# Remote Access Software



## sean999 (Aug 21, 2014)

Hello, 

I am looking for software (hopefully free) that will allow me to remotely access and use my mother's computer. She calls every day for tech support and it is driving me insane.

Is there software that will allow me to access her computer from my computer? We both have windows-based laptops, although different versions of windows if that matters?


----------



## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

Connect to another computer using Remote Desktop Connection - Windows Help


----------



## LMiller7 (Jun 21, 2010)

To use Remote Desktop your mothers computer must be running a supported edition of Windows. For Windows 7 that would be Professional or Ultimate, Professional for Windows 8. Your computer doesn't matter. Otherwise you would need a third party alternative.


----------



## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

Remote Desktop is fine, but you would fully take over the other computer and your mother would not see what you are doing, so you can't show her what to do in the future. 
The simplest Free solution is TeamViewer. You would install it on your computer and then you would send an invite in TeamViewer via Email to you Mum, she just has to click a link to download and install it. Then give you her Teamviewer User Number and Password number which you type into your Teamviewer. You then can take control of her computer and she can see the mouse move around on her screen from your control.


----------



## Aura (Apr 19, 2015)

Just be careful with Teamviewer. If you use it too often, a message will start to pop-up saying that a commercial usage of the software has been detected, and that if you are indeed using it in a commercial environment, then you have to buy a licence. It's not that bad, but after a while, you'll get limited: you can only connect for a maximum of 5 minutes to a computer, and you cannot connect to that same computer after for 5 minutes. It happened to me with Teamviewer, many times. There's a few methods to "go around" that restriction but none of them will work forever, and some of them don't even work at all (and I'm not talking about anything illegal here).


----------



## sean999 (Aug 21, 2014)

Thanks, I'm going to try TeamViewer


----------



## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

An article on how to use TeamViewer will be published in TSF Tech Support Articles in the next few days.


----------



## Deejay100six (Nov 24, 2007)

Corday said:


> An article on how to use TeamViewer will be published in TSF Tech Support Articles in the next few days.


Indeed, it may be sooner than that but its sufficiently done to at least get you started.

http://www.techsupportforum.com/for...-and-use-teamviewer10-999114.html#post6337258

After it is published, that thread will be archived.

But then, you will find it here >> Tech Support Forum | Experts Online now for FREE Support!


----------



## JohnthePilot (Mar 30, 2006)

Aura said:


> Just be careful with Teamviewer. If you use it too often, a message will start to pop-up saying that a commercial usage of the software has been detected, and that if you are indeed using it in a commercial environment, then you have to buy a licence. It's not that bad, but after a while, you'll get limited: you can only connect for a maximum of 5 minutes to a computer, and you cannot connect to that same computer after for 5 minutes. It happened to me with Teamviewer, many times. There's a few methods to "go around" that restriction but none of them will work forever, and some of them don't even work at all (and I'm not talking about anything illegal here).


What sort of timescale are you talking about? Since my accident eleven months ago I've been using TeamViewer 24/7 to connect to my main machine two floors up and I've had no problems so far.


----------



## Aura (Apr 19, 2015)

I've used Teamviewer for over 2 years to do remote assistance on forums and after maybe ... a year, or a year and a half I started to have that issue. Hence why I don't use it anymore. It might be because I connected to various machines and not a single one, but even thought sometimes the message would stop, I would connect to let's say my grand-mother's laptop who's under my Teamviewer account name, and I would get the "Commercial usage detected" message. They state it's fully free, but if they suspect a commercial usage, they'll start limiting you. Even thought I wasn't making any money out of the support I was providing. I even sent them an email about it, and the rep. who replied to me just tried to sell me a licence for less than the original price, via monthly payments.


----------



## JohnthePilot (Mar 30, 2006)

I'll wait and see what happens then.


----------



## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

I'm with JohnThePilot, I have been using TeamViewer for several years and regularly connect to my downstairs computer, and I also connect to remote computers to help other users. I have never had an issue. These are all home use, maybe you are connecting to a business, which would send a red flag @Aura?


----------



## Aura (Apr 19, 2015)

I doubt. I wasn't providing Entreprise support at all. I would have noticed if one of the computer I was on would be connected to a domain. I connected to over a thousand computers and regularly had 2-3 sessions opened at the same time. It might explains it.


----------



## sean999 (Aug 21, 2014)

Update and question: I have installed and used TeamViewer, and it worked very well. 

My question: Is there a way to connect to my mother’s computer without my mother having to download and run the TeamViewer .exe file on her computer every time I need to connect to her computer? Is there a way to perhaps permanently save TeamViewer on her computer, and perhaps have her use the SAME user id and password every time? Or, is there no way to avoid her having to use a different id and pw every time?


----------



## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

Once your mother has downloaded and ran Teamviewer, there will be an icon on her desktop and it will be listed in All Programs. Just like on your computer, She just needs to click the icon and read you the User and Password Number, unless you set a Permanent password in her Teamviewer once you have logged on. Set a Permanent TeamViewer Password - PC Geek Blog


----------



## Aura (Apr 19, 2015)

You could also add your mother's computer to your Teamviewer account (if you decide to create one), this way you'll always see its status (if the computer is online or offline) and you can connect to it without using an ID or password.


----------



## sean999 (Aug 21, 2014)

spunk.funk said:


> Once your mother has downloaded and ran Teamviewer, there will be an icon on her desktop and it will be listed in All Programs. Just like on your computer, She just needs to click the icon and read you the User and Password Number, unless you set a Permanent password in her Teamviewer once you have logged on. Set a Permanent TeamViewer Password - PC Geek Blog


Excellent, thank you


----------



## sean999 (Aug 21, 2014)

Aura said:


> You could also add your mother's computer to your Teamviewer account (if you decide to create one), this way you'll always see its status (if the computer is online or offline) and you can connect to it without using an ID or password.


thank you, I read about this, but I'm just worried about potential security issues


----------



## Aura (Apr 19, 2015)

You could always secure your own computer via a permanent password on Teamviewer. This way, even if someone tries to access it via your account, they'll need the password for it.


----------



## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

The only person that would have automatic login to your Mum's computer would be you. And the computer would still need to be on and Teamviewer would need to be started. You can set Teamviewer to start with Windows, and you would be the only one who had automatic login, all others must have the login User and Password number read to them from your Mum.


----------



## ikkomustaine (Oct 1, 2012)

Try Beanywhere since it is cloud based and you could use their free version.


----------

