Remote controlling of PC apps

  • Thread starter Thread starter MattStan
  • Start date Start date
M

MattStan

Hi,

My Dad regulary has PC problems, software configuration, 'losing' files,
setting preferences, etc. He is not very computer literate. Often I have to
go round to sort things out or tell him what to do over the phone. Is there
some software that will allow me to operate his PC from my own, including
the use of applications, his desktop as a virtual desktop on my desktop so
to speak?

I'm running Win 2000, he has XP, we both have broadband connections.

Thanks,

...matthew
 
Sooner said:
If he is running XP Pro then you can use Remote Desktop to do that. Note that while you are
connected his local display is locked out and he can not see what your doing.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/howto/gomobile/remotedesktop/default.asp

If he is behind a firewall/NAT/router then TCP Port 3389 needs to be open. Call using the public IP
of his PC or the firewall/NAT/router...
Click to expand...

What about using XP's "Remote Assistance" instead? Seems to be more
aligned with needs to provide "user support".
 
He, the original poster, is running W2K while his father is running XP of some flavor. Currently you
need both ends to be running XP Pro/Home in order to use Remote Assistance... From the FAQ at
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/howto/gethelp/remoteassist/rafaq-general.asp

Q. Does Remote Assistance work on previous versions of the Windows operating system?

A. No, Remote Assistance is not supported on previous versions of Windows. Both helpers and
requestors must be using Windows XP.

They could use VNC or NetMeeting Remote Desktop Sharing as alternatives to Remote Desktop...

--
Al

Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the mutual
benefit of all of us...Unsolicited personal emails are *NOT* answered.

Rob Schneider said:
What about using XP's "Remote Assistance" instead? Seems to be more
aligned with needs to provide "user support".
Click to expand...


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When I mentioned Remote Assistance I'm not sure why I didn't remember it
didn't work in a mixed XP/Win2k environment. My mind was on the loss of
collaboration capability of Remote Desktop.

But NetMeeting will achieve the end result of allowing Son to work on
the Dad's PC while Dad watches. That should be very valuable when Dad
wants to see. VNC will allow son to go in and fix things, but like
Remote Desktop I don't think it will allow Dad to see what Son is doing.
it's an access technology, not a collaboration technology like
Netmeeting is.
 
MattStan said:
Thanks Rob. I'll investigate using Netmeeting as well.
Click to expand...

If you have firewalls involved in your interent connection (and I hope
you do for security purposes), you'll have to open certain ports to let
NetMeeting work (as with any app you will be useing to connect the
machines). Read about this, and other things, at a Netmeeting site I
recently noticed: http://www.meetingbywire.com/
 
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