Welcome to the System Control Dashboard! This guide provides detailed instructions on how to manage your Desktop and Server devices, including checking their status, waking them up, shutting them down, and more. Whether you're a beginner or an advanced user, this guide will help you navigate the dashboard with ease.
Overview
The dashboard allows you to control two devices: a Desktop and a Server. You can check their online/offline status, wake them up using Wake-on-LAN (WOL), or send power commands like Shutdown, Sleep, or Hibernate (Desktop only). The interface is designed to be intuitive, with real-time status updates and a log panel to track actions.
Getting Started
When you load the dashboard, it automatically checks the status of the Desktop. The Server section requires admin access to view and control. Here's how to begin:
Desktop Section: Located at the top, it shows the Desktop's status (e.g., "Desktop Online" or "Desktop Offline") and available actions.
Server Section: Located below the Desktop section, it is collapsed by default. Click the "Server (Admin)" header to expand it and log in as an admin.
Log Panel: At the bottom, it displays real-time logs of all actions and device responses, timestamped for clarity.
Guide Button: Click the question mark icon () in the top-right corner to open this guide.
Managing the Desktop
The Desktop section allows you to monitor and control a desktop computer. Here's how to use it:
Check Status: Click the Refresh button to check if the Desktop is online or offline. The status dot will turn white for "Online" or gray for "Offline".
Wake Up: If the Desktop is offline, a Wake Up button appears. Click it to send a Wake-on-LAN signal. The status will show "Desktop Waking Up..." and the log panel will display updates like "Sent wake-up signal to Desktop. Waiting for it to come online..." or "Desktop starting. 5 seconds before checking again."
Power Commands: If the Desktop is online, you'll see three buttons:
Shutdown: Powers off the Desktop completely.
Sleep: Puts the Desktop into a low-power sleep mode.
Hibernate: Saves the Desktop's state to disk and powers off, allowing quick resumption later.
Clicking any of these sends a command, and the log panel will show progress (e.g., "Desktop off command sent. Waiting for confirmation...").
Status Indicators:
Desktop Online: White status dot, action buttons available.
Desktop Offline: Gray status dot, only "Wake Up" button available.
Desktop Waking Up...: Gray status dot, shows during wake-up attempts.
Desktop Offline (Timeout): Gray status dot, appears if a wake-up attempt fails after 60 seconds.
Managing the Server (Admin Access Required)
The Server section is restricted to admin users. Here's how to access and use it:
Accessing the Server Controls:
Click the "Server (Admin)" header to expand the section.
A login modal will appear. Enter the username admin and password admin (case-sensitive) to log in.
Upon successful login, the Server controls will appear, and the dashboard will check the Server's status.
Check Status: Click the Refresh button to check if the Server is online or offline. The status dot will turn white for "Online" or gray for "Offline".
Wake Up: If the Server is offline, a Wake Up button appears. Click it to send a Wake-on-LAN signal. The status will show "Server Waking Up..." and the log panel will display updates like "Server starting. 15 seconds before checking again." Note that Server wake-up can take up to 3 minutes.
Power Commands: If the Server is online, you'll see two buttons:
Shutdown: Powers off the Server completely.
Sleep: Puts the Server into a low-power sleep mode.
Status Indicators:
Server Online: White status dot, action buttons available.
Server Offline: Gray status dot, only "Wake Up" button available.
Server Waking Up...: Gray status dot, shows during wake-up attempts.
Server Offline (Timeout): Gray status dot, appears if a wake-up attempt fails after 3 minutes.
Using the Log Panel
The log panel at the bottom of the dashboard provides real-time feedback on all actions and device responses. Each log entry includes a timestamp and a message, such as:
[06:28:03 PM] Desktop online. Reply 'off', 'sleep', or 'ht': Indicates the Desktop is online and ready for commands.
[06:28:10 PM] Sent wake-up signal to Server. Waiting for it to come online...: Shows a wake-up attempt has started.
[06:28:25 PM] Timeout: Desktop did not come online in time.: Indicates a wake-up attempt failed.
To manage logs:
Scroll: Use the scrollbar to view older logs (up to 20rem height).
Clear Logs: Click the Clear button to reset the log panel. A new log entry will confirm "Logs cleared."
Troubleshooting Tips
If you encounter issues, try these steps:
Status Stuck on "Checking status...": Refresh the page or click Refresh again. Ensure your internet connection is stable and the MQTT broker is reachable.
Wake-Up Fails with "Timeout": Verify that the target device (Desktop or Server) supports Wake-on-LAN and is configured correctly in the BIOS/UEFI settings. Check the network connection and ensure the ESP8266 device is powered on.
Admin Login Fails: Ensure you’re using the correct credentials (admin/admin). The login is case-sensitive.
No Response from Device: Check the log panel for error messages. If you see "Disconnected from broker," the dashboard has lost its connection to the MQTT server. Refresh the page to reconnect.
Buttons Not Responding: If buttons are disabled (grayed out), ensure you’re logged in as an admin for Server controls. For Desktop, wait for the status check to complete.
Advanced Notes
For users with technical knowledge:
MQTT Communication: The dashboard communicates with an ESP8266 device via MQTT over a secure WebSocket connection (wss://5239ffaebcbc49c6890527ee9c4b76e8.s1.eu.hivemq.cloud:8884/mqtt). The ESP8266 handles Wake-on-LAN and status checks using the Ping library.
Status Messages: The ESP8266 sends messages like "Desktop online. Reply 'off', 'sleep', or 'ht'" or "Server offline. Reply 'wake' to wake it." These are processed to update the UI dynamically.
Wake-on-LAN Timing: Desktop wake-up attempts timeout after 60 seconds, while Server wake-up attempts timeout after 3 minutes, reflecting different expected boot times.
Interactive Background: The background canvas features animated dots that respond to mouse movement, creating a visually engaging effect. Move your cursor over the background to see the dots gravitate toward it.
Need Further Help?
If you have questions or encounter persistent issues, contact your system administrator or check the log panel for detailed error messages. Ensure all devices are on the same network (192.168.100.0/24) and that the ESP8266 is properly configured.