Best Remote PC programs?
 

hey all, I did a search but didn't come up with anything specific, so I figured I'd toss this one out for my fellow TFPers to mull over.

I'll be spending a lot of time away from my main rig in the future, and I want to be able to access my computer at home from my laptop, which will probably be from various (hopefully high-speed) internet connections overseas.

I'm quite disappointed with window's remote desktop, as it has all kinds of debilitating flaws and lack of functionality (especially when it comes to file transfers). I also have a copy of PC Anywhere, but I haven't had much chance to play around with it. Someone has mentioned a third option to me but I have since forgotten the name of the program.

My question is, what do you recommend for a good remote desktop connection? I won't have physical access to my main rig for a long time, so I need something stable, secure, and hopefully easy to set-up so I can leave my main computer running indefinitely so I can log-in whenever I want. Your thoughts?

tight vnc has been stable on my server for months.

http://www.tightvnc.com/

Remote desktop is the best for interacting with the session remotely, then run an ftp server for file transfers.

logmein is also a good program

Definite second on tightvnc. It's built on the already very good realvnc http://realvnc.com but without the laggy-as-hell hooks and polling technique of screen updates. It is definitely on par with the retail PCAnywhere remote desktop program.

You get the benefits of file transfer as well, something realvnc does not currently support on the free version.

This is the windows terminal services cut-down thingy? If so yeah. It seems way faster than VNC. For accessing a Windows host/server - I'd go with this for installs etc, then use my normal desktop explorer to copy files as required.

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. I downloaded a copy of tightVNC and I'll test it sometime this weekend. If PC Anywhere must be used, it wouldn't be the end of the world, but I find it to be a little bit bloated for my tastes.

I had considered using a combination of Remote Desktop and FTP, but when I tried running it I ran into a few problems that sealed the deal against that thought; specifically, if I was logged into my main rig under any user while I tried to connect via my laptop, it actually asked the user on the main rig whether they wanted to allow the connection. I might not be able to touch the PC while I'm gone, but at least one other person will be. Not only is it troublesome for them to have to log out when they're done, but if they don't, I'm essentially locked out of my PC. No thanks.

If you do end up using pcanywhere, you can set the number of colours on the 'display' via the properties toolbar option. For speeding up the refresh 16 colours is the best speed vs readability option (especially useful if you end up on a dial up or otherwise slow connection).

If you already own pcanywhere, I'd use that rather than vnc (just my 2c worth). If you had to fork out monet then vnc would be probably just in front.

RDP/MSTSC is a pretty good remote utility - we use it to admin servers at work, we use realVNC to connect to workstations on the network.

You can't really transfer files across either of those, but you can think of good ways around that - email them through or set up an FTP Server.

Here's another vote for logmein.com. It's slightly big-brotherish, but for some situations it's nice being able to connect from anywhere without much of an install. The client runs with Java or a FF plugin. Once the code is installed on your "server", just log into your account on logmein.com from wherever and you're controlling things. The basic version is free.

I also use remote desktop, it is very easy to use.

I use:

Timbuktu
Remote Desktop
and Tight VNC

they all work the same for me, so none is better than the other. They each have different strengths and weaknesses and are deployed on specific needs more than favoritism.

I'm gonna have to put in a vote for PCAnywhere, as a matter of fact I am typing this from my computer at home, even though I am on my laptop at work :)

I tried remote desktop and tightVNC, and PCAnywhere was the easiest to set up and run plus has options that I like.

I would like to point out the VNC is an insecure protocol, and should not be used over unencrypted wireless. Also, if you use it, your ISP or the NSA could sniff your password and log into your computer. (Yeah, i'm a bit paranoid, the liklyhood of any probles if VERY low.... but please understand the risks.)