How to access BIOS remotely

We're all familiar with remote desktop software - TeamViewer, Windows Remote Desktop, and so on. Almost all of it works at the software level, running on top of the operating system of the machine you're connecting to. Which creates a problem. If the system has crashed, or something is broken, remote desktop software can't be used at all. You could say the software is a parasite on the operating system: if the system isn't running, the software isn't either. A KVM solves this class of problem. You can think of a KVM as a monitor, keyboard and mouse emulated in software - it operates at the device level, and it has nothing to do with whether an operating system is running. Here's an example: your monitor doesn't go blank just because Windows failed to start. A KVM is the same. Looked at that way, a KVM gives you BIOS-level access - you can even watch the boot screen. That is exactly the scenario BeaconKVM, which I build, is meant for: reaching the BIOS remotely through a KVM, and fixing system-level problems from there. In this article I'll go through how to use BeaconKVM to access the BIOS remotely - enabling virtualisation, booting from USB, and from there reinstalling the operating system remotely. About BeaconKVM I won't go into too much detail about BeaconKVM here. All you need to know is that it's a product in the same category as PiKVM or JetKVM. What sets BeaconKVM apart is that remote access is built in. It also comes in two forms: commercial hardware, and a free build you can put together on a Raspberry Pi 4B. The commercial version is aimed at non-technical users - you don't have to be a programmer to have it working within five minutes. More about BeaconKVM: Let's begin I've split this into a few steps: - Buy and set up the hardware - optional, there's a community build - Add it to your account - Reach Windows remotely through a browser - Get into the BIOS and change settings Let's go through them one at a time. Step 1: Buy and set up the hardware Buy a BeaconKVM from our shop. If you'd rather do it yourself and you happen to have a Raspberry Pi 4B, you can follow our guide instead. The community build is identical at the software level, but it takes a little more work to get going. Step 2: Add it to your account When your BeaconKVM arrives, you'll find a QR code and a link on the back of the device. Either one adds the BeaconKVM to your account. Remote KVM only works once the device is added, because otherwise there's no way to know it's yours. In other words, adding it to an account is both device management and authentication. Step 3: Remote KVM through a browser Once it's added, you'll see the device and its online status in the Beacon Console. If it's online, you can start a Remote KVM session. On the Remote KVM screen you can pick a resolution and a frame rate - the defaults are usually fine. Click connect, wait a moment for it to get ready, and the target machine's desktop appears in your browser, exactly as it would on a monitor. It's a strange feeling the first time. Step 4: Get into the BIOS and change settings Now for something remote desktop can't do. We restart the machine. Yes - we restart it, and we get to watch the whole thing happen. That's fine, because as I said earlier, we're a virtual monitor. Then hold Esc and you're in the BIOS. The key differs between machines, so you'll need to know which one your own board uses. Once you're in the BIOS you can change whatever you need - enable virtualisation, boot from USB, and so on. If your machine happens to have a USB stick permanently plugged in with an OS image on it, you can boot from that and reinstall the system remotely. To sum up - You can buy the hardware, or build it on a Raspberry Pi 4B - No need to set up ZeroTier, Tailscale or anything similar for remote access - BIOS-level access, including reinstalling the OS remotely - No monthly fee Broadly, BeaconKVM is aimed at non-technical users and small businesses. We try to keep the barrier to entry as low as possible, and the design follows from that principle. Top comments (0)