Remote Access Tips

Advanced Remote Access Software Features

Semantic has found that company helpdesks that use remote access software save 6-13% on their helpdesk costs, so investing in good remote access software is a sound investment. However, with so many products on the market with such widely varying feature sets and pricing structures, it can be difficult to decide which is right for your business. Important features of good remote access software that are not available in even some of the more expensive products include:
- The ability for the support personnel to administer multiple remote computers at once, referred to as multi-system control
- The ability to log off a remote session and log back in as another user
- The ability to reboot the remote machine and have the session automatically resume after the reboot without requiring a person to physically restart the connection on the remote machine
- Live audio chat through the internet connection These features can save your helpdesk personnel a lot of hassle solving even basic remote administration needs, such as system configuration changes requiring rebooting.

Network Streaming's SupportDesk has all of these features and is priced competitively, but GoToMyPC from WebEx and the popular pcAnywhere from Semantic also have rich feature sets and are among the best commercial remote access products on the market.

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Have Your Child Fix Your Computer—Without the Long Frustrating Phone Call

Tired of spending frustrating hours on the phone with your tech-savvy child trying to fix your computer? Then you should consider purchasing basic remote access software. A program that enables your computer to be accessed remotely allows an expert—or at least someone more knowledgeable than you—to control your computer remotely over the Internet. For example, your child could be sitting in his dorm room hundreds of miles away, access your malfunctioning computer from his own computer, and perform the fixes without having to get exasperated walking you through every tedious step over the phone. There are many such programs available, such as AccessDesk or pcAnywhere, and their cost varies significantly depending on your needs, but the 10 minutes you'll spend shopping for and purchasing one of these programs could save you hours of frustration in the future!

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Access Your Computer's Files from Anywhere

Frustrated that you only have access to your computer when you're physically right next to it? Then you should install a basic remote access program on your computer to allow you to access your computer from any other computer on the Internet.

For the most basic remote access, such as remote file access, there are good products on the market for free, such as LogMeIn from 3amlabs. You will have to pay a little to be able to more fully control your computer remotely, but single licenses for the more feature-full AccessDesk, LogMeIn Reach, or GoToMyPC are definitely affordable.

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Remote Access on the Cheap

Remote access software is quickly becoming a cornerstone for any efficient company helpdesk, but the per-computer licensing fee for using this software can be difficult to justify for many businesses with tight IT budgets. Fortunately, there are some free pc remote access programs out there that businesses can use, such as Ultr@ VNC, Tight VNC, and TeamViewer. Although they do not come with the full feature set and support that comes with the top-of-the-line commercial products, such as GoToMyPC and SupportDesk Pro, they are sufficient for most basic remote administration needs. However, the free products often do not work as nicely, or even at all, through corporate firewalls without specific configuration.

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