Browser based remote control
Author
Discussion

BliarOut

Original Poster:

72,863 posts

269 months

Wednesday 13th April 2005
quotequote all
Now I've seen this, and even used it, but I'll be darned if I can remember the site. I need to gain access to remote machines inside a hospital network in the US, but they won't let us have a VPN, So I reckon browser remote control is the answer.

Does anyone know the url of the company that does this? I remember it's subscription based and not that cheap, but it seems a reasonable alternative under the circumstances.

Google just turns up far too many choices.

Mr E

23,070 posts

289 months

Wednesday 13th April 2005
quotequote all
Erm.

I use VNC (tightVNC actually) for this sort of thing, but Radmin does the same thing.

You'll still probably need a VPN to get to the target machine though.

Gaffer

7,156 posts

307 months

Wednesday 13th April 2005
quotequote all
What about Xp's own Remote Control System?

Claire

randlemarcus

13,646 posts

261 months

Wednesday 13th April 2005
quotequote all
www.logmein.com
The free one is a cracking piece of kit, as long as you dont need file transfer

GreenV8S

31,021 posts

314 months

Wednesday 13th April 2005
quotequote all
GoToMyPC does this job extremely well, and since both machines set up outgoing connections it is very easy to get through firewalls etc.

BliarOut

Original Poster:

72,863 posts

269 months

Wednesday 13th April 2005
quotequote all
I usually use VNC or RDP, but without a VPN or port forwarding on their firewall I'm a bit fubared

I'll have a look at the others, but I really need to find the browser one I tried.... If only I had a memory

victormeldrew

8,293 posts

307 months

Wednesday 13th April 2005
quotequote all
I used to use GoToMyPC, and it worked fine until my clients proxy server administrators got cute. It did good service for a few years first though.

Gaffer

7,156 posts

307 months

Wednesday 13th April 2005
quotequote all
pcAnywhere? Dameware?

They are the only others I know of.

Claire

BliarOut

Original Poster:

72,863 posts

269 months

Wednesday 13th April 2005
quotequote all
victormeldrew said:
I used to use GoToMyPC, and it worked fine until my clients proxy server administrators got cute. It did good service for a few years first though.

Looks kinda like it.... But needs software installing.... What I used was "clientless" and just ran in the browser window... I think.

I reckon I should change my login name to Dorie

randlemarcus

13,646 posts

261 months

Wednesday 13th April 2005
quotequote all
Logmein needs a client intalling on the host, but only an activex control on the remote controlling machine.

Gaffer

7,156 posts

307 months

Wednesday 13th April 2005
quotequote all
www.dameware.com/

Why should you choose to integrate DameWare NT Utilities into your Corporate IT Strategy?

Multiple domain administration in one centralized view.
Manage Windows NT, 2000, XP, 2003 machines with one interface.
No configuration needed, just install and go.
No roll out of client needed, it installs it's client agents on the fly!
Any administrator can install or remove client software remotely in seconds.
Built on Windows standard API technology. No messing up your servers and clients here.

Claire

Mr E

23,070 posts

289 months

Wednesday 13th April 2005
quotequote all
BliarOut said:
I usually use VNC or RDP, but without a VPN or port forwarding on their firewall I'm a bit fubared

I'll have a look at the others, but I really need to find the browser one I tried.... If only I had a memory


VNC can run through the browser as well mate.

mcflurry

9,190 posts

283 months

Thursday 14th April 2005
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Timbukto ? PC Anywhere? Dual ?

billb

3,198 posts

295 months

Thursday 14th April 2005
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we use netsupport for this type of thing

fish

4,064 posts

312 months

Thursday 14th April 2005
quotequote all
Just tried the log me in stuff absolutely brilliant...and if you do need a file urgently you can e-mail it to yourself.

catretriever

2,090 posts

272 months

Thursday 14th April 2005
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One of our software vendors uses www.webex.com to provide support. A quick glance at their website shows they have a free personal version of the software that may be worth a look...

victormeldrew

8,293 posts

307 months

Thursday 14th April 2005
quotequote all
I use Dameware and UltraVNC, both as far as I know both rely on actually having a network connection, so you need a VPN as well - which you didn't need with GoToMyPC.

Yes, GoToMyPC needed you to install client software at the client, so it could announce its presence to the GoToMyPC server. Its that that savvy (or slightly savvy) network/proxy administrators block, so the GoToMyPC client goes "Offline" forever. It is similar to the likes of pcAnywhere, which also rely on some client software to be installed, except that pcAnywhere requires its software installed at both ends; GoToMyPC will connect from any browser without any software installed on the PC you are connecting from.

All slightly different beasts, with different features, for different scenarios.

DameWare is the only one I've seen which "worms" its way in, but it does need some kind of network connection first. I'd be very surprised (and extremely worried) if it can perform this trick through a browser connection (ie on http port 80).

Bottom line is I don't think there is anything that will connect through a browser to a PC which doesn't have *some* client software installed. Think what s security nightmare that would be!

edited to add: love the Dorie reference by the way. Do I know you? Are you following me?

>> Edited by victormeldrew on Thursday 14th April 12:35

rdhawkins

322 posts

313 months

Thursday 14th April 2005
quotequote all
billb said:
we use netsupport for this type of thing


Good on ya billb

Rob (lead developer on all NetSupport stuff)

PS do you use NetSupport Manager, School or DNA? I only ask as I seem to remember you work at a school and we're currently putting the final touches on the new version of NetSupport School.

BliarOut

Original Poster:

72,863 posts

269 months

Thursday 14th April 2005
quotequote all
catretriever said:
One of our software vendors uses www.webex.com to provide support. A quick glance at their website shows they have a free personal version of the software that may be worth a look...


That was it

I know all the other stuff can be run in imaginative and inventive ways, but I need to defeat a hostile and unfriendly IT regime

billb

3,198 posts

295 months

Friday 15th April 2005
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rdhawkins said:

billb said:
we use netsupport for this type of thing



Good on ya billb

Rob (lead developer on all NetSupport stuff)

PS do you use NetSupport Manager, School or DNA? I only ask as I seem to remember you work at a school and we're currently putting the final touches on the new version of NetSupport School.



ahhh interesting contact to have! at the moment we have crappy old version ( v5.01 ) as it came with the viglen system we and a lot of schools use. however, am looking at maybe ditching the viglen system so have literally just received a quote for net support schools on its own. was disappointed that i have to buy it completely afresh as u cant upgrade from one over 3 years old though so its not particularly cheap. that said i do like it and used to use it in my old corporate job too. whats the new version do and when's it out?