networking

[alan1956red]

hi i have three sisters who have laptops and are always getting into trouble and keep asking me to go round and sort it out for them .we all have broadband .can anyone tell me where i can get a programme so i can look into there comps from home and sort there probs for them and save me a lot of petrol and time.

[ChuckFickens]

www.logmein.com

The free version will do what you want

[vehelpfulguy]

This technology is built into some version of XP and Vista.

It is called Remote Desktop Connection.

If YOU want to look at THEIR computer I think YOU need to be on Windows XP Professional (or Vista, but not sure what versions).

More here:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/mobil ity/getstarted/remoteintro.mspx

[fo3nix]

Personally I'm a fan of copilot.

It's free on weekends:
https://www.copilot.com/

As the above says though, the software you want is something like RealVNC, if you're happy to install something on their computer too. (Copilot works without having to really install anything.)

[beso]

You don't need to buy software. Indeed, any software like copilot that doesn't need anything installed on the remote computer is obviously using the services already available in Windows. It is probably just a different viewer.

Windows Netmeeting. This is good because it allows the user to see what you are doing. You can set it for low bandwidth but then it misses some video rewrites that make it a bit clumsy sometimes. No clipboard sharing. The remote computer needs to enable desktop sharing. Encrypted comms if enabled in setup. You can setup Netmeeting by typing "conf " in the Run window.

Remote Desktop Connection works better but the remote computer is locked while you are logged in. Clipboard and your drives can be shared onto the remote computer. Encrypted by design.

It is actually Microsoft Terminal Services originally provided for terminals running from Windows Servers. I think the remote computer needs XP Pro but Windows 9x can connect. Type mstsc in the run window of the client.

The free program, Real VNC (search this name) works well and allows both users to operate simultaneously. You can use it on Windows98. It even allows multiple clients to participate. You have to load the host service on the remote computer.

However VNC is not encrypted in its free implementation.

contd

[beso]

The trick with all of this is connecting online. You need to know the IP of the client. Unfortunately virtually all domestic services have a dynamic IP which changes every time you connect. The hosts need to tell you their current IP.

Moreover most domestic broadband modems are configured not to carry this traffic as they are effectively a firewall. You have to reconfigure the modem as a bridge. This opens it up to the internet so you need to be a lot more careful with firewalling.

It might be safer to make a dialup connect between the computers. It is slow but very secure. You dial in directly to the remote computer or they dial in to you.

Once connected you set up a VPN which effectively puts you onto the same network where you can run any of the above. The computer receiving the call probably needs XP Pro. Even Win95 can connect if you download the required components. VPN is encrypted and this is how you should use VNC over broadband.

[ACtheTROLL]

http://whatsmyip.net/
or
http://keir.net/ip2.html

you need XP pro to setup a rdc
see vhg's link
home will accept
you need IIS running on the main

vista is easier ... and more secure
and will talk to XP - but without authentication
(I'm using it now as we speak!)
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/t urn-on-remote-desktop-in-windows-vista/

[LeMarchand]

Windows Messenger has a built-in function so that a user can "request remote assistance" and choose to either let someone view or control their computer. Chances are that all the girls have messenger set up...