Morning all,
We now need some software that will allow us to remotely work through a PC in the office. This will mean that we can still access all of our data on the servers in the office and use IRIS licences etc.
We've been trialing Team viewer and it seems to work pretty well. There have been a few issues with getting documents to print on site but this seems to be hit & miss. There have also been a few issues with the print preview looking nothing like the document when printed. Overall, it's decent.
We've now got to make the decision on whether to purchase an annual subscription with team viewer at £382 per year (£340 for the first year), or we trial someone different.
Has anyone got experiance with teamviewer?
Are there any alternatives we should be considering? I've seen HostedDesktopUK mentioned a couple of times in previous threds, will it do what I've mentiond above?
Thanks in advance.
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Replies (17)
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We use Teamviewer and find it works well. Have also used VNC and that also worked well but on balance I prefer TeamViewer. I'm not sure of the cost comparisons, so might be worth looking into.
Google's Chrome Remote DeskTop works well.
We've also set up a VPN using OpenVPN which works brilliantly. Hint, rather than set it up yourself get a decent router with it built in.
Both are free options.
We are using Chrome desktop for my assistant to log in from home.
Its OK, main issue is her laptop has a teeny tiny screen vs our huge office monitors and it doesnt sync that well. Would work a treat if it was all the same size.
A VPN is really the way to go, I have one with a few clients who use legacy desktop software, but their IT guys have sorted it (!)
I use GoToMyPC. I can save to either hard drive, print in either location, and am able to work on my 17" laptop quite successfully.
It also copes with looking at my two screen setup in the office
Agree that VPN is the best way to do it, if your office connection is decent.
We use OpenVPN server running on a Synology NAS which we use for file storage and backup. It can be installed on a server if you already have one. Completely open-source and free and very secure (only machines with the key can access).
Our old IT guys set up TeamViewer on our 5 laptops so we could all access the server. They used a personal TV license which is free.
EDIT: but read my post as it loaded - by “TV” I of course meant TeamViewer, not television.
Remote Access opens up questions of security which are often overlooked. Teamviewer, GotoMyPC, VNC are all potential targets for cyber criminals and so should be done with care.
I concur and would add: even if you are using VPNs to secure remote access, use hard, long (9+characters) passwords, don't reuse passwords for any other sites, and change them every 90 days.
I use TigerVNC, with OpenVPN and PiHole running on a RaspberryPi (also a NAS server and a print server).
Cheap as chips and works well.
The way to do this properly for a number of users on Windows infrastructure is via Windows Remote Desktop, probably through a secure VPN connection.
Teamviewer et al are remote control applications, meaning that they just provide a remote view of the display of a PC in the office, meaning an office-based PC for each remote user. They are insecure, and finicky when it comes to printing, connecting local USB devices, and so on.
Remote desktop sessions all run on a server in the office. and provide access to the needed applications, accessed via the RDP client on the user's home machine. Proper printing support, proper security and so forth.
I'd simply recommend Hosted Desktop UK. You can access everything from any machine plus integrated backups and an IT team to deal with software upgrades. Never looked back since we moved over. If you get new staff there is no IT to set up, just ask them to set up a new user and buy a cheap machine.
We have been using Microsoft Remote Desktop (with PC's) for years without any trouble. It is free and there are small Microsoft apps that can use it in Android & Apple devices - also free.
I have been using Microsoft's Remote Desktop for more than 10 years. It is built into all copies of Windows. I've always been pleased with performance. It means I can access my PC using my home desktop, my laptop, my ipad or my phone (Microsoft has a free version for iPhones). Make sure you have a strong windows user password (and change the administrator password too).
I am also trialling TV, you might find LogMeIn is a better bet where servers etc are involved. I used it for 10 years
We use NextCloud which is a bit more £ than some of the above, but seems very stable, secure and useful ... it's open source so it's available from various suppliers with support, eg: https://www.webarchitects.coop/nextcloud
VNC and/or "Remote access to PC" software, and other similar approaches have two very important problems - security and scalability.
Given the current security situation (think GDPR, Malware), I continue to be surprised by the implementation of such solutions for remote access.
I appreciate there are costs to doing things properly, but as a risk-reward exercise, it is a no brainer.
Most professional approaches involve a best-practice approach of VPN and some form of adequate Remote Desktop Services (Terminal Server or Citrix), locked down appropriately using all available tools.
The risks of any breach are real, in most case automated (using out of the box tools available to any wannabe hacker), and can easily be a game-over event if they happen.
Think insurance? Are you insured if you leave your door open at home? The same is likely to apply if you dont approach security appropriately.
From a scalability point of view, each implementation of VNC/Remote PC requires two devices. Hardly cost effective if you are likely to grow.
