--- title: "VNC – Accessing a PLC using a VNC server – without a VNC client" slug: "how-to-enable-access-to-a-vnc-server-via-a-web-proxy" description: "This page describes how to use an INSYS router, here the MIRO model, to establish a remote access connection (cellular radio) via the icom Connectivity Suite - VPN to a Siemens PLC, here the S7-1500 model." status: "update" updated: 2026-09-11T09:51:18Z published: 2026-09-11T09:51:18Z canonical: "docs.insys-icom.com/how-to-enable-access-to-a-vnc-server-via-a-web-proxy" --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.insys-icom.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # VNC – Accessing a PLC using a VNC server – without a VNC client ![](https://cdn.document360.io/c690fe99-a3eb-474c-a449-c2c75e5df119/Images/Documentation/image(682).png) ## What do I want to achieve? I am running a VNC server at a facility and would like to access it remotely without having to install a VNC client on my computer. ## **How do I accomplish this?** With an INSYS router, a SIM card and the VPN service **icom Connectivity Suite – VPN**, you can generally enable remote access via mobile networks. To enable dedicated access to a VNC server via your own browser, an LXC container containing the noVNC software is also installed on the router. noVNC comprises, on the one hand, a VNC client that establishes a connection to the VNC server and, on the other hand, a web server through which the VNC application can then be operated. ### **Required hardware** **You will need the following in addition to your controller to be able to access it remotely.** - 1 INSYS router, e. g. [MOROS.neo-E.4G](https://www.insys-icom.com/en/products/router-gateways/router/moros-neo-router/) - 1 suitable [cellular antenna](https://www.insys-icom.com/en/accessories/antenna/) - 1 [M2M SIM card](https://www.insys-icom.com/en/products/managed-services/m2m-sim-service/) in industrial quality - 1 Ethernet cable - 1 [power supply unit](https://www.insys-icom.com/en/accessories/power-supplies/) or-power supply (12-24 V DC) - 1 Configuration PC with browser (for initial setup, can also be the remote access PC) - 1 Remote access PC with browser and PLC-specific software ### Preparation In our exemplary configuration, which is described in the following steps, we use a typical installation as a basis for the IP address of the controller. We give the router an IP address in the same network. [Netmapping](/kb/docs/en/icom-connectivity-suite-vpn-addressing-en) is used to create a virtual IP network via which the controller and the router (or other devices) in the network behind the router can be accessed remotely. - IP address of the device running the VNC server: 192.168.2.232/24 - IP address of the INSYS router: 192.168.2.1/24 - IP network accessible from remote: 192.168.22.0/24 ![](https://cdn.document360.io/c690fe99-a3eb-474c-a449-c2c75e5df119/Images/Documentation/image(683).png) #### icom Connectivity Suite **How to log in to the icom Connectivity Suite and add a remote access PC and router.** 1. If you do not already have an account for the **icom Connectivity Suite**, register on the portal. See this [Configuration Guide](https://docs.insys-icom.com/docs/en/registration-with-the-icom-connectivity-suite-en). 2. Sign in to the [portal](https://connectivity.insys-icom.de). 3. Add the PC, from which you want to access the controller, to the VPN network. See this [Configuration Guide](https://docs.insys-icom.com/docs/en/adding-a-third-party-device-pc-to-the-icom-connectivity-suite-vpn-en). > [!NOTE] > Please note! > > You do not have to set an *accessible IP* for the remote access PC, since access to the PC from the VPN network is not necessary. 4. Add the router, which you want to use to access the controller, to the VPN network. See this [Configuration Guide](https://docs.insys-icom.com/docs/en/adding-an-insys-router-with-icom-os-to-the-icom-connectivity-suite-vpn-en). > [!NOTE] > Please note! > > - If you assign a device code here, keep it in mind for the subsequent configuration of the router. > - Enter as *accessible IP* the IP address, which the router should get in the network accessible from remote, in this case **192.168.22.1**. > - Check *Netmapping*. > - Enter as *Router/LAN IP* the IP address, which the router should get in the local network, which also contains the controller, in this case **192.168.2.1**. > - Select under *Device Configuration Type* **Assign nets to ports manually** and assign the ports according to the desired configuration: > - Continue to reserve port **1.1** as Configuration port. > - Assign the ports **1.2** through **1.4** to the plant network. > > > > ![](https://cdn.document360.io/c690fe99-a3eb-474c-a449-c2c75e5df119/Images/Documentation/image(689).png) **How to add a webproxy in the **icom Connectivity Suite**.** To access the container on the router from outside the network, you must add a web proxy (endpoint) for this container in the **icom Connectivity Suite**. To do this, follow the steps [described here](/kb/docs/icom-connectivity-suite-vpn-endpint-add) and use the following parameters: ![](https://cdn.document360.io/c690fe99-a3eb-474c-a449-c2c75e5df119/Images/Documentation/image(690).png) ![](https://cdn.document360.io/c690fe99-a3eb-474c-a449-c2c75e5df119/Images/Documentation/image(691).png) #### Configuration PC **How to prepare your configuration PC.