# Best remote support software?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-remote-support-software/629640
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [July 28, 2012, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-remote-support-software/629640 "2012-07-28T02:54:43Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2012, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-remote-support-software/629640/1 "2012-07-28T02:54:43Z")
I haven’t done remote support since DOS days, but a friend of mine needs some assistance and I’d like to use some good program to synchronize our computers so I can operate his remotely (with his approval, of course!).
I know there are many programs out there. I’d be grateful for opinions. Free is good, cheap is OK.
(As an unimportant aside, this friend is someone who I used to work closely with, a colleague, of equal skill level to mine – my mentor, even – but due to a stroke and/or medical complications, has been reduced to the level of a beginner. It’s very difficult to talk to him since I have to dumb down everything I say. So this kind of support seems like the best way to go. This is a former senior engineer who once designed sophisticated operating systems and taught mathematics, but I can no longer say something as simple as “Open your browser window and navigate to this URL.” He thinks yahoo is his browser.) ☹
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### Author:  [@Curiosity\_Kills\_Her](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Curiosity_Kills_Her)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2012, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-remote-support-software/629640/2 "2012-07-28T03:30:26Z")
I am sorry about your friend.
[Teamviewer is what I use.](http://www.teamviewer.com/en/download/index.aspx) Fully featured program free for non-commercial use. It saves me a lot of aggravation when dealing with my mother 😉
It’s nice because it only runs if you launch it and it auto-generates a password the other person must give you each time you wish to connect.
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### Author:  [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2012, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-remote-support-software/629640/3 "2012-07-28T03:47:58Z")
At work I use [GoToAssist](http://gotoassist.com) with [CoPilot](http://copilot.com) as a backup.
With GoToAssist, you can install it on his machine so that you (with the correct password of course) can log in to his machine without any actions required on his part.
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### Author:  [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2012, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-remote-support-software/629640/4 "2012-07-28T04:00:13Z")
My friend an I use the built in Windows Remote Assistance all the time.
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### Author:  [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2012, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-remote-support-software/629640/5 "2012-07-28T04:25:28Z")
Can you use Remote Desktop? He’s probably not configured for it, so good luck getting that started. I think Teamviewer or GotoMeeting would be good ways to start. You have a good chance of getting those started up from just a browser.
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### Author:  [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2012, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-remote-support-software/629640/6 "2012-07-28T06:31:34Z")
> [@Curiosity\_Kills\_Her](#):
>
> I am sorry about your friend.
>
> [Teamviewer is what I use.](http://www.teamviewer.com/en/download/index.aspx) Fully featured program free for non-commercial use. It saves me a lot of aggravation when dealing with my mother 😉
>
> It’s nice because it only runs if you launch it and it auto-generates a password the other person must give you each time you wish to connect.
…another Team Viewer user here: works incredibly well.
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### Author:  [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2012, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-remote-support-software/629640/7 "2012-07-28T06:52:42Z")
Teamviewer rocks.
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### Author:  [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2012, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-remote-support-software/629640/8 "2012-07-28T07:58:29Z")
Thanks to all you good people for the advice and condolences. Sorry I went off on a pity rant there, but it’s sobering to find out someone you have connected with on a high technical level for decades now cannot understand 70% of what we used to do together. I guess that’s a topic for a different thread.
> [@davidm](#):
>
> At work I use [GoToAssist](http://gotoassist.com) with [CoPilot](http://copilot.com) as a backup.
>
> With GoToAssist, you can install it on his machine so that you (with the correct password of course) can log in to his machine without any actions required on his part.
Installing it on his machine could be problematical, and I don’t want to make him paranoid about my logging in without him knowing about it if there are other methods available.
> [@ZipperJJ](#):
>
> My friend an I use the built in Windows Remote Assistance all the time.
Isn’t that a Win7 function? Both of us will be using XP for this connection.
> [@TriPolar](#):
>
> Can you use Remote Desktop? He’s probably not configured for it, so good luck getting that started. I think Teamviewer or GotoMeeting would be good ways to start. You have a good chance of getting those started up from just a browser.
> [@Curiosity\_Kills\_Her](#):
>
> [Teamviewer is what I use.](http://www.teamviewer.com/en/download/index.aspx) Fully featured program free for non-commercial use. It saves me a lot of aggravation when dealing with my mother 😉
>
> It’s nice because it only runs if you launch it and it auto-generates a password the other person must give you each time you wish to connect.
That sounds like it might do the trick. Teamviewer seems to win the poll so far.
My real estate corporate office uses something like this – I can’t remember the name or the exact procedure, but when they need to control any of my computers, establishing the connection is pretty simple on the customer’s end. I’m afraid they might be using some expensive software, though – I’ll have to check next week.
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### Author:  [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2012, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-remote-support-software/629640/9 "2012-07-28T08:52:02Z")
GoToAssist doesn’t have to be installed, that’s just one way of using it. The other way is that you email him a link, he clicks on it and it installs a small app that lets you on for one session.
It works really well provided he can follow the instructions to click on the emailed link, let it download, and give permission for it to run. It has some nice features, including the ability to reboot the machine, transfer files in either direction, and send ctrl-alt-delete (so you can start task manager).
It will run in safe mode (as long as it’s safe mode with networking) which I’ve found to be useful when the user’s machine wouldn’t boot any other way.
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### Author:  [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2012, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-remote-support-software/629640/10 "2012-07-28T09:11:24Z")
I have your solution.
