Free Ways To Remotely Control Your Raspberry Pi Behind A Firewall On Windows 10

Lydia Champlin 12 Jul 2025

Have you ever wanted to reach your Raspberry Pi when it is tucked away behind a tough firewall on your Windows 10 machine, all without spending any money? It is a pretty common wish for many folks, you know, from big industries to the person just tinkering at their kitchen table. Raspberry Pi computers, in a way, make computing open and easy for everyone, and that is a truly good thing. They help people learn coding for kids, teenagers, and even young adults.

The Raspberry Pi Foundation, actually, gives access to online coding resources and challenges that are free for everyone, no matter where they are. You can get started with your Raspberry Pi computer for free, too. This little device lets you write powerful programs and build exciting physical computing projects with help from expert educators. But when your Pi is sitting behind a network barrier, reaching it can feel like a bit of a puzzle.

That is where figuring out how to control your Raspberry Pi remotely, especially when it is behind a firewall on a Windows 10 system, comes in handy. It means you can work on your projects or check things from another spot, which is really convenient. This piece will walk you through some free ways to do just that, making sure you can keep your projects going without any extra cost.

Here is a quick look at what we will talk about:

Why Remote Access Matters for Your Raspberry Pi Projects
What a Firewall Does and Why It's a Challenge
Picking the Right Free Method for Your Raspberry Pi Remote Control
Tips for Keeping Your Remote Access Secure
Frequently Asked Questions about Raspberry Pi Remote Control

Why Remote Access Matters for Your Raspberry Pi Projects

Having the ability to connect to your Raspberry Pi from another spot, like your Windows 10 computer, is super helpful. It means you do not have to have a screen, keyboard, or mouse hooked up to your Pi all the time. This is really good for those physical computing projects where your Pi might be in a tight space or somewhere hard to get to, you know? You can still work on your programs and make adjustments without moving things around.

For anyone learning coding, like with Python for free with the Raspberry Pi Foundation, remote access makes practice easier. You can write your code on your main computer and then send it right to your Pi. This also helps if you are taking an online computing class in Python and want to learn how to code your own programs today. Being able to access your Pi's files and run commands from afar just opens up so many possibilities, you see.

The Raspberry Pi OS, which is the official supported operating system, is very versatile, supporting over 35,000 Debian packages. So, being able to tap into all that power from your Windows 10 machine, even when there is a network wall in the way, is a pretty big deal. It just lets you do more with your little computer, honestly.

What a Firewall Does and Why It's a Challenge

A firewall, in simple terms, is like a guard for your network. It decides what information can come in and go out of your home or office network. Its main job is to keep things safe by blocking unwanted connections, which is definitely a good thing for security. Most networks, whether at home or in a school, have one, and your Windows 10 computer has one built in, too.

The problem for remote access is that these guards often block incoming connections by default. So, when you try to connect to your Raspberry Pi from outside its immediate network, the firewall sees it as an unknown visitor and just shuts it down. This is why you cannot just type in your Pi's usual network address and expect to connect when you are away from home, you know?

This barrier means you cannot simply "port forward" on many networks, especially if you do not control the router, like in a school or a dorm. That is why we need to look at clever ways to get around this, methods that make the connection seem like it is going out from the Pi, rather than trying to come in from the outside. It is a bit like making a phone call from inside a building instead of waiting for one to come in.

Picking the Right Free Method for Your Raspberry Pi Remote Control

When you are trying to reach your Raspberry Pi from behind a firewall on your Windows 10 computer, you need methods that do not rely on opening up ports directly. Luckily, there are a few good, free ways to get this done. Each method has its own way of working, but they all aim to make a connection that goes out from your Pi, which firewalls usually allow.

We will look at using SSH in a special way, and then some handy cloud services that have free options. These tools help create a path through the firewall without needing you to change complicated router settings. You just pick the one that feels best for what you want to do, you know?

Method 1: SSH Tunneling for Secure Access

SSH, which stands for Secure Shell, is a really common way to get command-line access to your Raspberry Pi. It is a secure connection, which is great. But to get past a firewall, we need to use a trick called a "reverse SSH tunnel." This basically means your Raspberry Pi makes an outgoing connection to another computer that is on the public internet, and then your Windows 10 machine connects to that public computer to reach your Pi. It is like your Pi is calling out for help, and you answer that call.

