The abr Remote App is designed to project and control the screen of an Android device (end-device) via internet or local network. You can establish a connection from a support-device (e.g. Computer) either via browser through the abr Cloud Console or with a VNC client. For this howto, Chrome browser was used via the abr Cloud Console.
abr-solutions guarantees full privacy compliance! No screen content, inputs or other events are monitored.
Screen elements
The application main screen consists of the following elements:
1 – Start / Stop the remote session
2 – Session settings
3 – Main menu (General Settings)
4 – Quick help
Setup & Configuration
Device setup
Following installation, the application will ask you to configure the end-device appropriately. Once started, it will check the correct settings and will assist you to complete the configuration.
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- Accessibility
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The abr Remote App can control the screen of the end-device with an input utility (e.g. mouse, keyboard etc.), when the “Accessibility” service is enabled.
The application will ask you to activate the Accessibility, once started. Or you can activate it manually in the Settings of the device.
IMPORTANT: On Android 13, this is a “restricted function” and the standard process to enable Accessibility may not apply!
Enable Accessibility on Android 13:
– Go to the “Apps” menu of the device Settings,
– locate and select abr Remote,
– tip on the 3-dot menu on the top right corner of the screen and select “Enable restricted functions”,
– repeat the standard process to enable Accessibility in the Settings of the device.
The whole process may differ as per manufacturer. If a device does not provide such options, please contact the device manufacturer.
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- System overlay
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The abr Remote App will require the permission to be displayed above all apps, once started. Or you can set this permission manually in the Settings of the device.
Given the permission, whenever a Client is connected, a miniature “alpha” logo will be displayed on the upper third of the screen. This is a visible indicator that the screen is currently shared and all activities could be monitored.
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- abr Remote keyboard
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Prior to Android 7.0 (Nougat), the software keyboard can not be accessed directly. The application provides full soft-keyboard support via a built-in keyboard, which can be activated in the input methods of the system settings. If the device is running on Android prior to 7.0, the application will detect it and automatically ask you to activate the built-in keyboard.
Session settings
Click the Session settings icon on the left bottom corner of the main screen, in order to configure the following options:
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- Scale percentage
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Define the percentage of the display size to be projected. This way, you can avoid e.g. displaying a large screen in original size, which would lead to a lot of scrolling at the Client side and consume more bandwidth than necessary. Possible values are 25%, 50%, 75% or 100%. The default value is 50%.
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- Screen name
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Define a custom name for your device, as it will be displayed on the Client side.
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- Port
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Define the local port that the VNC server will be running on. The port must be locally available and also open. We recommend using a port between 5901 and 5905. The default value is 5901.
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- Session password
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Define a password which the support-user must enter on the Client side, in order to connect to your device, while unattended access is permitted. We strongly recommend setting a session password!
When a support-user attempts to connect to your device remotely, they will be requested to enter the session password, only if you have deactivated the option Require User feedback in the Remote Console Settings beforehand (“unattended access”). If this option remains activated (default), the support-user will not be requested to enter the session password that you set and you will keep being asked to allow every incoming connection.
General settings
Click the 3-dot icon on the top right corner of the main screen, in order to open the main menu. Select Settings in order to open the general settings of the application. The following options can be configured:
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- Mobile data warning
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On start of the application, if the device is connected to a mobile network, a warning message will appear. VNC connections can consume a lot of bandwidth, that might cause additional cost on volume based internet contracts. This option is activated by default.
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- abr Remote keyboard warning
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The application has a built-in keyboard, in order to provide full soft keyboard support prior to Android 7.0 (Nougat). If the device is running on Android prior to 7.0 while using another keyboard, a warning message will appear on start of the application. This option is deactivated by default posterior Android 7.0. and activated by default prior to Android 7.0.
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- Start automatically (“Autostart”)
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On start of the device, the abr Remote App will be started automatically. This option is deactivated by default.
IMPORTANT:
– The “Accessibility” service must be enabled before.
– The “Autostart” feature is supported “out-of-the-box” on all Android versions except for Android 10! If your device operates on Android 10, this function can be activated via a “workaround”. Please, contact our support for more.
