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Best remote desktop software?

post #1 of 28
2/11/13 at 2:19pm
Thread Starter 
So apparently Windows Live Mesh support is ending Feb. 13th. First of all, does anyone actually know what this means? Will Live Mesh instantly stop working on the 13th?

The is pretty crappy considering Sky Drive simply does not replace all of Live Mesh's features. I use Live Mesh to remote desktop into local and remote computers. What are the alternatives. I tried LogMeIn, but it simply isn't working. I can see the desktop but mouse clicks don't work at all. I also had weird issues just getting my account activated. In the first five minutes of using this I'm already quite disheartened. It's also confusing because I guess I temporarily have Pro features. The dashboard has about a million different features and options, and it's completely overwhelming. I simply want remote desktop and nothing else.

Are there any other options? I can obviously use the built-in Windows remote desktop software for local machines, but how do I access computers outside my network? I manage a WMC machine for my parents, and it's crucial I can fully control it.
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post #2 of 28
2/11/13 at 2:58pm
I just use the built in remote desktop. Your PCs need windows pro or higher. You just have to forward the rdp on your router, typically port 3389. Then use a dynamic DNS service such as dyndns.org.
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post #3 of 28
2/11/13 at 3:06pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by bryansj View Post

I just use the built in remote desktop. Your PCs need windows pro or higher. You just have to forward the rdp on your router, typically port 3389. Then use a dynamic DNS service such as dyndns.org.

Thanks for the info. Unfortunately not all the computers are Pro. Can a Pro machine access a Windows 7 Home machine?
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post #4 of 28
2/11/13 at 3:09pm
I use teamviewer
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post #5 of 28
2/11/13 at 3:49pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Andy_Steb View Post

I use teamviewer

Thanks for the recommendation. Logmein eventually started working, so I'm going to try that for now. I'm a bit worried about what's going to happen when my 'Pro' trial runs out. I think the free version has everything I need.
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post #6 of 28
2/11/13 at 3:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by lockdown571 View Post

Thanks for the info. Unfortunately not all the computers are Pro. Can a Pro machine access a Windows 7 Home machine?

What is missing is the RDP server. All versions of Windows have the client, but only Pro and above have the server (except XP which has the server in all versions).

There is a hack out there to enable the RDP server on non-pro systems.
http://experts.windows.com/frms/windows_entertainment_and_connected_home/f/114/t/79427.aspx
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post #7 of 28
2/12/13 at 7:25am
Team Viewer = Free
TightVNC = Free
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post #8 of 28
2/12/13 at 8:30am
Quote:
Originally Posted by kevin g. View Post

Team Viewer = Free
TightVNC = Free

+1
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post #9 of 28
2/12/13 at 8:34am
I just went through the same thing - I was using Live Mesh to manage my folk's DVR/HTPC remotely and it worked well. I just switched to Teamviewer and seems to work well enough - free, thus far and pretty simple setup. I didn't want to port fwd RDP ports since that opens up security issues over internet.
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post #10 of 28
2/14/13 at 12:50pm
Teamviewer works fine for me.

DPN
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post #11 of 28
2/14/13 at 1:05pm
I run both remote desktop and VNC. The benefit of VNC is it also works from iOS (and probably android) devices and supports HippoRemote.
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post #12 of 28
2/14/13 at 1:06pm
Teamviewer works great and is dead simple to get working.
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post #13 of 28
4/30/13 at 4:07am
how to i connect to teamviewer??
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post #14 of 28
4/30/13 at 4:07am
how to i connect to teamviewer??
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post #15 of 28
4/30/13 at 7:22am
Quote:
Originally Posted by bizzybody2g12 View Post

how to i connect to teamviewer??

