Installation and first connection

About this guide

The quoted Romanian button labels below match the Romanian interface. If your application is in English, use the corresponding translated controls.

Before you begin

Host is the PC you want to access. Viewer runs on the PC you use to connect and is free. The CL-… key in your purchase email activates a Host license; the temporary 8-character code generated in Host pairs a Viewer. These are different codes. For this first setup, have access to both PCs, administrator rights on Host, and a shared trusted local network. License activation requires internet access.

A. Install the applications

1. Visit https://crislan.ro/ and obtain the Host installer for the remote PC and Viewer for your own PC. If downloads are unavailable, contact [email protected]. Do not use installers from unknown sources.

2. Run the Host installer on the remote PC and follow its steps, using defaults unless you have other requirements. If Windows requests administrator permission, check that the publisher is Consandrei Services S.R.L. and choose Yes. If administrator credentials are required and you do not have them, contact the PC administrator.

3. Install Viewer on the PC you will connect from. Host and Viewer have separate roles; installing one does not replace installing the other.

B. Open Host administration and activate your license

4. Open Host from the Start menu. Click “Administrare (confirmare Windows UAC)” (Administration / Windows UAC confirmation). Check the publisher and approve the Windows prompt. A Host administration window opens with activation, access and update controls. If those controls are already visible, you are already in administration.

5. Click “Activează licența gazdei” (Activate Host license). Paste a key from your purchase email into “Codul de activare CL-…” and click “Activează”. Copy with Ctrl+C and paste with Ctrl+V, without extra spaces or lines. If the activation dialog opens automatically, use it directly. Wait for successful activation; do not assume success if an error is displayed.

6. Use a separate key for each Host PC in a multi-PC pack. Do not enter a CL-… license key in Viewer's Add PC form.

C. Enable access and signed updates

7. In Host administration, click “1. Pornește accesul, inclusiv după restart” (Start access, including after restart). Check for “ACCES PORNIT” (Access enabled). This allows access to resume after Windows restarts; you do not need to repeat it on every restart while permission remains enabled. The PC must be powered on and connected to the network.

8. Click “Permite actualizări semnate din Viewerele înrolate” (Allow signed updates from enrolled Viewers). Check for “Actualizări semnate din Viewer: PERMISE”. This permits signed updates initiated by your enrolled Viewers; it does not itself install an update. Enroll only trusted PCs and people.

9. On a trusted local network, check the Host's Windows Settings → Network & internet → connected Wi-Fi or Ethernet properties and select the Private profile. Do not mark public or unknown networks as Private. Do not disable the firewall, SmartScreen, Smart App Control or antivirus.

D. Generate a pairing code and add Host to Viewer

10. Have Viewer ready before generating the code. In Host administration, click “2. Generează cod de 8 caractere”. Note the displayed code and the Host IP under “IP-urile acestei gazde:”. Use its address on the shared local network, not the Viewer PC's IP. If several addresses appear and you are unsure, contact support.

11. The code expires after 5 minutes and can be used once. Keep it private. Generate a new one if it expires before enrollment finishes.

12. In Viewer, click “Adaugă PC…”. Fill in these fields in “Adaugă PC — IP + cod scurt”:

• “IP-ul / numele PC-ului gazdă…” — the Host IP you just noted. The address in the field label is only an example.

• “Codul de 8 caractere de pe gazdă” — the temporary code, NOT the CL-… license key from your purchase email.

• “Nume în lista ta (opțional)” — an optional friendly name, such as “Office PC”.

13. Click “Conectează și salvează PC-ul” (Connect and save PC). Wait for verification and the PC to appear in your list. If it fails, check the IP, code expiry and Host access status.

E. Connect and manage saved enrollment

14. Select the PC and click “Conectează” (Connect). New sessions start in view-only mode. Click “Preia controlul” (Take control) in the connection window to use the remote mouse and keyboard, only with authorization.

15. Saved enrollment does not expire with the 5-minute code. You do not need a fresh code for every connection or restart. Normally it remains authorized until revoked in Host. Preserve application data and settings; deleting them or reinstalling the operating system may require enrollment again.

16. To revoke one Viewer, select it in Host and click “Elimină Viewerul selectat…”. To revoke everyone and stop access, use “Revocă toți clienții și oprește accesul”. A revoked Viewer needs to enroll again.

