Free Remote Access and Screen Sharing - Comments Page 1

I've used TeamViewer, Chrome Remote Desctop, and LogMeIn. I prefer Team Viewer . . .BUT

You do not mention Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection. It is available with many Professional versions of Windows. It still seems to be the standard against which all others compare themselves, and it too is free.

I love TeamViewer and use it all of the time! Although the 'other side' can go to teamviewer.com to download a temporary version of the program, all of the people whom I regularly help have downloaded the free program. It also works great for accessing my own desktop when I'm on the road with my laptop. Another feature is having it save other people's User ID's, so that I only have to ask for their passwords. I can also reboot their computers from TeamViewer and have the session still available after their machine comes back up. I didn't realize that it would work with Android. I'm not sure how I would use that right now.

Here's what I liked about Logmein (and is unclear in this article feature wise). With Logmein, I had my home PC/Server always on and with Logmein Running. When I travel for work, I could connect to the home PC and do things on my home PC without needing someone there to initiate access. A quick id/pw and boom, I'm in. Are there still free products with this capability?

EDITOR'S NOTE: I did mention that you can use UltraVNC to connect to an unattended remote computer.

You don't mention the built in Remote Desktop Connection that comes with Windows... It works very well too for simple remote access to a PC.

EDITOR'S NOTE: I don't recommend Windows Remote Desktop for several reasons. It only works on certain versions of Windows, and of course not at all on Mac, Linux, or Android computers. For example, you can't use it to connect to computers running Windows XP Home Edition, Windows Vista Starter, Vista Home Basic, Vista Home Premium, Windows 7 Starter, Windows 7 Home Basic, or Windows 8 Basic Edition.

And to me, it seems clunky and old-fashioned when compared to the other alternatives.

Bob? UltraVNC installed something called "open it". UltraVNC did not install. Check the link. I really wanted to try it.

EDITOR'S NOTE: There are some dodgy adverts on the site, maybe you clicked on one? Go here for the download link: http://www.uvnc.com/downloads/ultravnc.html

Bob, This sounds just wonderful, but I read several on line reviews and the reviewers stated the installation was fast but that the installer should have some computer tech knowledge. Such as knowing the IP address of the accessed computer and this statement " The online documentation includes screenshots but is a bit thin in places and assumes some knowledge on the user's part. But anyone who has configured their network settings should be able to set up a VNC connection using UltraVNC." . Whats your and other's assessment? I don't want to spend hours dealing with tech issues I don't understand.

EDITOR'S NOTE: UltraVNC is a little bit geeky. That's why I mentioned several other alternatives. BTW, you can find the IP address of any computer just by going to IPChicken.com :-)

Avast has a remote tool built in to the free edition that does everything except file transfer.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Not so good, both computers are required to have the Avast software suite.

Great timing on this article

Today I went to use crossloop and found it not working. Went to their web site and was told it is gone

Looking for alternatives on the web and it spoke of Microsoft remote desktop. Went to the Microsoft site, it was much to complex about setting permissions, computer names, passwords and really not clear about how and where to do all of these steps. Hard for me on my end and I am sure it would be hard for a non computer person on the other end

After reading your article I will give Team Viewer a try as it appears to be free and fits my needs to help people a few times a year

Thanks for the article

Mike

I've been using TeamViewer for some time now and I love it. I'm always having to help one of my sisters with PC problems, so that's what drove me to use it. Now I can just remote into her PC most of the time instead of going to her house. She is not tech savvy at all, but had no problems installing on her end. I also found navigating and doing actions on a remote PC very quick with TeamViewer. I've used others in the past that were very slow and had long delays. I only hope that they keep their home use service free or at least low cost.

Bob ... I happen to love TeamViewer! I had read another one of your articles, about "remote sharing" programs, before this one. Because of that article, I did download LogMeIn ... But, I personally, found it to not be that useful. Why? Because, I could not figure out, how to use it and neither could my son-in-law, at the other end.

You had also, mentioned TeamViewer. So, I downloaded the program and found that, it was just so easy to use and I was able to achieve what I needed to do ... Get rid of Conduit and Sweet Packs, on my daughter's PC, out in California, while I live in Georgia. Why, the difference between LogMeIn and TeamViewer? I found, that for me ... TeamViewer was a lot more user-friendly and I could figure things out, with just a bit of help, from Teamviewer's Help Guide. It simply worked, for me.

