@yagger - Starting up a VPN is a bit outside the scope of this forum, but I can give general advice. Assuming that you have never set up your own VPN server, you will want to rely upon a commercial VPN service (1). There are a couple dozen out there to choose from. Examples are: ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Private Internet Access, TunnelBear.

Whichever one you use, they usually fall into 2 categories: They will either provide you with a program that you run in the background that will establish the connection, or they will provide you with a configuration file for OpenVPN which will establish the connection. Instructions for either method will be on the website of the VPN provider. Regardless of your provider, be sure to specify that you’re using a Unix-based operating system, specifically Debian. That should get you the correct instructions to install.

1 - There are free VPN services out there. I do not trust them. If you can’t see how each company makes their money, then you are the product.

@sifuhall - What I do for the mirrors I give as gifts is I set up a reverse SSH connection to a URL that I control. Whenever I need to connect to the mirrors, I start up a cloud VM and have that VM change the DNS entry for that URL to point to itself. Alternately, you could set up a dynamic DNS entry to your home and have the mirror connect directly to your house.

With the cloud VMs, this allows me to spin up a machine, wait 5 minutes for the mirrors to connect to it, then SSH to the machine and then down to each mirror. At that point, I can change the config.js or run updates as necessary.

@mjlee - I copied your code and I’m not getting the same results.
From the browser console:

socketNotificationReceived: GOT_DATA    MMM-MYTEST.js:20 
MMM-MYTEST: Getting data                MMM-MYTEST.js:34 
socketNotificationReceived: GOT_DATA    MMM-MYTEST.js:20 
MMM-MYTEST: Getting data                MMM-MYTEST.js:34 

And from the terminal console:

Ready to go! Please point your browser to: http://localhost:8080
[28.02.2023 20:52.46.170] [LOG]   Notification: GET_DATA Payload: {"config":{"intervalSecs":10}}
[28.02.2023 20:52.46.207] [INFO]  Checking git for module: MMM-MYTEST
[28.02.2023 20:52.46.207] [INFO]  Checking git for module: default
[28.02.2023 20:52.56.164] [LOG]   Notification: GET_DATA Payload: {"config":{"intervalSecs":10}}
[28.02.2023 20:53.06.156] [LOG]   Notification: GET_DATA Payload: {"config":{"intervalSecs":10}}

Perhaps the issue is that you’re looking at the wrong console log? The MYTEST.js log will write to the browser’s console rather than the terminal.

@keven1508 - Film based one-way mirrors are a compromise. They’re marginal at best if you’re on a tight budget. The amount of light reflected just isn’t as good as a professionally built one-way glass.

If you do insist on going with film, I would recommend taking the film and the glass to an automobile tint shop and asking if they’ll apply the film for you for a nominal fee. They have the experience and are probably the best people local to you to do it.

@BuckGup Try CTRL+ALT+T. That should open a terminal window.