17. “OPREȘTE ACCESUL ACUM” stops access and keeps it stopped across restarts. To enable it again, return to administration and click the start-access button. Closing the main Host window with X hides it near the Windows clock and does not stop access.

Performance and help

For better video performance, we recommend a Host desktop resolution of up to Full HD (1920 × 1080). Frame rate also depends on hardware and network conditions. This guide covers the same local network; a local IP is not automatically reachable from anywhere on the internet.

If something fails, retain the exact error or log and contact [email protected], without passwords or pairing codes. Do not manually import certificates or change security policies. To uninstall, use Windows Settings → Apps → Installed apps → the relevant CrisLan application → Uninstall, rather than manually deleting folders.

F. Access from another network with NetBird — preparation

NetBird is a separate application that creates a private network between computers over the internet. For this method, install it on BOTH the CrisLan Host PC and the CrisLan Viewer PC. Installing it on only one PC is not enough. NetBird is not required for the local connection described above.

NetBird Cloud offers a Free plan for up to 5 users and 100 devices, according to the offer checked on 30 October 2026. Paid plans also exist; NetBird sets its terms and limits and may change them. Free NetBird connectivity does not replace a CrisLan Host licence. Check current pricing: https://netbird.io/pricing

Both PCs must be powered on and online. You need administrator rights to install NetBird, plus local access or someone available at Host for initial setup. Do not disconnect your only remote access while configuring it.

G. Create your account and connect both computers

18. Open https://app.netbird.io/ and create a NetBird Cloud account. For no-cost use, check Settings → Plans & Billing for the Free plan. Do not select a paid subscription unless you want one.

19. On Host, obtain the official Windows installer from https://docs.netbird.io/get-started/install/windows . Run it and follow the Windows prompts. If blocked, keep the exact message for support instead of disabling protections.

20. Open NetBird from Start or the system tray. Choose NetBird Cloud if prompted and click Connect. Authenticate the device in the browser using your account, then return to NetBird and check for Connected.

21. Repeat on the Viewer PC. For two PCs you own, use the same NetBird account. In a business, the administrator should enroll devices in the same NetBird organization using authorized accounts; do not share passwords between people.

22. In the NetBird dashboard, open Peers and identify both PCs by name. Check that they are online. If device approval or access policies apply, the administrator must allow Viewer-to-Host communication. Both PCs being online does not prove their policies permit the connection.

H. Add Host to CrisLan using its NetBird IP

23. Find the HOST computer's assigned NetBird IP in NetBird or its Peers entry. Copy that exact address, not the Viewer PC's IP, router address or a local IP from another network. Do not copy a sample address from a guide.

24. Open CrisLan Host administration, enable access including after restart, and configure permission for signed updates as described in section C. NetBird does not itself enable or authorize CrisLan access.

25. Have Viewer ready, then generate the temporary 8-character code in CrisLan Host. In Viewer, click Add PC. Enter the HOST's NetBird IP in the address field and the freshly generated CrisLan code in the pairing-code field—not your NetBird password or CL-… licence key. Choose a friendly name such as “Office PC — NetBird” and click Connect and save PC.

26. Select the saved entry and connect. Sessions start in view-only mode; take control only when needed and authorized. An entry previously saved with a local IP does not automatically become a NetBird connection: use the entry containing the NetBird IP.

I. Reconnecting, restarting and troubleshooting

27. Keep NetBird connected on both PCs and CrisLan access enabled on Host. A new CrisLan pairing code is not required for every connection. After restarting, check NetBird and Host access; complete NetBird authentication again if requested. Closing an application window is not the same as selecting Disconnect.

28. If connection fails, check internet on both PCs, NetBird's Connected status, the Host NetBird IP, organization membership, access policies and CrisLan's access-enabled status. For initial enrollment, also check the 5-minute pairing code has not expired.

29. Windows Firewall also applies to NetBird traffic. Changing the Wi-Fi network profile does not necessarily configure the NetBird adapter. If the virtual connection's profile or rules block CrisLan, ask your administrator or support to inspect them. Do not disable the firewall, open router ports or import certificates as a workaround.

30. If it still fails, contact [email protected] with the exact error, which application displays it, and whether both PCs appear online in NetBird. Do not send passwords, licence keys or pairing codes. NetBird-specific help: https://docs.netbird.io/get-started

NetBird provides network connectivity; CrisLan Host separately authorizes Viewers. Revoke CrisLan access in Host as described in section E. Removing a PC from NetBird does not revoke its saved CrisLan enrollment.