What do I need to do to remote desktop to my machine at home?

wilsky

wilsky

wilsky

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This has always puzzled me, and I have been too afraid to ask.

Say I am at work and I wish to login to my machine at home. what would be the easiest way of doing so?

Thanks.
 
What OS are you running? You need XP Pro or Vista Ultimate to do real remote desktop.
If you are using any other version of Windows then I'd recommend LogMeIn, not quite as good but much easier to setup.
 
I haven't used the Windows 7 beta but it's the ultimate version so I would assume it has remote desktop built into it, I would google for a guide as you will need to setup port forwarding etc.. Or just use logmein and you just need to install the software on your home pc and then you can access from any browser.
 
If you aren't technically minded use logmein.

I'm technically minded, so I went a different way.

Install Cygwin and OpenSSHD.
(http://www.petri.co.il/setup-ssh-server-vista.htm)

Setup Dynamic Dns
(http://www.dyndns.com/)

Forward port 22 from your router to your desktop

Make sure RDP is running on your desktop.

From remote machine use:

ssh -L 13389:localhost:3389 [email protected]

Then open Remote Desktop & connect to localhost:13389 and connect to your desktop over an encrypted tunnel.

Note, you can significantly improve the security of your connection by using Public Key authentication, see http://sial.org/howto/openssh/publickey-auth/

My ISP gives me a static IP address, so I don't bother with DynDNS and have a real DNS entry.

But for most people, logmein is a simpler solution :)
 
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I use Live Mesh.

Install it on your computer at home and that's sorted. You can also use it to sync files between your different devices.

It's adequate for my use anyway.
 
Thanks to everyone for the advice.

Seeing as I like to get my hands grubby I will give the following a go. I would much prefer to actually remote desktop via a VPN rather than a browser.

I understand that using Logmein is easier but I haven't really learned anything that way. Looking below I doubt I will get it right first try and if I do it will have just been pure luck.

But hey, that is half the fun.

Cheers

sldsmkd said:
If you aren't technically minded use logmein.

I'm technically minded, so I went a different way.

Install Cygwin and OpenSSHD.
(http://www.petri.co.il/setup-ssh-server-vista.htm)

Setup Dynamic Dns
(http://www.dyndns.com/)

Forward port 22 from your router to your desktop

Make sure RDP is running on your desktop.

From remote machine use:

ssh -L 13386:localhost:3386 [email protected]

Then open Remote Desktop & connect to localhost:13389 and connect to your desktop over an encrypted tunnel.

Note, you can significantly improve the security of your connection by using Public Key authentication, see http://sial.org/howto/openssh/publickey-auth/

My ISP gives me a static IP address, so I don't bother with DynDNS and have a real DNS entry.

But for most people, logmein is a simpler solution :)
Click to expand...
 
I love it when people post threads that answer questions I needed answered! :D Would love to be able to 'dial' into my work PC from home so I can keep an eye on the network. :p
 
wilsky said:
Thanks to everyone for the advice.

Seeing as I like to get my hands grubby I will give the following a go. I would much prefer to actually remote desktop via a VPN rather than a browser.

I understand that using Logmein is easier but I haven't really learned anything that way. Looking below I doubt I will get it right first try and if I do it will have just been pure luck.

But hey, that is half the fun.

Cheers
Click to expand...

;)

If you get stuck and Google isn't being helpful - leave a note on here and will try to help. If you have a couple of PC's on your home network you can test a lot of this out before you even open the firewall.
 
Personally I use LogMeIn, does everything I need it to for now (free version), though would be nice to have file transfer too sometimes. That's easily done other ways though.
 
You'll probably follow the advice above and find out work block access to the internet apart from browsing so you wont be able to remote desktop anyway :D Logmein can be used if you can't remote desktop directly to your machine at home and works really well. You simply install the client on your PC and it takes seconds. I have it installed on relatives machines who always ask me for help over the phone. I can connect to their machines in seconds and help out much more easily.

A direct simple method is this:

1. Install the dyndns dynamic client on your PC
2. Open "My Computer" properties and go to the remote tab
3. Enable remote desktop connections to your computer
4. Go onto your router and port forward port 3389 to your PC
5. From any machine you can then open windows remote desktop and type in the name you chose when signing up for DynDNS and connect to your machine. No need for additional software.

Of course this means anyone else can RDP to your machine if they know the username or password :D

A lot of companies will have a firewall however which will stop remote desktop connections through the proxy server so Logmein may be your only option, unless that site is blocked too!
 
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Totality said:
A lot of companies will have a firewall however which will stop remote desktop connections through the proxy server so Logmein may be your only option, unless that site is blocked too!
Click to expand...

Yeah, you don't really want to cut your teeth trying to access a corporate network. You might end up tearing your hair out trying to get something to work that is being filtered out.
 
theheyes said:
Yeah, you don't really want to cut your teeth trying to access a corporate network. You might end up tearing your hair out trying to get something to work that is being filtered out.
Click to expand...

My method is a bit more complicated, but it's worth learning - especially if you have no time pressure. It generally works across corporate firewalls, if it doesn't buy the network guys a drink and it will. It's a lot less effort for them to get it going anyway. It also teaches you the fundamentals of bypassing the future great firewall of britain ;)

SSH is a wonderful thing, if you get a chance learn how to use it. It will stand you in good stead.
 
sldsmkd said:
If you aren't technically minded use logmein.

I'm technically minded, so I went a different way.

Install Cygwin and OpenSSHD.
(http://www.petri.co.il/setup-ssh-server-vista.htm)

Setup Dynamic Dns
(http://www.dyndns.com/)

Forward port 22 from your router to your desktop

Make sure RDP is running on your desktop.

From remote machine use:

ssh -L 13389:localhost:3389 [email protected]

Then open Remote Desktop & connect to localhost:13389 and connect to your desktop over an encrypted tunnel.

Note, you can significantly improve the security of your connection by using Public Key authentication, see http://sial.org/howto/openssh/publickey-auth/

My ISP gives me a static IP address, so I don't bother with DynDNS and have a real DNS entry.

But for most people, logmein is a simpler solution :)
Click to expand...

+1 pertty much the setup I use also. Deffo nothing like any of the 1-click solutions out there though :p
 
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