I’ve used many programs for this (Go To Assist, Log Me In, Cross Loop etc.)
Both of you put [join.me](http://join.me) in your address bars and press enter. (It’s a Log Me in product and super easy for technophobes to use)
Have them click on share, and tell you what pops up. It’s usually Run, allow, etc
Once they get a small widget near the top of their screen, have them read you the 9 digit number.
You put that number into the green box that says Join and click the play button.
They just allow you access and you can see everything. Click the mouse icon and you can request mouse control.
Free, of course.
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### Author:  [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2012, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-remote-support-software/629640/11 "2012-07-28T11:40:41Z")
**dnooman,** is there any problem with firewalls?
Also, could I test this out using two of my computers connected to the Internet thru the same router? It might be easier to guide him thru the process if I can test it on both ends myself first.
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### Author:  [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2012, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-remote-support-software/629640/12 "2012-07-28T14:40:11Z")
I use LogMeIn and like it a lot.
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### Author:  [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)
#### Post date: [July 29, 2012, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-remote-support-software/629640/13 "2012-07-29T00:36:54Z")
> [@Musicat](#):
>
> **dnooman,** is there any problem with firewalls?
>
> Also, could I test this out using two of my computers connected to the Internet thru the same router? It might be easier to guide him thru the process if I can test it on both ends myself first.
My firewall didn’t give me any hassles at all. If theirs has a pop up that asks to allow VNC, just have them approve it. It would only be an accept or deny situation for the most part, but will likely not be an issue.
I have used it a work going through the same network with common servers, and I’d think it would work on the same router.
There’s also an app for Android, and probably iOS that will allow the same viewing capabilities but no mouse control. I think you’ll be surprised how easy it is to walk even the most technophobic person through this software.
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### Author:  [@Jake\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake_Jones)
#### Post date: [July 29, 2012, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-remote-support-software/629640/14 "2012-07-29T01:18:38Z")
TeamViewer. Fourthed!
The best part is the QuickSupport download, which is a per-incident install and does not require admin priviledges. Love TeamViewer!
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### Author:  [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)
#### Post date: [July 29, 2012, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-remote-support-software/629640/15 "2012-07-29T01:58:32Z")
> [@Curiosity\_Kills\_Her](#):
>
> I am sorry about your friend.
>
> [Teamviewer is what I use.](http://www.teamviewer.com/en/download/index.aspx) Fully featured program free for non-commercial use. It saves me a lot of aggravation when dealing with my mother 😉
>
> It’s nice because it only runs if you launch it and it auto-generates a password the other person must give you each time you wish to connect.
Someone recommended installing remote desktop software when I was asking about a computer for my mother. After some research, I settled on TeamViewer, and it’s been really easy to use. In my mother’s case, I installed it with a password so I can log in without her having to enter a password. There are also the other log-in options others have mentioned.
I’ll also add that i use Linux and she’s running Windows 7, so if you need cross-platform support now or in the future, TeamViewer will still work.
ETA: I’ll also also add that I run DSL at 768 kbps (slower than those turtles in the Comcast ads!), and it still works well.
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### Author:  [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)
#### Post date: [July 29, 2012, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-remote-support-software/629640/16 "2012-07-29T02:09:24Z")
> [@Musicat](#):
>
> Also, could I test this out using two of my computers connected to the Internet thru the same router? It might be easier to guide him thru the process if I can test it on both ends myself first.
One other thing, when I installed TeamViewer on my system, I didn’t have my mother’s computer to try it on yet. I started it and (I think) clicked to close it, and it popped up a dialog box asking if I wanted to connect to a remote test computer to try it out. So you can test it right now. I don’t know if there’s any way to try it to see what it’s like from the receiving end, though.
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### Author:  [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)
#### Post date: [July 29, 2012, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-remote-support-software/629640/17 "2012-07-29T03:46:38Z")
I downloaded TeamViewer to test it out. It’s pretty full featured and I’d likely use it on connections I have to revisit, but for one-off viewing with a newb I’ll stick with [join.me](http://join.me) for now.
I didn’t see the option to connect to a test PC though, I didn’t look much past the main menus though.
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### Author:  [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)
#### Post date: [July 29, 2012, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-remote-support-software/629640/18 "2012-07-29T05:32:49Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#):
>
> My friend an I use the built in Windows Remote Assistance all the time.
> [@Musicat](#):
>
> Isn’t that a Win7 function? Both of us will be using XP for this connection.
No absolutely not. We’ve been using it for years, first with XP and now with Win 7.
Just go to Start - Help and Support and it’ll walk you through it right there. Easy peasy. If your firewall is not configured to allow it, it’ll walk you through that too.
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### Author:  [@Tippy101](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tippy101)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2012, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-remote-support-software/629640/19 "2012-07-30T14:33:42Z")
I’d go with [Teamviewer](http://www.teamviewer.com/) if I were you. We use [ScreenConnect](http://www.screenconnect.com/) at work but probably way more than you need for this.
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### Author:  [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2012, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-remote-support-software/629640/20 "2012-07-30T17:06:12Z")
I still like Timbuktu the best of them.
TeamViewer is decent. I like Apple Remote Access for the Mac-centric world. The free VNC protocol is decent but sometimes deplorably slow. There’s one called Mikogo that my current main client likes and it’s pretty good.
I don’t care for the slew of web-based approaches such as [gotomypc.com](http://gotomypc.com) and [logmein.com](http://logmein.com) but I’ve used them when I had to.
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