Setting Up SSH on Your Raspberry Pi

First things first, your Raspberry Pi needs to have SSH turned on. If you are just getting started with your Raspberry Pi computer for free, you might have done this already. When you use Raspberry Pi Imager, which is the quick and easy way to install Raspberry Pi OS and other operating systems to a microSD card, ready to use with your Raspberry Pi, you can usually enable SSH right there. If not, it is simple to do later.

To turn on SSH after the OS is installed, you can use the Raspberry Pi Configuration tool in the graphical desktop environment. Just go to 'Interfaces' and make sure SSH is set to 'Enabled'. Alternatively, you can open a terminal window on your Pi and type sudo raspi-config, then go to 'Interface Options' and pick 'SSH'. After you pick it, just restart your Pi. This makes sure your Pi is ready to talk securely, you know?

Creating a Reverse SSH Tunnel from Windows 10

For a reverse SSH tunnel, you need a middle computer that is always on and has a public internet address. This could be a very small, cheap cloud server (sometimes called a VPS), or even a desktop computer at a friend's house that has a public IP and is always on. The "free" part here depends on if you already have access to such a server or can find a trial. The Pi will connect *to* this middle server, and then your Windows 10 computer will connect *to* the middle server to get to your Pi.

On your Raspberry Pi, you would run a command that looks something like this in its terminal: ssh -R 2222:localhost:22 user@your_middle_server_ip -N. Here, '2222' is a port on the middle server that will point back to port 22 (SSH) on your Pi. 'user@your_middle_server_ip' is how you log into that middle server. The '-N' means no command will be run, just the tunnel. This command tells your Pi to create a pathway back to itself through the middle server. It is pretty clever, honestly.

Then, from your Windows 10 computer, you would open a command prompt or use a tool like PuTTY. You would connect to your middle server, but this time, you would tell it to forward a local port on your Windows machine to the port on the middle server that your Pi is connected to. The command on Windows might look like ssh -L 8080:localhost:2222 user@your_middle_server_ip. This means when you connect to localhost:8080 on your Windows machine, it actually goes through the middle server and then to your Pi. So, you are basically creating a double hop to get past that firewall. It is a bit of a setup, but very powerful, you know?

Method 2: Using Cloud-Based Tunneling Services (Free Tiers)

If setting up your own middle server for SSH sounds like too much work, there are services that do this for you, often with free plans that are perfect for personal projects. These services create a secure tunnel from your Raspberry Pi out to their cloud, and then you connect to their cloud to reach your Pi. This completely bypasses the need for port forwarding or a public IP address on your network, which is very handy when dealing with firewalls. Two popular ones with free tiers are Ngrok and Remote.it.

Exploring Ngrok for Quick Access

Ngrok is a service that gives you a public URL for a service running on your local machine. It is really good for quickly showing off a web project or getting temporary access. For your Raspberry Pi, you would download the Ngrok client onto it. It is a single file, so it is pretty easy to get going. You just put it on your Pi and make it executable.

Once it is set up, you can run a command like ./ngrok tcp 22 on your Raspberry Pi. This tells Ngrok to open up a tunnel for port 22, which is the SSH port. Ngrok will then give you a unique public address, something like tcp://0.tcp.ngrok.io:12345. You can then use this address from your Windows 10 machine with your SSH client (like PuTTY or OpenSSH) to connect directly to your Raspberry Pi. The free tier has some limits, like sessions timing out after a few hours, but it is great for quick access or testing. It is a really straightforward way to get through, honestly.

Trying Remote.it for Persistent Connections

Remote.it is another excellent service that helps you connect to devices behind firewalls. It creates a peer-to-peer connection, which means your Pi talks to the remote.it cloud, and then your Windows 10 machine talks to the same cloud, and they connect you directly. This is often more stable for long-term access than Ngrok's free tier. It is a bit different, you know?

You need to install the Remote.it agent on your Raspberry Pi. You create an account on their website, then register your Pi as a device. After that, you can add services like SSH or VNC to your Pi through their web interface. Once registered, you can download their desktop application for Windows 10. From this app, you will see your Raspberry Pi listed. You just click to connect to the SSH service (or VNC, or whatever you set up), and it will create a local proxy on your Windows machine. This proxy then lets you connect to your Pi as if it were on your local network. It is very user-friendly, and their free plan lets you manage a few devices, which is perfect for most home users, at the end of the day.

