Thread: Windows remote access service

Want to on a video file that you left exporting to a different format at work overnight? Or need to help troubleshoot a distant employee's PC? These tools let you assume control of the remote system as if you were there. Your monitor shows a view of the far-away screen, and your mouse controls the remote pointer.

Enable Built-In Windows Remote Access
Remote Access lets you connect to remote PCs without installing additional software, but there's a catch: The tool lets you create a host machine only in Windows XP Pro, Windows Vista Business, and Windows Vista Ultimate. Any version of Windows XP or Vista can connect as a client, however.

As an administrator in Windows XP, click Start, right-click My Computer, select Properties, and click the Remote tab. Click the checkbox next to Allow users to connect remotely to this computer. If you want to give people who aren't privy to this information access, select Remote Users and click Add. Enter the username into the box, and click OK. Click OK again if needed to get back to System Properties. Click Apply.

In Windows Vista, click Stan, right-click Computer, select Propenies, and click Remote settings in the left pane. Click the radio button next to Allow connections from computers running any version of Remote Desktop.(If you're connecting exclusively between Windows Vista PCs, click the final radio button for a more secure process.) You'll be able to connect from another computer if you know this PC's administrator name and password. To give other people access, click Select Users, click Add, enter the user name, and click OK to permit that access. Click Apply in System Properties.

Connect through Windows Remote Access
As I mentioned earlier, any version of Windows XP or Vista can connect as a Remote Access client. Here's how to establish that connection, especially over a local network. In Windows XP, click the Stan button and then select All Programs, Accessories, Communications, Remote Desktop Connection. Enter the name of the computer (if it's listed on a local network) or its IP address (if it's in another location). CliCK Connect.

In Windows Vista, click the Stan button and then choose All Programs, Accessories, Remote Desktop Connection. On a local network, enter the name of the PC or browse for its listing. If you're reaching across the Internet, enter the IP address for the remote PC. Click Connect. Enter your login name and password, and click OK. If you're connecting to an XP PC, you may see a warning; click Yes to connect. Once connected, the host PC will display its login screen, while the remote PC is in control.

Your local PC will now behave just like the remote machine. When you're ready to end the connection, click the X at the top of the screen. To regain control of the local PC temporarily, enter a windowed mode by clicking the frame icon (or click the minimize icon).



Connect Securely With a Software VPN Remote Access and VNC are convenient but insecure protocols; a data thief can easily intercept and read unprotected transmissions. If you connect to a remote PC within a secure, local network, you're unlikely to be compromised. But you need to take precautions when connecting over the Internet.

A VPN creates an encrypted path for your data. This renders your information difficult to intercept; and if it is captured, a thief will have great difficulty unscrambling the content. Some high-end routers include VPN hosts. If yours. does, consult your documentation for instructions on how to proceed. (Actually including a VPN host is different from merely allowing VPN pass-through connections, a much more common router feature.)

Setting up a software VPN is simple, though you have to install it on each remote PC that you may need to reach. I like LogMeln Hamachi, which is free for noncommercial use. Install and launch Hamachi on both PCs, and then enter a nickname for each. On the host PC, click the triangle icon at the bottom of the window, and select Creau a new network. Enter a network name and a strong password, and click Create.

On the client PC, click the triangle icon, and choose Join an existing network. Then enter the network name and password, and click Join. You can now securely interact with the other PC as if it were on a local network. Connect by identifying the computer name, or type the Hamachi IP address (instead ofthe internal IP address).

Connect With a Free VNC Server and Client VNC is a traditionally open client-and-server protocol for remote PC control. Many VNC setups are interoperable and span different operating systems; even smart phones can control a VNC-enabled Pc. Some host software includes more advanced features (such as encryption) that work only with its clients, but in most instances you'll be able to connect across brands in basic modes.

The VNC process is great if your version of Windows doesn't include Remote Desktop. Instead of activating operating-system tools, you just install host software on the PC that may need to be reached and client software on the computer that will take control.

Download the free version of RealVNC.This app will power basic connections, with a few important caveats. I'm comfortable using it on a secure home network, but I don't use it online unless I'm tunneling through an encrypted connection, such as with Log Meln Hamachi.

Run the RealVNC installer on the host Pc. In the middle of the process, you'll encounter a setup screen prompt. Click Configure to enter a password, and then finish the installation. On the client PC, run the RealVNC installer again, If you want to view only the remote system, check the box for VNC Viewer only.