How do I do remote assistance?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Paul H
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Paul H

I want to use my laptop with Win XP Pro to assist my wife (Win ME) and my
home desktop (Win XP HE). And maybe my inept father-in-law with his Win98
SE.

I am Soooo lost! I used my Win XP Pro CD on the ME computer to add the
remote support. But I see no way to make that computer eligible to receive
support. And my Win XP HE computer refused to accept the CD update, saying
it was not needed. Same issue - how do I make the computer ready to receive
assistance.

And how do I make my laptop Win XP Pro take control of any of these
computers?

All the computers use Outlook Express 6, with the same ISP.

Will the computers be secure, both while I use them and while they are
waiting for me to connect?

Also, since I have all the computers (except the father-in-law) on the same
router, can I test the process just using my in-home network? I know I will
have firewall issues when I attempt to assist these computers from a remote
location, with it's own router. My router is a Linksys BEFSR41 behind an
RCA cable modem.

TIA for any help, or pointer to some easy-to-understand instructions.
 
Paul H said:
I want to use my laptop with Win XP Pro to assist my wife (Win ME) and my
home desktop (Win XP HE). And maybe my inept father-in-law with his Win98
SE.

I am Soooo lost! I used my Win XP Pro CD on the ME computer to add the
remote support. But I see no way to make that computer eligible to receive
support. And my Win XP HE computer refused to accept the CD update, saying
it was not needed. Same issue - how do I make the computer ready to receive
assistance.

And how do I make my laptop Win XP Pro take control of any of these
computers?

All the computers use Outlook Express 6, with the same ISP.

Will the computers be secure, both while I use them and while they are
waiting for me to connect?

Also, since I have all the computers (except the father-in-law) on the same
router, can I test the process just using my in-home network? I know I will
have firewall issues when I attempt to assist these computers from a remote
location, with it's own router. My router is a Linksys BEFSR41 behind an
RCA cable modem.

TIA for any help, or pointer to some easy-to-understand instructions.
Click to expand...

www.GoToMyPC.com
Perhaps not directly what you're looking for - but an option to consider.
 
I found this in Microsoft information. Is this another, different
capability? I don't think so.
Is Windows ME specifically excluded from this?
And I still do not understand how to get it going.
=================================================
To obtain the client software

To set up your second computer ("home" computer) to use Remote Desktop, you
need the following:
a.. Access to the remote computer (the computer running Windows XP
Professional) by means of Local Area Network (LAN), modem, or Virtual
Private Network (VPN) connection.
b.. Remote Desktop Connection or Terminal Services client installed on the
computer. See the following table for instructions on installing the client
software for your operating system.
Operating System Client version How to access
Windows XP Home Edition and Windows XP Professional Remote Desktop
Connection installed by default (must be enabled)
Start/Programs/Accessories/Communications/Remote Desktop Connection
Windows 2000 Server Terminal Services 32-bit Client installed by
default Start/Programs/Terminal Services Client
Windows 95 & Windows 98 Not installed See To install Remote Desktop
Connection (32-bit computers)
Windows NT 4.0 Not installed See To install Remote Desktop Connection
(32-bit computers)
Windows NT 3.51 Not installed See To install Terminal Services Client
(Windows NT 3.51 computers)
Windows for Workgroups Not installed See To install Terminal Services
Client (16-bit computers)
Windows CE Not installed Go to Microsoft.com Download
Center(http://www.microsoft.com/) and follow the directions to install the
Windows CE client.


=================================================
To install Remote Desktop Connection (32-bit computers)

1.. On the computer running Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT 4.0 or
Windows 2000, insert the Windows XP Professional compact disc into your
CD-ROM drive.
2.. When the Welcome page appears, click Perform additional tasks, and
then click Set up Remote Desktop Connection.
3.. Follow the directions that appear on your screen.

================================================

Remote Assistance relies on the Terminal Server technology that's built into
Windows XP. You can NOT use remote assistance to help someone using another
OS, i.e. Windows 2000 Pro, Windows ME, 9x...

http://www.workthin.com/tshta.htm#RemoteAssistance

Patrick Rouse
Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
http://www.workthin.htm
 
This can be confusing.

The "client software" spoken of, is client software for connecting to
Terminal Services.

This means specifically Remote Desktop in Windows XP (NOT Remote Assistance)
Terminal Services in Windows 2000 server editions, and Windows Server 2003,
and NT4 Terminal Server edition.

Remote Assistance is present in both XP Home and XP Pro, and requires XP on
both ends of the connection--nothing needs to be installed.

Remote Desktop is present only in XP Pro, and the client (which is what you
are looking at) can run on any 32-bit version of Windows.

There are other options for WinMe and 9.x. NetMeeting's Remote Desktop
Sharing is included or downloadable for these OS's and is encrypted. VNC in
its most recent incarnations can be encrypted via add-ons, and works fine on
9.x--but not nearly as well as Remote Desktop.
 
| I want to use my laptop with Win XP Pro to assist my wife (Win ME) and my
| home desktop (Win XP HE). And maybe my inept father-in-law with his Win98
| SE.
|
| I am Soooo lost! I used my Win XP Pro CD on the ME computer to add the
| remote support. But I see no way to make that computer eligible to receive
| support. And my Win XP HE computer refused to accept the CD update, saying
| it was not needed. Same issue - how do I make the computer ready to receive
| assistance.
|
| And how do I make my laptop Win XP Pro take control of any of these
| computers?
|
| All the computers use Outlook Express 6, with the same ISP.
|
| Will the computers be secure, both while I use them and while they are
| waiting for me to connect?
|
| Also, since I have all the computers (except the father-in-law) on the same
| router, can I test the process just using my in-home network? I know I will
| have firewall issues when I attempt to assist these computers from a remote
| location, with it's own router. My router is a Linksys BEFSR41 behind an
| RCA cable modem.
|
| TIA for any help, or pointer to some easy-to-understand instructions.
|
|

Give these links a try - if You can not find what You looking . Google for it .

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=300546&product=winxp
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=306757&product=winxp

http://techrepublic.com.com/5100-6268_11-5064821.html

http://www.pccitizen.com/remotecontrol.htm

http://www.winnetmag.com/Article/ArticleID/21488/21488.html

http://www.winnetmag.com/Article/ArticleID/21486/21486.html
 
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