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- Restart on connectivity change
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Restart the application, after a lost connection has been re-established. This option is deactivated by default.
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- Autostart on mobile internet
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With this option deactivated, the VNC server will only start if a wireless or LAN connection is available. When you activate it, the server will start automatically also on a mobile internet connection. Since it may lead to additional costs on volume based internet contracts, this option is deactivated by default.
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- Auto wake up
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The screen of the device will wake up, once a Client is connected. This option is activated by default.
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- Stay awake
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The screen of the device will stay awake, as long a Client is connected. This option is activated by default.
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- Unlock screen
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If this option is activated, the screen can be unlocked, once a Client is connected. This can only work, if no password or pattern is required to unlock the screen. Please, be aware of the potential risk before disabling any security features! This option is deactivated by default.
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- Overlay icon clickable
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If the overlay icon is clickable, the application activity can be opened, whenever it is clicked by the end-user. This option is activated by default.
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- View-only mode
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When the view-only mode is activated, the screen inputs are deactivated. Then the support-user can only view the screen, but they can not control it remotely. This option is deactivated by default.
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- Remote console
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The abr Remote App allows incoming connections from the abr Cloud Console. With this option, you can configure the device connectivity to the abr Cloud. The following settings can be configured:
- Android : give to the end-device a distinctive name. Every device has the name Android by default.
- Send start stop notification : the device will report its online status to the abr Cloud Console, on START of the application. This option is activated by default.
- Allow cloud connection : the abr Cloud Console will be able to establish a connection to the end-device. This option is activated by default.
- Require user feedback : the end-user will be asked to allow the connection from the abr Cloud Console, on every connection attempt. This option is activated by default.
- Use encrypted connection : the connection will be TLS encrypted. This option is activated by default.
Cloud connectivity
In the abr Cloud Console, you need to create an account with the license-key that unlocks the functionality of the abr Remote Access.
Find the available functions of the Cloud Service in the abr Remote Console – functionality guide (pdf).
Network configuration
In order to be able to establish a connection via the abr Cloud, the network of the end-device needs to allow the following connections:
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- https connection (outgoing) to www.abr-solutions.de/*
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- https connection (outgoing) to abrcloud.de/*
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Connection handling
Start the abr Remote App
Select the START button on the main screen of the abr Remote App (if the Start automatically option is activated, the VNC server will start automatically on start of the device). An “alpha” icon will be displayed in the notification area*, as an indicator that the VNC server is running.
* IMPORTANT: On Android 13, the “alpha” icon will not be displayed in the notification area, except if you have activated the notifications manually!
Enable notifications on Android 13:
– Go to the “Apps” menu of the device Settings,
– locate and select abr Remote,
– select the “Notifications” menu and
– enable “all abr Remote notifications”.
The whole process may differ as per manufacturer. If a device does not provide such options, please contact the device manufacturer.
On START of the application, every registered (licensed) device will appear online (“green”) under the Device monitor tile. On STOP of the application, the device will remain in the list and switch to offline mode (“grey”).
You can establish a remote connection to a device that is currently online.
Connect to the abr Remote App
If the device is online (green), you can use the Connect to Device button from the device information screen to establish a connection.
Since the Require user feedback option is activated in the general settings, whenever an incoming connection is attempted, a request will be sent to the end-device. The end-user must actively allow it.
When a connection is established, a small “alpha” icon will appear on the upper center of the display, indicating that a Client is connected to the screen and can observe all activity. The icon will disappear once all Clients have disconnected from the screen. This security feature should prevent you from being monitored without noticing!
Remote control
The abr Remote Access allows to control every Android device posterior 5.0 (Lollipop) remotely.
Posterior Android 7.0 (Nougat), the software keyboard is accessible directly and all systems items are clickable! A pointer device (such as a computer mouse) can be used to point & click. The mouse wheel can be used to scroll up & down. One finger swipe gestures are supported.
