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Need remote access software

M

mazeroth

Golden Member
I tried to get the built-in Windows XP remote access to work but can't for some reason. I have Win XP Pro and she has the standard Home edition (or whatever it's called) that came loaded on her Dell. Can you guys recommend free remote access software that will allow me to log into her computer and fix it?

Thanks!
 
Be very careful about setting up remote access. The consequences of it getting hacked would be worse than helping Mom over the phone. What's it need fixing for, anyway? Is it getting infected or what's the problem?
 
I know you asked for free, but Fog Creek's CoPilot software is another option.
https://www.copilot.com/

I think it's something like $10 for a day's use, but there's nothing to install and it's supposed to work through NAT and firewalls. I haven't played with it yet (I'm basically waiting for my most technophobic relative to need help to try) but it looks promising if the person on the other end of the phone isn't up to installing remote access stuff over the phone. I don't know if it's possible for you to make a trip to her PC to set up remote access stuff in the first place. I just noticed they have subscription plans now as well, with a number of minutes per month (or pay-as-you-go).

When I started doing family tech support, nobody wanted to chip $$$ for me to drive to their homes, or for when I'd spend hours on the phone working with them. (They didn't even want to pay for shipping when I'd order parts for them) When I was unavailable for a while they found out how much it cost to hire somebody to do what I was doing; now they have no problem covering tools I need to help them. Perhaps if your mother needs regular help, she'd consider it worthwhile for HER to pay for something like this (or PCAnywhere, or other software) to help you help her. In other words, she buys you remote access software you can use for other purposes; out of the deal SHE gets better tech support.

Of course, my mother ran her home business with her PC at the time. If your mom's just playing web games and downloading funny pictures, she may not jump on the idea.
 
Originally posted by: mechBgon
Be very careful about setting up remote access. The consequences of it getting hacked would be worse than helping Mom over the phone. What's it need fixing for, anyway? Is it getting infected or what's the problem?
Click to expand...

She likes to call me one to two times per week and have me try to diagnose some problem she's having. She LOVES using AOL (yeah, I know) and seems to always have problems with it, or her printer not being found, or her computer running slow, or a program that won't load etc. etc. etc.

So, do you really think there's a security risk if I install one of these programs?
 
Originally posted by: mazeroth
Originally posted by: mechBgon
Be very careful about setting up remote access. The consequences of it getting hacked would be worse than helping Mom over the phone. What's it need fixing for, anyway? Is it getting infected or what's the problem?
Click to expand...

She likes to call me one to two times per week and have me try to diagnose some problem she's having. She LOVES using AOL (yeah, I know) and seems to always have problems with it, or her printer not being found, or her computer running slow, or a program that won't load etc. etc. etc.

So, do you really think there's a security risk if I install one of these programs?
Click to expand...
If you don't know what you're doing, then yeah it could be. Example: the VNC remote authentication bypass that I believe came out early this year. History repeats itself...

If it were me, I'd get her WinXP Pro so she can initiate Remote Assistance requests to you from her end, keeping the door shut & locked until it needs to be open, and then sending the key to the door specifically to you.

Yeah I know... XP Pro costs $140. But what's your time worth.
 
One more thing. I tried using the remote desktop built in to Windows XP but I can't get it to connect to her computer. I enter her IP address (she connects directly to her cable modem; I had her go to an IP web site to get her IP address; I had her turn her Windows Firewall OFF), I enter her username (which is her first name), for password I left it blank because she never has to enter a password. Also, she does not have Windows XP Pro installed, which I've read is a requirement. I do have Pro while she only has home.

Lastly, any FREE remote access software? 🙂
 
Originally posted by: mazeroth
One more thing. I tried using the remote desktop built in to Windows XP but I can't get it to connect to her computer.
Click to expand...
You expected that to work, huh? 😀

If you do stick something on there, it's your responsibility to watch for newly-discovered vulnerabilities in that software (example: RealVNC), and use a massively-secure password for it. I would use a password of at least 16 characters including symbols, numerals, upper & lowercase letters and some ALT characters (hold down the ALT key and type 0176, then let up ALT and you get a ° character, for example).
 
Originally posted by: mazeroth
One more thing. I tried using the remote desktop built in to Windows XP but I can't get it to connect to her computer. I enter her IP address (she connects directly to her cable modem; I had her go to an IP web site to get her IP address; I had her turn her Windows Firewall OFF), I enter her username (which is her first name), for password I left it blank because she never has to enter a password. Also, she does not have Windows XP Pro installed, which I've read is a requirement. I do have Pro while she only has home.

Lastly, any FREE remote access software? 🙂
Click to expand...

have her set a password. you can connect to it remotely without one.
 
I use UltraVNC SC (SingleClick) at my office, and if you're working from home it would be just as effective. You do all of the configuration on your end, and your parents (customer) download and run a small 166k file.
 
lol! that is actually true!L!


but the key word is "easy"..
its so easy that the mom can install it herself, so the op doesn't have to make a trip to install it for her.

give it a try, its a free trial.
 
Oh, for Pete's sake...

Start->Run->CONF <enter>. Dial up the other machine's IP (use security if you're paranoid), share the app (or share the desktop), allow control, yer golden.
 
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