Remote Access: How do I get online to my Dad's PC?

[Zak33]

Hi peeps,

A few times this month the guys at my work HQ have used Netmeeting to access my laptop and sort stuff.

Can you get Netmeeting for XP? Is it free? Can I use it to do the same? And are there better, easier ways to access my Dad's PC remotely when he's there on the phone talking to me?

Cheers

[herulach]

if you have windows messenger installed you can request help through that. he sends the request then it should prompt you to accept it.

[Dihi Doctor]

If you can get your dad to install a server version (it's pretty easy tbh) I would recommend using VNC. I personally use UltraVNC (google it) to access my home windows box when at uni.

[Splash]

Problem with VNC is it's pretty insecure - I'd be looking to tunnel it over SSH if I were to use it. As it is I VPN into my Draytek router and use RDP if I need to connect to any of my home boxes while I'm away.

[Dihi Doctor]

Problem with VNC is it's pretty insecure - I'd be looking to tunnel it over SSH if I were to use it. As it is I VPN into my Draytek router and use RDP if I need to connect to any of my home boxes while I'm away.

I'm guessing that Zak33 wanted an easy to setup solution that didn't involve extra hardware. True ssh is dead simple under Linux, but can require more fiddling under XP iirc.

I appreciate that ssh tunnelling is the way forward for an encryted connection, but straight VNC, although not encrypted, is fine for occasional problem-fixing on computers with non-sensitive information. For example, it's easier to walk a friend through simply installing a VNC server onto their Windows box so that you can connect and fix a problem.

[Zak33]

so....whats the potential of me gettig something quite easy? VNC?

Googling now

[Agent]

Zak : http://www.windowsnetworking.com/j_helmig/wxprmdtp.htm

Easy for what you want
I doubt you will have to install the software from the CD - its probably already there.
If you both use MSN messenger, he can send you a "remote assistance invitation" which does pretty much the same thing.

[FatalSaviour]

I'd agree with Agent there.
Bear in mind that it's only possible to Remote Desktop into a PC running XP Pro...is that a problem?

Otherwise, there are numerous programs on the net that will do the same sort of stuff, just nothing that's built directly into Windows.

You could setup a Dynamic DNS account for him too, so you wouldn't have to get your dad to spool off his IP everytime you needed to connect to his PC.

HTH

[badass]

I'd agree with Agent there.
Bear in mind that it's only possible to Remote Desktop into a PC running XP Pro...is that a problem?

Otherwise, there are numerous programs on the net that will do the same sort of stuff, just nothing that's built directly into Windows.

You could setup a Dynamic DNS account for him too, so you wouldn't have to get your dad to spool off his IP everytime you needed to connect to his PC.

HTH

You may be only able to remote desktop from XP pro, but you can request remote assistance from XP home aswell.

[FatalSaviour]

You may be only able to remote desktop from XP pro, but you can request remote assistance from XP home aswell.

I know you know what you're talking about but to clarify, you can only remote desktop to XP Pro .

As for Remote Assistance...yep...perfectly viable...done it many times myself...for some reason, I'd misread the OP as having to remote desktop in when nobody else was around, but for all intents and purposes (having read the question properly this time) Remote Assistance should be able to do everything you would need I would imagine Zak

[Zak33]

neat....will work on that...thanks guys