IP vs Computer Name

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ross McCracken
  • Start date Start date
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Ross McCracken

My mother in-law constantly contacts me for assistance. She is very computer
illerate. I have been able to successfully use both remote assistance and
remote desktop connection from my XP Home to her XP Pro PC. However, I had
both PC's with me and needed to know the exact IP address each time. Since
she is dynamic to the ISP (IP changes with each sesssion), she cannot supply
it to me each time she has set up her session (remember the illerate part).
How do I configure via the computer name so that I can access whenever I
need to (without an invitation or needing the IP address)?
 
Ross said:
My mother in-law constantly contacts me for assistance. She is very
computer illerate. I have been able to successfully use both remote
assistance and remote desktop connection from my XP Home to her XP
Pro PC. However, I had both PC's with me and needed to know the exact
IP address each time. Since she is dynamic to the ISP (IP changes
with each sesssion), she cannot supply it to me each time she has set
up her session (remember the illerate part). How do I configure via
the computer name so that I can access whenever I need to (without an
invitation or needing the IP address)?
Click to expand...

The only way to do it is to sign her up and install a third party software
to do one of the follwing:

- register her with a Dynamic DNS service each time she logs in..
- upload her IP to a web page somewhere.

At least that is the only ways I can think of.
 
The cheap way to manage this is to have her send you a pop3 email when she
needs help, and you can dig through the headers of that email and find her
current IP address.

Otherwise, as Shenan Stanley mentions, dyndns services are the solution.

There are free ones which work, and which others here swear by.

If you want to test out the concept with a simple installation process, you
can do a 30 day trial of a commercial service:

http://www.tzo.com for example

Their rates aren't too exorbitant yet.
 
Thanks for the great advise. I am getting closer.

I am know able to get the IP address easier than having her send a "remote
assistance" invitation. However, I can still not get in and she is now miles
away. I have trialed on two home PC's (Host-XP Pro and Client=XP Home). It
works, but only if I disable the built in XP firewall. Not the way I want to
leave the machine. I've read a lot about port 3389 but I do not have a
router. One PC is connected via DSL and the other is via dial up. Any
sugesstions? Have I explained it sufficiently?
 
Ross McCracken wrote:
(e-mail address removed)
Thanks for the great advise. I am getting closer.

I am know able to get the IP address easier than having her send a
"remote assistance" invitation. However, I can still not get in and
she is now miles away. I have trialed on two home PC's (Host-XP Pro
and Client=XP Home). It works, but only if I disable the built in XP
firewall. Not the way I want to leave the machine. I've read a lot
about port 3389 but I do not have a router. One PC is connected via
DSL and the other is via dial up. Any sugesstions? Have I explained
it sufficiently?
Click to expand...

The firewall can be configured (Settings button in the same area where you
enabled the firewall) to allow Remote Desktop. It's just a checkbox.
 
The easiest way for this is to use the DOS command: IPCONFIG /all, read the
dynamic IP, and pass it to you by e-mail, or through messenger. That will be
the way I will use if I have to.
 
Follow Shenan Stanley's advice about how to open the firewall on the host
machine for just Remote Desktop (and remote assistance--they use the same
protocol over the wire.)

Control Panel, Network Connections, right-click the connection to the
Internet, choose Properties, advanced tab, settings button.
 
And if they are sending it via pop3/smtp email, that IP will be in the
headers of the message.
 
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