LogMeIn Remote Access Software
Have you ever been away from your office or main PC and needed to access an important file or email address? Or, do you have coworkers or relatives that need help with their PCs but you’re not close enough to visit in person to help them out? Well, I’m often in one or the other of these situations. LogMeIn has solved my problems regarding remote access. And, the best part is that it’s free and easy.
The first step is to go to logmein.com and download the free software onto your system so you can access it from a remote location. After you get setup you can download it to other systems you want to access remotely. If the other systems are at a location other than your own, for instance a relative in another city, you can easily walk someone through the steps.
Second, install the software on your own system. During the setup you’re asked to establish an account ID and password. Next you’re asked to give your system a name and an access code. These last two are different from the account ID and password which get you into the main LogMeIn screen and the systems you have access to. After you sign in you click on the system you want to control remotely and enter the access code.
The next step is to download the software on a system you’ll want to access sometime in the future (or walk someone through this step). When doing this you’ll need to supply the account ID and password created earlier then assign a new system name and access code. By using the same account ID for multiple remote systems you’re building a list of systems you have access to.
If
you’re going to access your system from a remote location you don’t need
the software on the system you’re using because it’s all done through
the LogMeIn web site. You only need the software on systems you want to
remotely access. This means you can use any available computer to access
any system you want to control.
When I travel I use my laptop to access my production system in my office. The free software doesn’t allow me to move files between systems like the paid versions do, so on those rare occasions when I need a file I log onto my office machine, create an email to myself, and send the file(s) as an attachment. It works great!
I’m very happy with the reaction time as well. The cursor is sometimes a bit sluggish but not enough to be a nuisance like other programs I’ve used. The mouse can be controlled by either person without the need to “hand off” control like some enterprise solutions require.
Another great feature is that there doesn’t have to be anyone on the remote end for you to access the system. As long as the system is powered on you can access it. When I want to work on my mother’s computer I just ask her to make sure the system is on and I can then do what I need anytime. I leave my office system on all the time so it’s always ready for me when I’m away.
If
you want to exchange files without mailing them to yourself you can
purchase the LogMeIn Pro version or one of the many other versions
available. The starting cost is around $50 per PC per year and goes down
in price for multiple systems. These versions also allow you to print
remotely, among other things. There is also a version that allows you to
download the software to a remote location without operator
intervention. This is great for companies that need to access systems on
the fly for customer support.