Connect by IP address or computer name on your network

Connect to a computer on the same office network using its local IP address (e.g. 192.168.1.25) or computer name instead of the 9-digit ID.

Last updated: October 21, 2026

If you work in the same office or on the same home network, you don't need to know the 9-digit ID of the computer you want to reach. You can also connect by typing the computer's local IP address (e.g. 192.168.1.25) or its Windows computer name (e.g. ACCOUNTING-PC) into the operator console.

This only makes the device easier to find; the connection still requires a password or approval.

Requirements

The Polpo Desk client must be open and online on the remote computer.
Discoverable on local network must be turned on in the client under Settings → Security (it is on by default).
Both sides must be connected to the internet: the lookup goes through the Polpo Desk server.
The operator and the remote computer must reach the internet from the same network. The server compares the external (internet) address of both sides. This condition is skipped if you or your team have connected to the device before.

Connect step by step

Open Home in the operator console.
In the Connect to Remote Device section, type the IP address or computer name into the ID, IP or computer name box.
Click Connect (or press Enter).
If exactly one device is found, the connection starts as usual: an approval prompt appears on the other side, or you can type the password in the window that opens and click Connect with password.
If several devices with the same name are found, a Several devices found — choose one list opens below the box. Pick the right device.

To find the computer name, look at the "Device name" line under Settings → System → About on the remote computer.

Which values are accepted?

What you type	Accepted format
IP address	Private IPv4 addresses only, in four parts: `10.x.x.x`, `172.16.x.x`–`172.31.x.x`, `192.168.x.x`
Computer name	Letters, digits, hyphen (-) and underscore (_); up to 63 characters

The match must be exact: typing part of a computer name isn't enough. Upper and lower case don't matter.
Fully qualified names containing dots (e.g. accounting-pc.company.local) and external (internet) IP addresses aren't supported.
If you type a value made up only of digits, the console treats it as a 9-digit ID.

"Not found on your network"

If the console shows Not found on your network, check the following in order:

Is Polpo Desk open on the remote computer, and does its status line say Ready to connect?
Is Discoverable on local network turned on in the client?
Did you type the IP address or computer name correctly and in full?
Do both computers really reach the internet from the same network? With a VPN, a guest Wi-Fi network or a phone hotspot, the external addresses may differ. In that case, connect with the 9-digit ID.

If you turn off Discoverable on local network, your computer won't appear in IP address or computer name lookups. Connecting with the 9-digit ID is not affected.

Security

A lookup only returns online devices on your own network, or devices that you or your team have connected to before; computers on other networks can't be found by guessing an IP address or name.
Even when a device is found, no connection is made without the one-time session password, the permanent access password or the other side's approval.

The connect box in the mobile operator console accepts an ID, IP address or computer name in the same way. If you run into another problem while connecting, see Can't connect to a device.