Method 3: VNC for a Visual Desktop Experience

While SSH gives you a command line, VNC (Virtual Network Computing) gives you a full graphical desktop experience of your Raspberry Pi on your Windows 10 screen. This is super useful if you prefer working with a mouse and seeing the Pi's desktop environment, you know, just like you were sitting right in front of it. However, VNC itself does not bypass firewalls. You need to use one of the tunneling methods we talked about earlier (SSH tunnel, Ngrok, or Remote.it) to get VNC's connection through the firewall.

Setting Up VNC Server on Raspberry Pi

Raspberry Pi OS often comes with RealVNC Server already installed, which is pretty convenient. If it is not, you can install it easily with a command like sudo apt install realvnc-vnc-server. Once installed, you need to enable it. Just like SSH, you can do this through the Raspberry Pi Configuration tool under 'Interfaces', or by using sudo raspi-config and going to 'Interface Options' then 'VNC'.

After enabling, VNC Server will start up. You might need to set up a password for VNC connections, which is a good idea for security. This prepares your Pi to share its screen, basically.

Connecting with VNC Viewer from Windows 10

On your Windows 10 computer, you will need a VNC client, often called a VNC Viewer. RealVNC offers a free VNC Viewer application that works very well. Download and install it. Now, this is where the tunneling comes in. If you used Ngrok to expose your VNC port (usually 5900 or 5901), Ngrok would give you a public address like tcp://0.tcp.ngrok.io:67890. You would then enter this address into your VNC Viewer.

If you are using Remote.it, once you have connected to your Pi's VNC service through their Windows app, it will tell you a local address and port, something like localhost:33000. You just put that into your VNC Viewer. The VNC Viewer will then connect through the tunnel, and you will see your Raspberry Pi's desktop right there on your Windows 10 screen. It is pretty cool to see it all come together, you know?

Tips for Keeping Your Remote Access Secure

When you are opening up your Raspberry Pi to remote connections, even through tunnels, it is really important to keep security in mind. A little bit of care here goes a long way. So, make sure you are doing things to keep your Pi safe, you know?

First, always use strong passwords for your Raspberry Pi and any services you use, like Ngrok or Remote.it. Do not use simple ones that are easy to guess. Also, for SSH, consider using key-based authentication instead of just passwords. This is much more secure. The official documentation for Raspberry Pi computers and microcontrollers can show you how to set this up, which is a very good resource.

Keep your Raspberry Pi OS updated. The Raspberry Pi Foundation provides access to online coding resources and challenges that are free for everyone anywhere, and part of that is keeping your system fresh. Raspberry Pi OS supports over 35,000 Debian packages, and regular updates help patch any security weaknesses. Just run sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade regularly. This is just a good habit to have, honestly. Learn more about Raspberry Pi security on our site, and link to this page Official Raspberry Pi Documentation.

Frequently Asked Questions about Raspberry Pi Remote Control

Here are some common questions people ask about getting to their Raspberry Pi from another place:

Can I access my Raspberry Pi from anywhere?

Yes, you definitely can! By using methods like reverse SSH tunnels or cloud tunneling services such as Ngrok or Remote.it, you can reach your Raspberry Pi from pretty much any internet-connected computer, no matter where you are. These methods help get around the usual network blocks, you know?

Is it safe to remote control my Raspberry Pi?

It can be very safe, as long as you take some simple steps. Using strong, unique passwords, setting up key-based authentication for SSH, and keeping your Raspberry Pi's software updated are all important parts of keeping things secure. Always be careful about what services you expose to the internet, and only use trusted methods. It is all about being a bit smart with your setup, basically.

Do I need special software on Windows 10?

You will need some free software on your Windows 10 computer, yes. For SSH, you can use the built-in OpenSSH client or a tool like PuTTY. For VNC, you will need a VNC Viewer application. If you choose cloud tunneling services, they usually have their own client software or a web interface you can use on Windows. All these tools are generally free to get and use, which is great, at the end of the day.

So, you have got some solid, free ways to get to your Raspberry Pi even when it is behind a firewall on your Windows 10 computer. Whether you prefer the command line with SSH or a full desktop experience with VNC, these methods can help you keep your projects going. Giving these options a try will certainly help you get more from your Raspberry Pi, and it is a

Raspberry | Description, Fruit, Cultivation, Types, & Facts | Britannica

HOW TO GROW RASPBERRIES |The Garden of Eaden

Raspberry Plants for Sale Online | Raspberry Royalty – Easy To Grow Bulbs

Celebrities At Sea