Keyboard input – Clickable items – Prior to Android 7.0 (Nougat)
The control of devices prior to Android 7.0 (Nougat) has some minimal limitations (due to the strict Android access control system), as a small price for not having to root the device. Minor issues are reported in combination with 3rd party browsers or apps.
The software keyboard cannot be accessed directly. The application provides a standard 104-key US keyboard, which needs to be activated in the input methods of the system settings. If the device is running on Android prior to 7.0, the application will detect it and automatically ask you to activate the built-in keyboard.
System items like the Back, Home or Recent button are not clickable directly. To access those items, the application provides the following shortcuts:
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- ESC – key: triggers the Back button
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- Home / Pos1 key: triggers the Home key
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- Page down – key : opens the notification area on top of the screen
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- Page up – key : triggers the Recent apps
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- End – key: triggers the Power button
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Copy & paste
You can copy text from your local computer to the remote device. Copy the text as usual from your local computer and paste it into the remote device with the key combination Ctrl+V.
Landscape mode
If you wish to switch the view between portrait and landscape mode, while the vnc server is running, just rotate the end-device towards the respective direction.
Unattended access
In many cases, the end-devices are unattended, that is no physical person (end-user) is on-site who can permit incoming connections. In such cases, you need to be able to connect to the devices at all times without permission. This is possible by configuring the application on the end-devices for unattended access .
* IMPORTANT: Be aware of potential data security risks following this configuration! The support-user will be able to connect to the end-devices remotely without permission and will gain full access to their information!
In order to make the configuration securely, here are the steps that the end-user must take. Please, follow the exact steps, as quoted below:
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- Define a strong Session password in the Session settings: this step is very crucial for the security of the configuration! Define a password which the support-user must enter on the Client side every time that they attempt to connect to the end-device.
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- Deactivate the option Require User feedback in the Remote Console entry of the General Settings: the support-user will be required to enter the Session password on every attempted connection. You will not need to permit incoming connections any more!
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- Enable the option Start automatically (“Autostart”) in the General Settings: on start of the end-device, the abr Remote App will be started automatically.
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Licensing
A license lifts the functional limitations of the application on one end-device. For the licensing of multiple devices, you need a license-key that includes the equal amount of licenses. License-keys can be purchased in our web shop or by contacting our sales team.
When a license-key order is completed, the downloadable files are delivered for the deployment:
– the abr Remote APK, to install on the end-devices,
– a license key file & a quick activation code (license files), for the licensing
– the alpha vnc pro – Licensing & Configuration Guide (pdf) and abr Remote Console – functionality guide (pdf).
During licensing, an internet connection is necessary on the end-device, for its registration to our management server. In case that a firewall is blocking the connection, the address https://www.abr-solutions.de/* needs to be added in its “white list”.
License (register) a device
Select the entry Activate device from the 3-dot Main menu. Use the license-files as described in the documentation in order to license one device, that is import the license-key file or scan the quick activation code.
In larger environments, especially in combination with Mobile Device Management systems, the abr Remote App supports mass deployment & configuration of multiple devices.
Unlicense (unregister) a device
If you wish to use the application on another device (e.g. when you have just bought a new handset) or before updating/resetting the OS of the existing device, you need to unregister it from the license-key* and release one license!
In the main menu (3-dot) of the application, select the entry Unregister device**. The device will be unregistered and one license will be released and added to the license count. The normal licensing process can be followed, in order to reactivate it.
If a device is lost / destroyed, you can not unregister it from the the application Settings any more. You can only Delete*** it in the Cloud Console. Please, note that you can not re-license it with the same key thereafter!
* Please unregister the device from the license-key, before a factory reset! After the operation is complete, you can re-install and re-license the application, by following the standard licensing process.
**You can unregister a device from a license-key up to 10 times! If this threshold is reached, you need to contact our support.
***Deleting a device is a permanent operation and can not be undone! It is intended for devices that will not be used again (lost/destroyed). In case that you accidentally Deleted a device, while you intended to e.g. just Unregister it, you need to contact our support.
Technical support
Our support team will be glad to assist you on all technical questions. Please use our contact form to get in touch!