** You will need a PC with a free Ethernet socket. A DHCP client should be activated on the PC; otherwise you must set up a static IP address in the address range 192.168.1.0/24. The IP address 192.168.1.1 is already occupied by the router. #### Remote access PC **How to configure the PC with which you want to access your controller remotely for a connection with the **icom Connectivity Suite - VPN**. The installation and configuration of the PLC-specific software is not part of these instructions.** Use this [Configuration Guide](/kb/docs/en/configuring-a-windows-pc-for-a-connection-to-the-icom-connectivity-suite-vpn-en) to set up a Windows PC for a connection to the **icom Connectivity Suite - VPN**. Proceed in the same way for a computer with a Linux operating system. It is important to download the OpenVPN configuration file generated by the **icom Connectivity Suite - VPN** and import this configuration file into the OpenVPN software. Instructions for iOS and Android are available [here](https://docs.insys-icom.com/docs/en/configuring-third-party-devices-for-a-connection-to-the-icom-connectivity-suite-vpn-en). #### Router **How to commission your router.** > [!NOTE] > The router should be in default settings for this configuration! > > Reset the router to [default settings](/kb/docs/en/resetting-to-defaults-en) in case it has already been used. 1. Insert the SIM card into the router (for routers with two SIM card slots, make sure that you insert the SIM card into SIM1). 2. Install the router on the DIN rail (installation notes are available in the [Installation and User Manual](https://docs.insys-icom.com/docs/en/miro-info-en)). 3. Connect the antenna (when using an antenna on routers with two antenna sockets, make sure that you connect the antenna to LTE1). 4. Connect the configuration PC to the router to socket ETH1 using an Ethernet cable. 5. Connect the power supply to terminals V+ (or VIN, positive) and V- (or GND, negative). The uppermost LED **PWR (Power)** should light now and signal that the router is supplied with power. **How to configure your router using the Startup wizard.** 1. Open a new browser window or tab - keep the browser window with the **icom Connectivity Suite - VPN** open. 2. Enter https://insys.icom into the address bar of the browser. 3. Click on the welcome screen on To Startup wizard. > [!NOTE] > Please note! > > If the welcome screen is not displayed, you may also start the Startup wizard in the *Wizards* → *Startup wizard* menu. 4. Click in step 1 - System time - on NEXT - this takes over the system time from the configuration PC and configures a regular update of the time. 5. Enter in step 2 - Authentication - a user name and a safe password for future access to the router and click on NEXT . 6. Select in step 3 - Internet connection - the interface you want to use to establish the connection, here **LTE - SIM1**, enter a PIN for the SIM cad if required, select the APN and click on NEXT . ![](https://cdn.document360.io/c690fe99-a3eb-474c-a449-c2c75e5df119/Images/Documentation/image(149).png) 7. Enable in step 4 - VPN connection - the *Configure VPN* switch, select as *Type of VPN connection* the **icom Connectivity Suite**, select *Download configuration automatically* and enter *Customer name* as well as *Device code* or *Default code*. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/c690fe99-a3eb-474c-a449-c2c75e5df119/Images/Documentation/image(150).png) If you did not specify a device code when registering the router, the default code will be used here. Customer name and default code can be found in the **icom Connectivity Suite - VPN** on the *System* → *My VPN Hub* page in the *Account Information* field. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/c690fe99-a3eb-474c-a449-c2c75e5df119/Images/Documentation/image(152).png) Click on NEXT . 8. Click in step 5 - LAN connection - on NEXT - the LAN connection will be configured automatically by the **icom Connectivity Suite - VPN**. 9. Step 6 - icom Router Management - allows to configure your router for the [icom Router Management](https://www.insys-icom.com/en/products/managed-services/device-management/). For this purpose, the router must first be set up as described [here](/kb/docs/adding-routers-to-icom-router-management). 10. Click on RUN WIZARD. The Startup wizard is executed and displays the progress of the configurations it has made. The Ethernet interface of the router will be reconfigured. The router should be indicated as **Online** in the device list in the portal of the **icom Connectivity Suite - VPN** (*VPN* > *Devices* menu) after a few minutes. #### Container **How to install the container on your router.** First, download the Alpine container from our [container page](https://m3-container.net/#alpine). > [!NOTE] > Take care to download the correct version! > > **aarch64**: for routers of the series **MRX.neo** and **MOROS.neo** > > **armv7**: for routers of the series **MRX**, **ECR** and **SCR** To install the Alpine container, follow the steps described in [Installing a Linux container (LXC)](/kb/docs/installing-a-linux-container-lxc-en) and assign it the IP address **192.168.2.22**. