Remote Access Support - Is it Worth the Risk? By Leo Notenboom

Typically when you call a software company or computer manufacturer to fix a problem they rely on you to describe what is wrong and then work with you to troubleshoot the problem over the phone. This can often get quite confusing.

Frequently these days, and with your permission, many such support desks can use remote access technology to view and even use your computer as you watch to solve your problem directly. This is certainly very convenient, but is it safe?

Not necessarily.

The real question you must ask before allowing anyone remote access to your computer is simply this: how much do you trust them?

Depending on the technology being used, you're giving that remote technician access not only to the problem but the rest of your computer as well - all of it - often with full administrative access Some technologies allow you to watch what the technician does while he or she fixes the problem, which can be both helpful and informative. But beware; they may also be exploring elsewhere in ways that you cannot see.

That's why it's all about trust.

Even if you are working with a reputable firm that you trust not to have some malicious intent, how can you be certain the technician actually knows what he or she is doing?

Certainly most companies are very probably reputable, and most technicians are indeed trustworthy and competent. But regardless, unless you have some way to actually confirm that, remote access still feels like a huge risk that just might not be worth it.

The bottom line? If you choose to allow support via remote access, make sure you are with a company you trust, and that you've established a level of trust with the individual technician handling your case.

And above all, be sure to back up your entire machine first. That's the ultimate safety net in case of error.

Get more free tech help and advice from Leo Notenboom by visiting http://ask-leo.com With over 30 years of industry experience, including an 18 year career as a software engineer with Microsoft, Leo gives real answers to real questions from ordinary computer users at Ask Leo Subscribe to Leo's weekly newsletter now and receive a free ebook: "Internet Safety - Keeping Your Computer Safe on the Internet", a collection of steps, tools and concepts you need to know to keep your computer and your information safe.

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The ABCs of Remote Control Computer Software Installation By Andy West

Technology offers some astounding ways for companies, organizations and businesses to make sharing information much easier. Originally LAN and WAN internet connections provided opportunities for file sharing and transfer using email or FTP servers, now there is the very simple and secure option of installing remote control computer software to allow you to literally be in two places at once. With this software, anyone can access any computer within a designated system or systems from any remote location and you don't need to use email to transfer files. The distance can be just across the hall or in another office thousands of miles away. All that is required is that both computers have internet access and both have the software installed to allow the connection to be made.

Many people think that installing this software takes a lot of technical knowhow and a lot of experience in working with firewalls and routers as well as networking. This is a misconception because anyone who can install any type of simple software program can set up remote access. The software will largely be configured by the computer itself and all you will need to do is identify the computers that you need to access. This is done by using the IP addresses.

Only computers with remote control computer software can use the program, which keeps the software secure. The program is designed with a series of account names and passwords. Each computer that has the software installed is identified by a unique nickname and password. This prevents anyone that doesn't have this information from accessing computers, allowing the administrator to provide the passwords only to those that need to have them. In fact, anyone using the system will need to know both passwords, the initial one for the control module as well as for each individual identified computer on the system.

Since most internet service providers have a dynamically assigned IP address for each computer the nickname system works very effectively. Even though the IP address changes each time the computer is logged on, the nickname you establish when you set up the software remains constant. The modules recognize the nickname and password and automatically use the dynamically assigned IP to access the computer, allowing you to get into the computer regardless of where you may be located.

Firewalls and routers are also not a concern for the best types of remote control computer software packages. These systems will automatically negotiate the connection without any additional configuration or deactivation of the firewalls or routers. This means that your system is always fully firewalled and protected and you don't have to shut it down when the remote connection is in place. Other security features include authentication and encryption to keep data in file transfers highly secure.

When considering a remote control computer software package be sure to look for information on both the installation process as well as the security features. There are some excellent websites online that provide videos and demonstrations of the steps required for the installation, all written in non-techie language that anyone can and will understand. In addition help services should be provided, allowing you to ask any questions you may have during installation or when operating the software.

Andy West is a writer on various subjects, including remote access for computers. Getting started using remote control computer software is much easier than you may imagine. Once you get started, you will be able to access your home computer virtually.

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Advantages of Remote Access Software by Phillip Presley

Remote desktop software will give any user the possibility to work anywhere with any remotely connected computer. Connecting to the remote desktop will enable the user to see the mouse pointer and all its movements, and then see everything that happens on the desktop via various keyboard commands. In other words, all of the commands from the remote computer will be managed as you would with your own computer as if you were there. The beauty of remoteaccess is the decreased need to be physically present to control a computer, which is highly advantageous if there are multiple computers to work on. Control and management of all computers will be centralized, and all operations such as administration and support, troubleshooting, and configuration can be done remotely through remote access software.

Some older connection tools only allow one user to be logged in per session. However, with remote desktop software today, the one user per session feature is bypassed. Modern remote access enables two users to be able to have active connections in one computer at the same time. This is a very useful feature in shared presentations, interactive education, and troubleshooting operations.

