Setup Guide
Get Cntrl up and running on your Windows PC.
Setting up Cntrl is designed to be simple and interactive.
Installation
Download
Download the latest Cntrl_vX.X.X_amd64_installer.exe from the GitHub Releases.
Run the Installer Run the installer. It will walk you through setting
up: - Port: The default is 9990. - Features: Choose whether you
want to enable Stats, Shutdown, Restart, or Hibernate.
Launch
Once installed, Cntrl will appear in your system tray. Look for the teal icon!
Static IP Reservation (Important)
If you plan to control your PC from your phone or another device, you need to ensure your PC's address doesn't change over time.
Most home routers assign IP addresses dynamically (DHCP), which means your PC might be 192.168.1.10 today but 192.168.1.15 tomorrow. If that happens, your phone won't be able to find it.
How to reserve your IP:
- Open your router's web interface (usually
192.168.1.1or192.168.0.1). - Look for a section named DHCP Server, Static IP, or Address Reservation.
- Find your PC in the list (look for "Cntrl-Host" or your Windows computer name).
- Click Add or Reserve to bind your PC's physical (MAC) address to a specific IP address.
Reliable Endpoints
Once reserved, you can always reach your PC at the same address, making it a reliable "Static" endpoint for your remote dashboards.
Launch at Startup
You can easily toggle whether Cntrl starts with Windows by right-clicking the tray icon and selecting Run at Startup. This creates a shortcut in your legacy Startup folder.