# Force web browser to refresh Dashboard page

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/force-web-browser-to-refresh-dashboard-page/59801>\
**Category:** Dashboard\
**Created:** [13 March 2022 16:19 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/force-web-browser-to-refresh-dashboard-page/59801 "2022-03-13T16:19:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![youbecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b77776/32.png) [@youbecha](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/youbecha)\
**Post date:** [13 March 2022 16:19 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/force-web-browser-to-refresh-dashboard-page/59801/1 "2022-03-13T16:19:38Z")

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We use a VPN to access the Dashboard. VPN access is limited by a user/schedule system...so only the current designated user can access and push the buttons etc on the Dashboard (remote hardware control).

Unfortunately, even though the VPN no longer authorizes the user at the end of their scheduled time...the Dashboard page in the browser is able to maintain the connection and operate the buttons (control the hardware)...(there is no easy way to instantly purge the VPN connections.)

However, if that Dashboard page on the browser is manually refreshed, (click the refresh button on the browser) then it can no longer connect through the VPN.

I simply need to know if there is a command/node within node-red that will force that Dashboard page on the browser to refresh automatically. (in regular html you can just stick in a refresh command).

I can configure a trigger, I just need the command/node.

I do not need to know if the flow has been changed...I just need the actual Dashboard page on the browser (:1880/ui) refreshed.

Everything works perfectly except that the previous user still has access until they refresh their browser.

Thanks,  
Mike

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**Author:** ![Sean-McG](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/sean-mcg/32/54677_2.png) [@Sean-McG](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Sean-McG)\
**Post date:** [13 March 2022 17:41 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/force-web-browser-to-refresh-dashboard-page/59801/2 "2022-03-13T17:41:22Z")

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Try sending an empty payload to the ui\_control node

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![youbecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b77776/32.png) [@youbecha](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/youbecha)\
**Post date:** [14 March 2022 00:17 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/force-web-browser-to-refresh-dashboard-page/59801/3 "2022-03-14T00:17:52Z")

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One portion loses its data...but the rest of the Dashboard still works.

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**Author:** ![meeki007](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/meeki007/32/12499_2.png) [@meeki007](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/meeki007)\
**Post date:** [14 March 2022 06:23 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/force-web-browser-to-refresh-dashboard-page/59801/4 "2022-03-14T06:23:42Z")

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This can be done 2 ways that I know of.

Method 1:  
use a template node and create a script that is triggered by a button to refresh the page while discarding the POST data (perform a GET request)

```auto
window.location.href = "http://your-url-or-ip:1880/%23%21/0"

```

you need to encode using %23%21 insted of #! for the url to work

Method 2:  
See my post on sending users to a link via a button. check the 'send to all browsers sessions' and make sure to change the url using encoding described in method1: see ([http://your-url-or-ip:1880/%23!/0](http://your-url-or-ip:1880/%23%21/0))

> [@Howto: Dashboard button link to url with no UI template for only the current user on the page](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/howto-dashboard-button-link-to-url-with-no-ui-template-for-only-the-current-user-on-the-page/33210):
>
> I've seen a form of this question popup here from time to time. Many of us are not html gods and can't do much in the UI template node. And it does not format to the nice dashboard style without tons of css work. Yes you can add a link to the dashboard and use the UI node to send people there based on a action. But anyone on that tab will be forwarded too as dashboard is not (mostly) a multi user system. Then a crazy thought entered my head. The dashboard notification node. [notification] I…

Note: I and many others do nutty cool things with the dashboard. Sounds like you need to outline a one off job request with all the things you want this dashboard to do and post it in the jobs section. I'm sure someone here could use the work.

> **[Jobs](https://discourse.nodered.org/c/jobs/21)**
>
> Wanting to hire someone with a particular set of Node-RED skills? Share details here.

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/1X/d073cd938eafa2e558d7c2cd59003b3ef4963033.png) [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [13 April 2022 06:24 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/force-web-browser-to-refresh-dashboard-page/59801/5 "2022-04-13T06:24:33Z")

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