Free Alternatives to GoToMyPC - Comments Page 1

Also from the makers of LogMeIn is Hamachi.

From their website: "LogMeIn Hamachi² is a hosted VPN service that securely connects devices and networks, extending LAN-like network connectivity to mobile users, distributed teams and business applications. You can easily create secure virtual networks on demand, across public and private networks."

Hamachi gives you a static IP address in the 5.x.x.x range. Very helpful when using UltraVNC or Windows Remote Desktop or mapping network resources (Shares, printers, etc.). There is a free version.

Great article, Bob. Once again I am reminded why I subscribe to your fine newsletter.

I've been using LogMeIn for a few years and I love it. One thing the free version doesn't do is let you copy to or from the computer you are accessing. To get around that I use DropBox, copying from one computer to DropBox, and then downloading it from there. Before that, I used email. Dropbox allows you to transfer larger files than email usually does.

Another very good program for remote access is TeamViewer. The reason I prefer it is they have a small program (TeamViewerQS) that can be placed on the desktop of the person you are helping but does not install on the computer. They just run the program and give you the information and the computers link together. Files can be transfered as well as all the other functions you would expect. It is free for noncommercial use.

I've used Logmein Free for a while now. While you can't officially transfer files, here's an easy way to do it. Just attach the file to an email using the computer you are controlling and send it either to another address (i.e. your business address), or send it to yourself, where you can then access it through your own webmail account.

Have you seen Teamviewer. Great free software for remote access. http://teamviewer.com/index.aspx
So easy, computer novices like it.

I've also used Teamviewer for a couple of years and it's great. I can easily do techsupport for my 84-year old mother who's actually a technophobe with a computer :)

I use the free version of TeamViewer, and one advantage it has is that you can remote reboot and retain the connection on restart. I have found that Microsoft Update sometimes removes TeamViewer from the Services list. I also use ShowMyPC once in awhile, but I find it to be a bit slower, like CrossLoop.

Very useful article, thankyou. But is there a security risk to installing LogMein? What's the chance of a rogue employee gaining access to all these computers carrying the application?
Am I being over suspicious?

Thanks Bob. Nice article. I'll like to know if it is possible for someone to log-in to a remote PC behind a NATed private IP address Network. E.g I want someone from US to login to my PC here in Nigeria running Linux or Windows, if my systems connects to the internet through an ISP that doesn't grant me a global or routable IP address, i get my ip address from the ISP but a private IP, how can any of these above methods help?

EDITOR'S NOTE: I'm pretty sure Crossloop will do it.