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Getting Started

First Time Setup

If you purchased Ctrl Cloud without a network connection subscription,
please see the Port Forwarding / VPN Usage otherwise you will only have local access.

The Spec Sheet

Every Ctrl Cloud device comes with a spec sheet. On this sheet, you’ll find:

  • Your custom website link ex. yourname.ctrlsync.net:PORTNUMBER
  • The hostname of your machine (usually based on your name or organization).

    Tip: When accessing cloud on your local network, most routers have DNS setup so navigating to http://hostname/ will give you local access to your cloud.

  • The username/login for your admin Ctrl Cloud Account (you should change this)
  • The username/login for the Operating system (use this to update the OS via cockpit)

Hardware setup

Three simple steps:

  • Plug ethernet into your Ctrl Cloud (direct ethernet is required)
  • Plug Power into the Ctrl Cloud (power adapter comes with)
  • Power on (most systems will power on when AC power is plugged in)

    Tip: Plug in Ethernet before powering on. During first boot, the device will email all essential web addresses. If no internet is available, the email will not be sent.

Accessing Ctrl Cloud

  1. Open a web browser on your computer or phone.

  2. Enter the link from the spec sheet into the address bar.
    Example:
    https://yourname.ctrlsync.net:10433

  3. You should see the Ctrl Cloud Welcome Page.
    From here, follow the Ctrl Cloud Setup Guide to get started.

Local access

  1. Open a web browser on your computer or phone.

  2. Start by using the hostname given to you on the spec sheet that comes with your cloud.
    Example:
    http://hostname/

  3. If your home router does not do DNS resolving, you may need to find the IP address of your cloud device to access Ctrl Cloud locally.

Your IP address is used to access Ctrl Cloud locally. To access Cockpit, add :9090 to the same IP address.

For more help on finding your device’s IP address, see the Cockpit Setup Guide.

Tip: When accessing cloud on your local network, encryption is not required (https) as you are communicating directly with your cloud locally.

⚠️ Large file uploads during initial setup (e.g., migrating all your iCloud or Google Photos) should be done locally. Uploading large amounts of data over the Zero Trust cloud may be slower and can lead to additional fees.

Using the Zero Trust cloud service makes your device accessible from anywhere, securely and conveniently. It’s intended for normal external access, not high-volume transfers. Each device has a monthly limit of 1 TB; any usage beyond that will incur additional fees. Regular use won’t reach this limit, but migrating large amounts of data from another provider could, so please monitor your usage.

Finding Cockpit

The hostname on your spec sheet is also useful for finding the Cockpit controller.
Cockpit provides a friendly, web-based interface to:

  • Check system status
  • Apply updates
  • Check drive usage

We recommend logging in to Cockpit and updating only when you receive emails to do so. We test updates before sending out the update so you dont have breakage or compatibility issues.

Why This Approach is Unique

Most cloud providers manage your updates for you — but that means they also have access to your system.
Ctrl Cloud flips that model:

  • You own the hardware.
  • You own the software.
  • You decide who can connect.

That’s the power of zero trust.