Web-based remote control software

[GVN]

We have a decent amount of employees that have problems with their laptops and/or home computers when they are working from home, and although I have installed remote control software on them, many times hotel/home firewalls block the ports necessary to actually connect into the remote host. I have seen web-based remote control software in the past that can use http port 80 to remote control into hosts (but I can't remember any names, brands, etc...). Can anyone recommend any commercially available products? If you can't, are there any free or open source products available? Thanks!

GVN

 

[gpalmer711]

If the machines are all XP Pro then you could use Remote Desktop Web Access as per

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/expert/northrup_03may16.mspx

Greg Palmer
Freeware Utilities for Windows Administrators.

http://www.palmersoft.co.uk

 

[GVN]

Does that run over port 80?

 

[GVN]

Another dumb question: from reading your link, it says that:
"If you use a router to connect to the Internet, you probably need to configure it to allow the Remote Desktop connection to your computer. For more information on routers and firewalls, see my Internet Firewalls column. You need to forward two ports to your Windows XP Professional-based computer: TCP port 3389, which Remote Desktop requires, and the port you specified in the TCP Port field in Internet Information Services (or TCP port 80 if you did not change the default). If you use Internet Connection Firewall (and you should!), see How to Manually Open Ports in Internet Connection Firewall in Windows XP for instructions on allowing traffic by TCP port."

So, my question to you is this: do hotels normally leave port 3389 open? Because if they don't, it sounds like Remote Desktop won't work otherwise.

GVN

 

[gpalmer711]

Yes it does - it is explained in the article that I linked to. Basically RDWA runs on IIS both of which are part of XP Pro.

It is recommend to run it on a port other that 80 for security reasons. That is the same with all remote admin software.

That said even with the software running on port 80 you would still need to configure a router to forward the traffic to the individual computer on the network.

Remote Assistance invites sent from Windows Messenger are supposed to be good at getting around such problems. See

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/301529

Greg Palmer
Freeware Utilities for Windows Administrators.

http://www.palmersoft.co.uk

 

[biglebowski]

We use various products including pcanywhere and RDP over a vpn to remotely support our customers but we also use webex for support and have found it to be a great product.

http://www.webex.com/solutions/remote-support.html

When I was born I was so suprised I didn't talk for 18 months

 

[GVN]

I looked into WebEx, good product, but kinda pricey though...

3 Months Term 12 Months Term

1 TSR Seat $175/month $149/month
2 TSR Seats $349/month $299/month
3 TSR Seats $519/month $449/month
4 TSR Seats $689/month $599/month

 

[GVN]

So, port 3389 still will have to be opened at the hotels anyway though, right? Or them just be able to send out over 3389, not inbound?

 

[dglienna]

Here's an alternative, which I use:

http://wwwlogmein.com

-David
2006 & 2007 Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP)
2006 Dell Certified System Professional (CSP)