Recommendations on Remote Access Software

Hoofee on 10/05/2021 - 10:26

I have a number of PCs at home that I want to keep running 24x7 and some don't have monitors attached. When I need to access the desktop of those, I typically just connect them to a TV in that room however it's a pain in the butt.

Ideally what I would like is to be able to remotely access and control their desktops from my main computer without having that computer to need to grant access each time, which would defeat the purpose (I think teamviewer required the remote computer to grant access each time from my experience with it a long time ago - but this is possibly just a setting?). I do want & expect to type in a login/password, but just don't want the remote computer to need to grant access each time.

All PCs are on the LAN (5 PCs in total).
They all have access to the internet so I will need to be able to restrict remote access to LAN only. Even better if they can occasionally be accessed over the internet from a laptop, but secure it down somehow to only my laptop (handy for when I go on holidays).
They all run Windows 10.
I don't mind paying for software if need be.

Any thoughts or recommendations?

Computing Remote Access Software

Comments

  • geek001 on 10/05/2021 - 10:31
    +1

    any VNC software will work, there are a few different versions out there. Or if you prefer you can just use the built-in remote desktop software. Just google RDP.

  • Switchblade88 on 10/05/2021 - 10:35
    +1

    Chrome Remote Desktop is excellent, works without a user logged in, as well as works with a UAC popup e.g. when installing something. Don't need to fuss with port forwarding or VPNs to ensure security, and will 'just work' if the PC has internet.

  • bargainHunterOz on 10/05/2021 - 10:41
    +3

    Try mremoteng- https://mremoteng.org/download

    Great program to most of the remoting needs, one click run with saved passwords, multi window view to open all desktop at once etc.

    • wiipantz on 10/05/2021 - 11:03

      This is the protip

  • kusama on 10/05/2021 - 10:44
    +1

    Depends how easy you want it. I would use the VPN server functionality on my router and then use built-in Microsoft remote access (Needs to be Windows 10 Pro/Enterprise)

  • Randxyz123 on 10/05/2021 - 10:49

    Try teamviewer. Since it is commonly used by “Microsoft/NBN” scammers, they enhanced their security that you have to click accept connection but I think you should be able to turn that off. Or have a list of favourite computers.

  • No Username on 10/05/2021 - 10:57

    [Out Side Device] ——-> [VPN Server] ——-> [Computer]

    Use routers VPN if available or create a VPN server on a Raspberry Pi using Open VPN.

  • Hoofee on 10/05/2021 - 11:13

    Thanks everyone for the recommendations.

    On the VPN side of things it looks like I can start an Open VPN server daemon on my router. If I use a VPN, does that mean I need to run VPN clients on all my machines? Will this likely affect internet/gaming performance or affect open ports on the router??

    All the PCs use Win10 Pro except the laptop, but I can get another license for that and re-install if need be. It's a new Dell laptop that is yet to arrive so I haven't installed anything on it yet and probably full of Dell bloatware.

    I'll look into both the VPN path and the non-VPN paths.

    Thanks.

    • bdl on 10/05/2021 - 11:53

      I'll look into both the VPN path and the non-VPN paths.

      Don't even bother with non-VPN, you want VPN :)

      You won't need to install VPN clients on all your machines, just VPN into your router and connect to your machines from there (when you're away from home).

      You may wish to set up DHCP reservations for all your machines so you have the same IP for each machine you want to remote control.

      Also check out anydesk.

    • Switchblade88 on 11/05/2021 - 00:09

      VPN access to your router might be ok if you've already got software installed, but that doesn't solve your original issue if you aren't already using VNC/teamviewer etc

      …and it won't help for remote desktop at home anyway since you're already on the LAN

      Seriously. Give Chrome Remote Desktop a go ;)

  • trustnoone on 10/05/2021 - 11:32
    +3

    I think I always used to use TightVNC, would work great to connect to my server.

    https://www.tightvnc.com/

    • pharkurnell on 10/05/2021 - 11:36

      yea we use it here at all our sites…

  • geekcohen on 10/05/2021 - 13:06

    Why not just use the built in Windows RDC?

    That is what I use more when I am offsite, I connect into the VPN I have connected and away I go. But even internally, RDC works great! Just assign static IPs to each computer and you are done.

    If you have a domain, you could configure DNS records for each computer like desktop1.mydomain.com and then you don't have to remember IPs.

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