The following is a graphical way to access and interact with our umbrel installation from a computer. Especially for those who do not know and/or do not feel comfortable using commands in a terminal.
For this example, we will use a PC with linux and we will use the native file explorer called “Nemo”. However, this guide is applicable to any explorer on any operating system. If you insist on using those inventions of the devil like “windows” or “IOS”, only the file explorer will be called differently and they will organize it differently. But the goal is the same.
1.- If you have never connected to your umbrel via SSH, this step is necessary to import the keys. Otherwise, it will not allow you to connect via file explorer. If you have done this before, you can skip this step. We will log in via SSH in the terminal with the corresponding commands.
ssh umbrel@umbrel.local
It will ask you for your password (the one you created) and, if it’s the first time, it will ask you if you want to import the keys, blah, blah, etc. You accept and, when it has imported them, you disconnect. If it doesn’t ask you anything and connects directly, it means that it has already done so previously.
2.- We open our file explorer. In my case for this example; Nemo. I look for and open the option “Connect to a server”. If you use another explorer it may be called differently but it will be something similar because it will do the same thing. In my case, the mentioned window looks like this.
3.- We fill in the fields with the following configuration.
Server: umbrel.local
Port: You can leave it at 22 (Default), at 0 or empty. In theory, your file explorer will automatically search for the correct port.
Folder: /home/umbrel/umbrel. It is recommended to configure this path since it will direct you to the installation and files of umbrelOS. By leaving it empty and defaulting to root, it would take you to the root of the entire system and then it would have to search for the umbrelOS files. Why complicate your life? You are already a danger trying to do things you have no will to learn… Anyway, whatever you decide.
Username: umbrel
Password: the-password-of-the-user-you-created
Remember password: Yes. If not, it will ask you for it every time you want to connect and I am against working extra uselessly.
And that’s it. It opens the window inside your umbrelOS.
Now, it is important that you are clear about the following points and warnings.
- Be careful with what you touch/change/edit/delete because you can screw up your umbrelOS. When you see everything graphically, it seems so easy…
- Do not use a phone or tablet to do this. If you’re already a danger, using a phone or tablet is like taking an AK-47 to a chimpanzee… Imagine what can happen.
- Some folders and files have restricted permissions and won’t let you interact with them unless you change those permissions. But that’s another story and you have to find out how to change permissions.
- The main idea of this is to be able to upload/download/move files like what you download from qbitorrente or jellyfin or Plex libraries, as examples. But it’s applicable to everything else.