Questions about Remote Assistance

  • Thread starter Thread starter Troy Hilton
  • Start date Start date
T

Troy Hilton

Hello All,

I'm new to this group and am researching a Remote Administration solution
for our regional software pilot. I need a solution to connect from an XP
laptop (Home or Pro is uncertain) to another XP laptop in another state and
provide full control of the remote system. Both laptops have network
internet connectivity and both are behind firewalls that are most likely
doing NAT. I know for a fact that mine is. I have no control over the other.
So here are my questions:

1) Will Remote Assist work when both systems are behind a NAT firewall?
2) If so, how well does Remote Assist work with XP Home or do I have to use
XP Pro?
3) I understand that I can initiate a Remote Assist session using IM or
Web-based email. Does this mean that even if both systems are behind
firewalls that the remote sessions will still work because all communication
is outbound?
4) If Remote Assist won't work for my setup what do you recommend? Are there
any Remote Admin apps out that use Port 80?

Thanks for your help!

Troy
 
It depends on if you want to do a help desk function or a remote administration function. Remote
Desktop for the remote administration function and Remote Assistance for the help desk function.
Both use TCP Port 3389 so your firewall/NAT/routers would need that forwarded/opened. To see how
Remote Assistance is effected by a firewall/NAT/router look at this KB article.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q301529

Remote Desktop (Host) is only available on XP Pro platforms, while Remote Desktop (Client) is on
both XP Pro and Home. Remote Assistance runs on both XP Pro and Home platforms.

Otherwise look at this information...

From the FAQ...

Q. What are the differences between Remote Desktop and Remote Assistance?
A. Remote Desktop and Remote Assistance use the same underlying technology, but there are
differences between these features.

a.. Remote Desktop allows access to a remote Windows computer. For example, when you are at another
computer you can use Remote Desktop to connect to your work computer from home and have access to
files and applications.
b.. Remote Assistance allows a helper to use an Internet connection to access your computer to
provide assistance. The helper views your computer's screen and communicates through a chat box. The
helper can remotely control your computer to resolve a problem.

Remote Desktop...
http://www.microsoft.com/WINDOWSXP/pro/using/howto/gomobile/remotedesktop/default.asp
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/focuson/remotedesktop.asp

Remote Assistance...
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/howto/gethelp/remoteassist/default.asp
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/focuson/remoteassist.asp

--
Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows Networking)

Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the mutual benefit of all of us...
The MS MVP Program - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights...
 
thanks for the reply!.

OK, so if I understand this correctly, if I use Windows Messenger to
initiate communication then even if both novice and expert are behind
firewalls it will work. If I use Save invitation as a file or Send
invitation as email then I need to have port 3389 open on the inbound of the
firewall of the novice. Since I have no control of the novice firewall it
sounds like I can use the Windows Messaging with Remote Assist and it'll
work. Of course, one way to find out is to test it.

Troy


Sooner Al said:
It depends on if you want to do a help desk function or a remote
Click to expand...
administration function. Remote
Desktop for the remote administration function and Remote Assistance for the help desk function.
Both use TCP Port 3389 so your firewall/NAT/routers would need that forwarded/opened. To see how
Remote Assistance is effected by a firewall/NAT/router look at this KB article.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q301529

Remote Desktop (Host) is only available on XP Pro platforms, while Remote Desktop (Client) is on
both XP Pro and Home. Remote Assistance runs on both XP Pro and Home platforms.

Otherwise look at this information...

From the FAQ...

Q. What are the differences between Remote Desktop and Remote Assistance?
A. Remote Desktop and Remote Assistance use the same underlying technology, but there are
differences between these features.

a.. Remote Desktop allows access to a remote Windows computer. For
Click to expand...
example, when you are at another
computer you can use Remote Desktop to connect to your work computer from home and have access to
files and applications.
b.. Remote Assistance allows a helper to use an Internet connection to access your computer to
provide assistance. The helper views your computer's screen and
Click to expand...
communicates through a chat box. The
 
Yep...nothing beats the ol' smoke test...

--
Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows Networking)

Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the mutual benefit of all of us...
The MS MVP Program - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights...
 
Hey Al, one more question.

I understand that the Web Messaging will work if either the novice or expert
is behind the. In my scenario both systems would be behidn NAT'ed firewalls.
If I open a port to my laptop (say I'm the Expert) to allow inbound
communications on port 3389 would WebMessaging work then? Of course, I could
simply put my laptop outside the firewall but that's not too safe, although
it would only be for tech support purposes and wouldn't be an all day thing.

Troy
 
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