There is a wide array of remote desktop software available in the market today. Each will have different purposes and varying numbers of computers that can be accessed at one time. The cost of remote access software will depend on the set of features that will be included in the package, and also the number of controlled computers.

In the previous years when RAS still in its early stages, there was a considerable lag time between commands that are executed from the central computer to the remote computer. With the advent of instantaneous internet speeds, remote access can happen immediately without delay. Developers have worked on ways to create a perfectly simultaneous remote access response from one computer to another.

One very useful feature that has been added to remote access software nowadays is the ability for a user in the remote computer to communicate with the user in the central computer. This is particularly helpful in troubleshooting operations, and also in interactive education. It is a great way to perform checks and balances, as well as gain feedback and validation from the other user.

There are some remote access software programs now that enable users to record the session or capture screenshots. This is particularly great for those who may need proper documentation of every session. This feature works great for monitoring purposes using remote desktop software.

This article was written by Phillip Presley on behalf of Proxy Networks. He recommends you consider Proxy Networks for all your Remote Access Software, Remote Desktop Software, and PC Remote Access needs.

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Access Your Files And PC In Any Place: Use Remote Access Software by Phillip Presley

Now that computing has gone increasingly mobile, it is possible to access information from any internet enabled device. Laptop computers, netbooks, tablet PCs and internet ready smart phone such as the BlackBerry and the iPhone have made it very easy to have access to the data that you need whenever you need it. But there is one issue with this: making sure that the data you need is accessible on the device where you will be viewing it or working with it.

Of course, there are many solutions available to accomplish just that. You could simply plug the remote device into your main PC and transfer the files there. Or, you could simply upload the files to a remote storage facility, such as sending them to yourself in an email or using a remote file storage account. But these solutions are not optimal in all cases. You don't always have access to the main PC and the device you will be using while away at the same time. And, while online file transfer services are convenient, uploading large files to the internet (and then downloading them) could make you waste a lot of time.

There is another way to do things and that involves using Remote Access Software. This is a piece of software that allows you to access data on your PC from any internet enabled device, anywhere in the world. But one of the best things about using a Remote Access solution is that you can do a whole lot more than just move files back and forth between two different computer systems. Remote Desktop Software also lets you control the PC remotely, just like you would if you were sitting right in front of it.

Therefore, thanks to remote access software, you run the applications that are installed on your PC remotely and they will work as if you were right there using the computer. This feature of remote desktop software is very useful, as you would not need to install the application again on the remote computer. You also wouldn't have to worry about whether the remote PC has the necessary hardware and configuration necessary to run that application. This is due to the fact that it is executed on the home PC, and all you are doing on the remote computer is viewing what would be on the screen and controlling the home PC.

No matter why you need to control your PC from a distance, there is a remote access tool that can be of a great help to you. As this form of technology is becoming more and more prevalent among both large corporations and small businesses, isn't it time that you made the jump and considered making use of remote desktop software?

This article was written by Phillip Presley on behalf of Proxy Networks. He recommends you consider Proxy Networks for all your Remote Access, Remote Control Software, and PC Remote Access needs.

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PC Remote Access for Smart Phones and Portable Devices by Phillip Presley

The usage of Remote Access software has changed the look of many companies in the recent past. The remote control software used for this purpose has also changed. Nowadays we get the latest remote access software that offers features that were considered impossible only a few decades ago. Development in the IT industry is changing the way the world with its inventions every day. One such invention is PC remote access. This feature helps the user access a computer anywhere in the world, which means a user with a computer in the US can access a computer across the world as if they were sitting in front of it within seconds of switching it on. These features have helped multinational companies grow and develop quicker because it saves money and time for troubleshooting, repairs, recovering documents and for many other reasons.

Multinational companies and corporate companies use PC remote access to store backup data. Most of these companies would not be able to run without proper and secured backup methods. These companies use Remote Control Software to manage their backup data on remote computers and servers. This is all done to maintain and secure the server as it is the backbone of the company.

For many years, we knew about PC remote access as a method to transfer data and files. These programs have never been as safe and secure as they are now. Nowadays there are PC remote control products that offer a wide range of unique features from file transfer to ultra-secure access.

Just some of the many PC Remote Desktop products available out there are made by companies including PcAnywhere, Proxy Networks, GoToMyPC, and LogMeIn. These are not considered to be the best products just because they are easy to use, but also because they provide unique features that a user requires in sharing and securing vital data and information. This remote access software comes with built-in firewalls. They are programmed in methods that can never be accessed by any unauthorized user.

One good reason to use PC remote access nowadays is its diversity in operating systems and access points. With the latest remote control software you can access your computer from your workplace, home, or from your smartphone or tablet computing device. These options offer a lot of features that were not available with previous releases. Accessing your data from a smartphone allows you to access your music from the road (for personal users), data files while traveling (for business users) and plenty of other applications. This access also allows downloads to be scheduled, computers turned on or off and software updated at the touch of a button.

This article was written by Phillip Presley on behalf of Proxy Networks. He recommends you consider Proxy Networks for all your Remote Access, Remote Control Software, and PC Remote Access needs.

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