Zenta
Free forever · self-hosted

Remote support and screen sharing, without the subscription.

Zenta gives every computer a permanent ID and a password that rotates every 60 seconds — the connect flow you already know, built on open infrastructure you run yourself for free.

PBKDF2-SHA256 password hashingEscalating brute-force lockoutNo account requiredSelf-host on your own free VPS
Why Zenta

Everything a paid remote-support tool has — none of the seat count

Built for the moment someone needs help on their computer right now, and for the machines you want to be able to reach again without anyone present.

Permanent ID, rotating password

A 9-digit ID stays the same forever. The one-time password refreshes automatically every 60 seconds, so a stale credential is never enough to get in.

Real mouse & keyboard control

Not a read-only screen share. The desktop app injects native OS input, so the person helping you can actually drive the machine — not just watch it.

Unattended access

Set a second, fixed password once and reconnect any time — nobody needs to be sitting at the keyboard to read out a fresh code.

Brute-force lockout

Repeated wrong guesses lock the device out with escalating backoff. Every password is stored as a PBKDF2 hash, never in the clear.

Deploy it yourself, for free

One script stands up the full stack behind a Cloudflare Tunnel on Oracle Cloud's Always Free tier — no open ports, no certificate to manage, no bill.

No accounts, no per-seat pricing

Ad-hoc support needs nothing but an ID and a password. There's no license to buy and no seat count to manage.

How it works

Three steps, no installer required to watch

1

Share your ID and password

Read out the 9-digit ID and the current password — or set a fixed one first for unattended access.

2

They connect from a browser or the app

Your partner enters both on the connect screen. Viewing works from any modern browser — no install required to watch.

3

Control starts automatically

Once the desktop app is sharing, mouse and keyboard control arms itself the moment they connect. No extra prompts.

Security

The password is the only thing standing between a stranger and full control

So it's treated like one.

Hashed, never stored in plaintext

Both the rotating and unattended passwords go through PBKDF2-HMAC-SHA256 with 200,000 iterations before they ever touch disk.

Unambiguous by design

Passwords are drawn from a 32-symbol alphabet with no 0/O or 1/l/I confusion, so reading one aloud over a call never gets mistyped.

Escalating lockout, not a soft rate limit

Five wrong guesses locks a device out for 30 seconds, then 2 minutes, then 10 — and rotating the password never resets an attacker’s lockout.

Ownership proven by secret, not guesswork

A device's permanent ID can only be reclaimed by whoever holds its private ownership secret — nobody can hijack an ID they don't already control.

POST /api/v1/device/connect
{
  "device_id": "129354196",
  "password": "kx7m2p9q"
}

→ pbkdf2_sha256$200000$<salt>$<hash>
→ 5 wrong guesses  locked 30s
→ 5 more           locked 120s
→ 5 more           locked 600s
Compare

Zenta vs. hosted remote-support tools

 ZentaTypical hosted tool
Self-hosted optionYes
Password auto-rotates while idleYes
Fixed password for unattended accessYesYes
Native mouse & keyboard controlYesYes
Per-seat / subscription licensingYes
Own the infrastructure your sessions run onYes

“Typical hosted tool” describes the common shape of proprietary, cloud-hosted remote-support products in general — check any specific vendor's current plans before you decide.

FAQ

Questions people ask before their first session

Is Zenta really free?

Yes. There's no billing system in the product at all — you self-host it on a free-tier VPS (the docs walk through Oracle Cloud's Always Free ARM tier) and there's no per-seat or subscription cost.

Do I need to create an account?

Not for ad-hoc support. The ID + password flow works with no sign-up at all. A separate account system exists if you want saved contacts and share requests, but it’s optional.

Can the person helping me actually control my mouse and keyboard, or just watch?

Full control, not just viewing. Once the desktop app is sharing your screen, mouse and keyboard control is armed automatically the moment your partner connects.

What is unattended access and how do I turn it on?

It’s a second, fixed password you set once (separate from the one that rotates every 60 seconds) so you or a trusted partner can reconnect later without anyone at the keyboard to read out a fresh code. Turn it on from the connect screen.

Does Zenta host this for me?

No — you run it yourself. That’s the point: one script deploys the whole stack behind a Cloudflare Tunnel, so nothing is billed and nobody but you operates the server.

What platforms are supported?

The computer being controlled needs the Windows desktop app for full input control. Whoever is helping can connect from any modern desktop browser — no install required to view.

Ready to help someone in under a minute?

Get your ID, share the current password, and you're connected.