Download and install it from the Teamviewer website. Each computer will have a unique ID and a randomly changing password (you can set it to a permanent password). Just enter the ID and password of the computer you want to remotely view on the computer you want to view from.
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post #16 of 28
4/30/13 at 8:58am
Is there any limitation what you can do with teamviewer versus real remote desktop ??
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post #17 of 28
4/30/13 at 9:31am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mfusick View Post

Is there any limitation what you can do with teamviewer versus real remote desktop ??

I didn't experience any limitations.
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post #18 of 28
4/30/13 at 9:56am
I'm not sure how Team Viewer deals with drag and drop, copy and paste, and audio. I'd expect the limitations to appear there. I've also never tried Team Viewer with WMC running. That causes VNC to fail.
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post #19 of 28
4/30/13 at 10:01am
i use teamviewer also, only thing is that if you have full screen video or xmbc full screen on the machine you are connecting to, that will show blank. i just use the \" key to get out of full screen.

audio plays through fine. copy/paste for text works. there is a file transfer button, but i dont think you can drag it over.
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post #20 of 28
4/30/13 at 10:06am
Is team viewing a good option to remote over the internet outside my own network and control my parent pc for stuff ?
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post #21 of 28
4/30/13 at 10:19am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mfusick View Post

Is team viewing a good option to remote over the internet outside my own network and control my parent pc for stuff ?

I would prefer TeamViewer over a VNC client for controlling computers outside of your network. Remotely accessing VNC clients requires to open the computer to the internet, which is very dangerous. Teamviewer is a much safer option in that regard.
Edited by amarshonarbangla - 4/30/13 at 10:34am
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post #22 of 28
4/30/13 at 10:30am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mfusick View Post

Is team viewing a good option to remote over the internet outside my own network and control my parent pc for stuff ?
I do exactly that on a regular basis. (for running utilities, that my parents never seem to run.) It allows safe mode with networking as well..(I had to dump a pesky program that my folks got taken in to installing) Full control...downloads, file transfer, (I was able to add a utility program to my parents PC, from my "downloads" folder...they did have to be there to accept the transfer...I think it is just a one time "yes" for them.) installing programs, etc...
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post #23 of 28
4/30/13 at 10:39am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mfusick View Post

Is team viewing a good option to remote over the internet outside my own network and control my parent pc for stuff ?

That is one of the best uses for Team Viewer. Just last week a co-worker had trouble getting his Office 2013's Outlook to send and receive his Gmail. After many many emails trying to troubleshoot it I just had him run the non-installed version of Team Viewer. What he had on his screen was Outlook XP (2001). Office 2013 didn't uninstall the old one and he kept clicking the old shortcut. I fixed his shortcuts and uninstalled the old crap and looked around for anything else to fix. Worked great.

Before that my Crashplan failed to back up to my parents' out of state PC so Team Viewer come to the rescue again.

Now for home use within your own network I just stick with RDP if the clients support it.
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post #24 of 28
4/30/13 at 11:29am
thanks !
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post #25 of 28
5/2/13 at 4:49am
In order to remotely access computers outside your network, you have two options: either use hosted services such as logmeinrescue, gosupportnow, GoToMyPC etc. or deploying on premise RHUB remote support appliances.
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post #26 of 28
5/2/13 at 5:01am
Quote:
Originally Posted by aliasgarbabat View Post

In order to remotely access computers outside your network, you have two options: either use hosted services such as logmeinrescue, gosupportnow, GoToMyPC etc. or deploying on premise RHUB remote support appliances.

Or a simple port forward on the guest's router.
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post #27 of 28
5/2/13 at 6:46am
Quote:
Originally Posted by aliasgarbabat View Post

In order to remotely access computers outside your network, you have two options: either use hosted services such as logmeinrescue, gosupportnow, GoToMyPC etc. or deploying on premise RHUB remote support appliances.

Or:
3. TeamViewer...
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post #28 of 28
5/2/13 at 7:10am
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0070DOHQS/

This is the exact program that I use to remotely connect to my home computers using my Android phone. Grab it for free today only.
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