Easy initiation for Remote Desktop Assistance?

[InlineFive]

Hey all,

I'd like to move from VNC to RDP for assisting end users with their problems when I am off site. However when I connect with Remote Desktop Connection they are locked out of their screen.

Is there a configuration similiar to Remote Assistance where I can connect where we can both view their screen? I know that this uses Windows Messenger but I have that blocked on my network, nor can I allow my users to have access to it.

Ideally I would be able to initiate the Remote Assistance connection to their desktop. Can this be accomplished?

Thanks!

I5

 

[gaidin123]

If these are all machines on the same domain just push a GPO down with the offer remote assistance and solicited (I think) remote assistance stuff configured. Set up a group of your offer remote assistance IT folks, configure that in the GPO, and then when a user is having problems, go to the help&support offer remote assistance thing, type in their computer name, and you should be able to initiate the assistance without making them do anything weird with MSN or email.

If the boxes are not on the same domain things don't work like that unfortunately. There may be some funky way around that but I've never had to figure that one out. 🙂

Gaidin

 

[dawks]

Going through 'Help and Support' on the Start Menu, theres some info on Remote Assistance, and the option to request help by sending an email to the support person. That person would then open an attachment which starts up the remote assistance applications.

 

[stash]

Ideally I would be able to initiate the Remote Assistance connection to their desktop. Can this be accomplished

Yes, but only in a domain environment. It won't work with XP Home.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308013

 

[RebateMonger]

SBS 2003 does this really well. You click on a PC and click on "Offer Remote Assistance", or something like that....No need for Messenger or email messages.

But, as Stash notes, you need a Domain, and, as I'm describing, an SBS 2003 Server.

 

[InlineFive]

I noticed Offer Remote Assistance yesterday but then saw the prerequisite of a Domain. 🙁

Thanks guys.