Local vs remote solar monitoring: plan your access

Draw the route you want to use

Local access uses a browser on the same reachable home network. Remote access adds an internet path so you can view the host from elsewhere. Being connected to Wi-Fi is not enough by itself: a guest network may isolate your phone from other devices, while a phone on cellular is outside your home network entirely.

Use the address shown in Sunstead’s Remote & displays page for local viewing. Use your saved connection at Your Sunstead for the hosted remote route. A private home-network address is not an address you can normally open from a hotel.

What keeps working when a connection fails?

Start troubleshooting at the last working point. If the attached display has fresh readings, check the network route. If every screen has the same stale values, inspect equipment status on the host. Repeatedly refreshing a distant browser cannot restore a disconnected monitoring cable.

Set up remote viewing while you are still home

Open Remote & displays on the host, choose Sign in with your phone, and use the account-connection QR code. Sign in with Google on your phone. Once the connection is saved, open it from your account and confirm that the property name and readings are the ones you expect.

Then test the route you will actually use away: turn off the phone’s Wi-Fi and open the saved connection on cellular. This catches a setup that only appeared remote because the phone was still on the same LAN. Keep the host powered and online during that test.

Signing in to Sunstead does not grant access to every property. You must connect your own device or receive authorized access. Hosted remote viewing is currently read-only; changing equipment settings remains on an authorized local connection. The privacy page explains the role of account and connection data.

Give the second screen one job

A satellite display follows the existing host over the network. It does not need a second copy of the property’s monitoring connections. Place it where you will use it, verify the host is reachable there, and decide whether the screen should be a viewer or an authorized local administrator.

For a shared kitchen screen, viewing is usually the useful job. Separate that from the local screen used for setup. If you lend a phone or change who should have access, review saved connections and memberships instead of assuming that closing a browser removes access.

Run this departure check

1. Confirm fresh equipment readings on the host.
2. Open the saved property from a phone on cellular.
3. Check that the host, router and internet equipment will remain powered.
4. Verify that each person who needs access can open their own authorized connection.
5. Record who can inspect the local host if the remote path goes offline.

Advanced users can also configure Sunstead’s self-hosted WireGuard option. That requires the appropriate reachable endpoint or relay and its own maintenance; it is not enabled merely by installing the dashboard. Never expose the ordinary dashboard port directly to the public internet.

Deciding between platforms rather than access routes? The software comparison covers local operation, remote services and integrations without assuming every product uses Sunstead’s architecture.