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/c690fe99-a3eb-474c-a449-c2c75e5df119/Images/Documentation/image(688).png) The container will be started once the profile has been activated. **How to configure noVNC in the container.** To configure the application within the container, you must switch to a computer that is in the same local network as the container (no longer in the configuration network). The container becomes active and accessible immediately after the profile has been configured and activated. 1. Open a terminal programme and establish an SSH connection to the container: `ssh root@192.168.2.22` 2. Accept the certificate and enter the password `root`. 3. Change the default password to a secure, individual password: `container1:~# passwd` 4. Install noVNC in the container: `container1:~# apk add novnc` 5. Start noVNC using the VNC server’s address and port (in this example, **192.168.2.232:5900**) on the local network: `container1:~# apk websockify --web /usr/share/novnc 0.0.0.0:6080 192.168.2.232:5900 ` noVNC displays a message after starting successfully: `WebSocket server settings:` `  - Listen on 0.0.0.0:6080` `  - Web server. Web root: /usr/share/novnc` `  - No SSL/TLS support (no cert file)` `  - proxying from 0.0.0.0:6080 to 192.168.2.232:5900` Now configure the container so that noVNC starts automatically when the container is booted. To do this, you need to add the following commands to the **inittab** file in the container’s **/etc** directory: ```plaintext # start NoVNC ::respawn:/usr/bin/websockify --web /usr/share/novnc 0.0.0.0:6080 192.168.2.232:5900 ``` 1. Open the file using the editor vi: `container1:~# vi /etc/inittab` 2. Enter `i` for Insert and browse to the end of the file using the arrow keys. 3. Insert the two lines there. 4. Press esc to exit the edit mode and save the changes with `:x`. ## How do I establish the remote access? 1. To connect the router, proceed as described [above](/kb/docs/en/how-to-bring-a-wago-plc-online#router) and connect the VNC server to the router via Ethernet. 2. On the remote access PC, establish the OpenVPN connection as described [here](https://docs.insys-icom.com/docs/en/configuring-a-windows-pc-for-a-connection-to-the-icom-connectivity-suite-vpn-en#establishing-the-openvpn-connection). **How to establish remote access to the user interface of the controller.** Open a browser, access noVNC directly (`http://192.168.22.22:6080/vnc.html`) or via a web proxy (`https://xxx-novnc.ics-vpn.de/vnc-html`), and connect to the VNC server by clicking *Connect*. Depending on the VNC server, you may be prompted for a password before the connection is established. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/c690fe99-a3eb-474c-a449-c2c75e5df119/Images/Documentation/image(677).png) > [!NOTE] > Access to other devices in the network! > > If there are other devices in the local network on the router, you can also access them via the IP network **192.168.22.0/24** that can be reached for remote access. For example, if another controller in the local network has the IP address **192.168.101.23**, you can access it via the remote access address **192.168.22.23**.What to do if it doesn't work? **If remote access to the controller does not work, you can troubleshoot the fault using the following methods:** - Are remote access PC and router indicated as **Online** in the device list of the **icom Connectivity Suite - VPN** (*VPN* > *Devices* menu)? - Does remote access to the router work via the address [**https://192.168.22.1**](https://192.168.22.1)? - Is it possible to ping the controller in the local network of the router? To do this, go to the *Administration* → *Debugging* menu and enter for the **Ping** *Tool* the local address of the controller **192.168.2.22** as *Parameter*. - Does local access to the controller work via the local address **192.168.2.22** from a PC in the local network of the controller? - Open the *Status* → *Dashboard* page and check the necessary connections. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/c690fe99-a3eb-474c-a449-c2c75e5df119/Images/Documentation/image(154).png) ## Further configuration options In this [Configuration Guide](/kb/docs/en/establishing-a-connection-using-a-key-switch-signal-en), you will learn how to configure the router so that it can be enabled locally with a key switch for an Internet connection - and thus for a connection to the **icom Connectivity Suite - VPN** - in order to be able to authorize remote access locally, for example. On routers in default settings, Port 1 (ETH 1) is intended as the configuration port. The router's user interface can be accessed via this Ethernet port at [https://192.168.1.1](https://192.168.1.1). After running the [Startup Wizard](/kb/docs/quickstart-wizard-en) or making other changes to the configuration, the router may no longer be accessible in this way. Standard IP address: https://192.168.1.1; login depending on configuration; default for earlier firmware versions: *User name*: **insys**, *Password*: **icom**