allow you to put certain agents (remotely controlled computers) into groups. An agent can be in none or one Agent group.

1. From the Home page, click Groups.
2. Click +. Give your group a name and optionally a description. Click Confirm when done. Repeat this step for as many groups as you want to create.
3. Go back to the Home page.
4. In each of your Agent's boxes, you'll see three vertical dots (this is called a 'kebab') near the top. Click the kebab and select Edit.
5. The Group you created earlier should now be available in the dropdown selection. Select the group you want this agent to be in, then click Confirm. Repeat this step as desired for your other Agents.

OPTIONAL: Create Contacts (If you want to allow other users to control your computers)

Contacts are the email addresses of other DWService users. The email address of the contact must be the email address that person used to create their DWService account.

1. From the Home page, click Contacts.
2. Click +. Enter the DWService account email address of the other user. Optionally assign the user to one of the groups you created, and enter a description (for example, the user's full name and call sign). Click Confirm. Repeat this step for each DWService user you want to add as a contact.
3. Once you've created a contact, you'll notice that that contact's box will display waiting in the lower right corner.

OPTIONAL: Create Outgoing Shares (if you want to allow other users to control your computers)

Shares are collections of Agents that you make available for others to control (Outgoing shares) or other users have made available for you to control (Incoming shares).

• Outgoing Shares

  1. From the Home page, select Shares. Click Outgoing.
  2. Click + and select the Type, either an individual agent or a group of agents.
  3. Select the Agent or Agent Group, optionally check the box and give it a Display Name, and optionally give it a Description. Click Next.
  4. Uncheck Full Access. Check Screen. Click Next.
  5. Check Myself Enable. Check Contacts Enable.
  6. Click + next to Contacts Enable. Select an individual contact or contact group. Repeat this step for other contacts or groups.
  7. Click Next. Check Validity Always, or uncheck it and select the start and end dates/times.
  8. Click Confirm. Click Close to close the "This operation completed successfully" window.
  9. When a user you've assigned to an Outgoing Share logs in to their DWService account, They'll see a bell with a red box with a number in it, indicating one or more messages are waiting. When they click on the Bell, they can Accept or Reject the Share. Your outgoing share becomes their incoming share.

OPTIONAL: Install Agents (If you want to control your own computers with DWService)

Follow these steps if you want to remotely control your computers. For each computer you want to control, you'll download and install a DWAgent on that c