What's the best remote PC connection software that is free?

[welchs101]

Not sure if this is the correct location to post this question but here goes. What is the best and easiest FREE remote PC connection software out there right now.

A relative in another state is not very computer literate and if i could just log onto their machine i could fix many of their issues.

Thanks.

D

 

[LookinAround]

LogMeIn (free version)

 

[nariman1977]

THere is also teamviewer. it is free for personal use, but you might have to pay for business use.

 

[Renegeek]

VNC is the best Free & open source , Remote Software.

http://www.tightvnc.com/download.php

 

[welchs101]

thanks. I will review those 3 suggestions.

 

[Justice101]

Yeah LogMeIn is good.

 

[Kcircyrd]

VNC and LogMeIn both good. We have been using VNC for a long time without issues.

 

[welchs101]

I downloaded VNC and tried it out on my computers at home first. IT WORKS GREAT! Not like LOGMEIN........loads in seconds and is not a resource hog. Thanks for the VNC suggestion. Now i plan to try it out between home and parents house. Thanks.

 

[compdata]

I use logmein all the time and havn't noticed it being a resource hog. I like the fact that i can use it from a browser on any computer and don't have to install client software. I guess you could count a browser plugin that way, but you can usually install that even with limited user privileges.

 

[welchs101]

Let me clarify a bit. My 2 sentences were not intended to be a review of VNC vs. Logmein. I have not used either to any great extent. What i can say is that when i tried Logmein i had issues. To be honest it was probably more my fault than logmein. Even when i tried to uninstall logmein it did not completely un-install. So logme in left a "bad" taste in my mouth so to speak. I was looking for something easier to use and i think i found it with VNC. Perhaps if your computer skills are better than mine then logmein is for you. For me i just need to everynow and then log onto my parents computer and solve a problem....thats it.

I am sure logmein is a good piece of software and can do a lot....but for what i need vnc will suffice and seems really easy to use. Again, i have not used either software to any great extent.

 

[compdata]

If VNC works and meets all of your needs then why bother to look any further?

 

[Vicenarian]

Well if you don't mind your relative doing a little bit of work to get started...


Crossloop is my favorite.

Just install, ask them for their "code", and you have instant access to their computer.

 

[welchs101]

Well i may have spoken too soon regarding VNC.

Initially i tried out VNC on two of my computers at home........both behind the router at my house. VNC worked like a champ. However, when i try and connect to my parents house (obviously not behind my router but on the internet) VNC is not able to connect.

So , now i am back to the beginning..........i dont want my parents to have to set up port forwarding or anything like that...........anyone have a solution?

 

[Vicenarian]

What is this for exactly?

If it is for remote support, then Croosloop is exactly what you are looking for.

 

[compdata]

not having to worry about port forwarding is one of the reasons i turned to logmein. I had both my parents install it without me even there and was able to remote connect and service their PCs. Do you have a list of the issues you had with Logmein? I might be able to help.

 

[welchs101]

I dont recall all of the issues but i do seem to recall that logmein was loaded on startup and was in the system tray and once loaded the computer seemed "slower". I know that may seem strange but once it was fully "un-installed" computer acted "normal" again.

What you did for your parents is exactly what i am trying to do. I thought VNC was the way to go because it was "so easy" to install and use........but having my parents configure their router is NOT something i want them to do at all.

So i will reconsider logmein agian.

If anyone knows of anothe remote connection software tool that is FREE, does not require port forwarding to be setup, and would be easy enough for me to tell novice computer users how to run it i would greatly appreciate it.

 

[welchs101]

Just did a quick search and logmein and crossloop look like potential candidates........anyone have any major issues with these two software programs?

 

[compdata]

I would vote against crossloop as it requires someone present at the pc on the other end to establish the connection each time. I have had several times where i wanted to remote connect where there wasn't someone at the other end for trouble shooting. Or i wanted to connect to my home pc to get a file or something.

Found a good comparison here:

http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-free-remote-access-software.htm

 

[compdata]

Some of the other differentiating features that i appreciate (of logmein) are

1) I can see if someone is using the PC (without calling them) and initiate a chat session with them if i want. It also keeps track of the last time a pc was online.
2) I can control a Windows or Apple machine from virtually anywhere (i routinely do it from linux, and there is an ipod touch/iphone app available as well - this is not free though and so i havn't tried it).
3) You can issue remote wake up commands to PCs that support it. This is a bit flakey and can be dependent on the LAN controller/bios settings.

 

[welchs101]

thanks for the review.......very helpful!

 

[welchs101]

I have now tried Logmein and Teamviewer. I like both. Both are excellent programs.

I went with Teamviewer for one main reason. If you download the teamviewer setup.exe file and then double click on it.........you can choose to either install Teamviewer or JUST RUN IT. Thats right you can run teamviewer without installing it. This is what i was looking for since my dad does not like to install software on his computer that he does not know anything about.

Anyway, both are great software. In fact my neighbor has used logmein for YEARs now and loves it.

I have heard (but cant find proof of it) that teamviewer (free editiion) is limited to 30hrs a month and logmein has no limitations.......but i could not find any proof of this.

Thanks to all of you for helping me on this problem.

Note: The day after i sent teamviewer to my folks and they installed they called me with a problem they needed me to fix. It worked GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No connection issues and easy to use.

 

[rajevcharudutta]

I can also affirm that TeamViewer works beautifully.

I was able to connect my old Uncle's computer in a remote village in India (whose server is in another town about 40 miles away) to my cousin's (Uncle's son) computer, which is in Jersey City, NJ. It works beautifully. Anytime my Uncle in India, has some problem, his son can fix it up from the US.

 

[Pen007]

If you are looking for a free program, I would recommend you to try windows desktop program for PC remote control needs. But my personal concern is that free programs often limit in features but the specialized programs like RHUB offer many more advanced features like firewall protection, remote reboot, remote lock computer and so on.