All of us, felt comfortable with TeamViewer, too. I felt, that the security issues were no problem. Both of our PCs had Avast Internet Security program installed and was working fine. Yes, it took me a couple of days, to "clean up" their PC, due to time constrictions and all. But, I really liked the way, I learned how to do things, on their computer, using TeamViewer!!! I was also, able to share a couple of files, with them. I have always, taken care of my youngest daughter's PC and when she moved to California, I was worried about HOW ... I was going to take care of her PC. TeamViewer to the rescue, is all I can say.

Thank you Bob ... Once again, you have helped me, achieve goals and projects, I didn't know I could do. I am tickled pink, as they say, about using TeamViewer! I can also, use TeamViewer on my middle daughter's PC, while sitting at my very own PC, at home. LOVE that, at home!!! :)

I recommend http://join.me. Very easy, very powerful, and free; the setup is faster than with TeamViewer, and it does just as much. For people who cannot wrap their minds about the website "join.me", the link "joinme.com" also works.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Join.Me is no longer free, either. BTW, it's a service operated by Logmein.com.

Doug asked: "Here's what I liked about Logmein (and is unclear in this article feature wise). With Logmein, I had my home PC/Server always on and with Logmein Running. When I travel for work, I could connect to the home PC and do things on my home PC without needing someone there to initiate access. A quick id/pw and boom, I'm in. Are there still free products with this capability?"

Yes. TeamViewer will do this, as long as you preconfigure a static password on the host PC; then from the remote machine, you can connect immediately even when the host machine is unattended. It just has to be turned on, and online.

For years I've been providing technical support and emergency computer assistance (especially for virus infections) for my relatives' computers using LogMeIn.com. Hence I was severely disappointed to learn that the free version was being discontinued. I researched alternatives, and TeamViewer looked pretty good. Yesterday while visiting my brother to watch the Superbowl I downloaded TeamViewer onto his computer and was able to connect it to my computer at home. (It was kind of amusing when I then used LogMeIn to connect back, and got one of those infinite regressions with smaller and smaller windows disappearing into the center of the monitor. Fortunately there was split second delay between each new reqression, so I quickly disconnected the feedback connection before it could destroy the entire Internet and end civilization as we know it.)

LogMeIn has a seven day grace period during which the free version can still be used. So I'm busy using LogMeIn to connect to other computers to download the TeamViewer utility onto them so that I'll still have access.

My initial impression is that there's nothing the free LogMeIn version could do that TeamViewer can't, and in fact TeamViewer may have some nice additional capabilities. What could have been a huge inconvenience for me and my relatives -- the end of free LogMeIn -- has turned out to be an inconsequential one.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Whew, sounds like that was a close call! Without that quick thinking, you might have created a black hole. Peyton Manning might have liked it, though... :-)

On the Teamviewer site, there is a page to aid
in switching from Logmein to TV. I did it and
TV seems to work fine!

Thanks for the info about TeamViewer which I was not previously aware of. I have long wanted remote access capability but was never willing to install LogMein because I always thought it was a dish in a Chinese restaurant - sort of similar to ChowMein and I'm allergic to Soy Sauce.

I've used LogMeIn, CrossLoop and ShowMyPC before settling on TeamViewer, with Avast! as a backup program in case TeamViewer wasn't working (hasn't happened yet). I found less lag on TeamViewer than on the other programs. And when I had a bit of trouble with an update I found they have a toll-free phone number with very friendly and helpful staff on the other end. So you know where my loyalties lie.

What do you do when Microsoft automatically downloads a new upgrade and then reboots the computer. Without someone at the host to enable LogMeIn, the connection is lost.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Logmein, TeamViewer, and UltraVNC have the option to auto-start at boot time, so this won't be a problem.

Ammy Admin (Zero-Config Remote Desktop Software)is the tool for me, been using it for years now. Most important, my mother is almost 75 years old and has absolutely no difficulties using it.

There are a ton of vnc style applications. I use RealVNC of which there is a free version. Some of the free VNC applications are very slow which is why I use RealVNC. It is reasonably fast even with an encrypted connection but you have to pay for that feature.
All vnc apps are completely cross-platform so you can control a Linux Box from a PC which I do all the time.

The downside of using a vnc style application is that you need to access port 5900 on the remote server.

The only other remote desktop that I've used is Webex which works reasonably well. Of course it isn't Free.

Nice summation here; your thoughts on join.me?

EDITOR'S NOTE: Join.Me is no longer free, either. BTW, it's a service operated by Logmein.com.