This invention allows an end user (“client”) to access one of any number of devices via a server (or cluster of server instances). Each device may be in a different physical location and different location on the Internet or other network. Each device might also be behind a router or firewall that makes direct access to the device impossible. Clients may optionally be authenticated to ensure they are authorized to access a particular device, and devices may also be authenticated to verify their identity to prevent spoofing. Access to a device is achieved by tunneling network requests over a persistent connection that the device establishes when it first comes online.