Hi aloy61
The main differences between the
remote control packages on the
market will be mainly money and
a small handful of features.
Since introducing Windows 2000,
Microsoft has included a 2 seat
version of their Terminal Services
software.
[ http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/administration/terminal/tscaling.asp
]
[ http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/technologies/terminal/default.asp
]
2 seat license comes with Win2k and above
If you simply need access to a PC
running Windows 2000, or XP, of
the Server or higher type, this
is a great admin tool. It allows
you access to the desktop of
whichever user you login as. This
is where the fine line of remote
control and remote administration
comes in. Yes, you can remotely
control the PC you are connected
to, you can admin it, but you
cannot control the desktop that
is currently logged in on the
remote PC.
This is where a program like
pcAnywhere comes in. It sits
in the background on the remote
computer until you connect to
it. Then you get the remote
desktop in the pcAnywhere client
window. This window has control
buttons at the top for such
things as Full screen mode,
screen scaling, options, file
transfer. clipboard transfer,
both 2way, & chat with host PC.
Three other buttons allow you
to send a <CTRL><ALT><DEL> to
the host PC, restart host PC,
and end remote control session.
Session recording and screen
capture are also included. These
are good for diagnosing problems,
and troubleshooting.
[ http://www.symantec.com/pcanywhere/Consumer/index.html ]
[ http://www.cnet.com/software/0-3227892-1205-7812524.html?tag=dir-rev
]
A firewall thread about pcAnywhere
[ http://www.geocrawler.com/lists/3/Security/90/25/8908342/ ]
pcAnywhere firewall port registry hacking
[ http://service2.symantec.com/SUPPORT/pca.nsf/docid/1999110411575512
]
$160 avg. street price
I know the terminal server and
pcAnywhere (v10) intimately,
and have used them since they
have been around. pcAnywhere
I have used since '96. Terminal
server, since it came out with
Windows 2000. I haven't had the
need for anything else, and I've
done alot of remote controlling
in the past 8 years.
I will in all fairness try to
include some peers to these
two applications now.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
If you ever see Mac connectivity
in you future then Timbuktu Pro
is a really nice piece of software.
It offers relatively the same type
of remote desktop in window control,
file transfer, and chat. But also
for the Mac platform, which allows
interactivity between PC and Mac.
[ http://www.netopia.com/en-us/software/products/tb2/index.html ]
[ http://www.cnet.com/software/0-3227892-1205-1590131.html?tag=dir-rev
]
Firewall info for Timbuktu
[ http://www.netopia.com/en-us/support/technotes/software/tb22000/TP2000_005.html
]
$185 avg. street price
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
GoToMyPC uses a web client and remote software.
= How It Works = (from website)
GoToMyPC allows you to remotely
access your computer from any
other Internet-connected computer
in the world with almost any OS
through a secure, private connection
As long as web access is permitted
you can access through a firewall with
GoToMyPC. Subscription based.
[ https://www.gotomypc.com/?tag=st.sw.3227892-1205-8480755.txt.sw_ce ]
[ http://www.cnet.com/software/0-3227892-1205-8480755.html?tag=dir-rev
]
1 PC Annual Plan $14.95/mo. Total: $179.40/yr. Best Value
1 PC Monthly Plan $19.95/mo. Total: $19.95/mo.
2 PC Annual Plan $22.45/mo. Total: $269.40/yr. Best Value
2 PC Monthly Plan $29.95/mo. Total: $29.95/mo.
3-20 PC Annual Plan From $33.75/mo. Total: From $405.00/yr. Best
Value
3-20 PC Monthly Plan From $44.94/mo. Total: From $44.94/mo.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
LapLink Gold 11.0 is the latest of
a program I have only used a few
times. This was back when I first
tried pcAnywhere. And you know that
history. Firewall support, easy
setup, remote control and file
transfer are some of its claims.
[ http://www.laplink.com/ ]
[ http://www.cnet.com/software/0-3227892-1205-6705222.html?tag=dir-rev
]
$150 avg. street price
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
DameWare is new to me. No descent
review that I can find either.
[ http://www.ei-europe.com/dameware.html ]
DameWare NT Utilities firewall info
[ http://www.dameware.com/support/faq/faq.asp?ID=FAQ1045 ]
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
As for WinVNC I will just let you read
through the review and form your own
opinion. An excerpt:
"Setting up and using this remote
control app can be tougher than
coaxing a cat from a tree. "
WinVNC has security issues that
may be solved or exacerbated by
firewalls.
[ http://www.uk.research.att.com/vnc/ ]
[ http://www.cnet.com/software/0-3227892-1205-7056561.html?tag=dir-rev
]
Free
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There really aren't any other
'contender' software packages
out there that are peers to the
ones I named. I hope this will
suffice. I can clarify any points
if you like. Just ask first for
clarification before accepting the
answer.
thanks
-AI |
Request for Answer Clarification by
aloy61-ga
on
05 Aug 2002 18:39 PDT
Thanks for your quick reply.
Does PcAnywhere leave their port open while waiting for
connection,which allow hackers to attack the machine?
Is it possible for you to check out more on dameware software?
Thanks
aloy61
|
Clarification of Answer by
alienintelligence-ga
on
06 Aug 2002 04:02 PDT
Greetings again aloy61...
Thank you for asking for a
clarification. DameWare has
proven to be a tough gem to
dig up. I found trying to
come up with a descent
review was just as tough.
So I did the logical thing.
I downloaded the software
and installed it. I got the
DameWare NT Utilities v3.5
The key piece of software
in this utility package is
the DameWare Mini Remote
Control. This is offered
as a separate purchase for
$90 from their site. Or
$190 for the Utility version.
[ https://www.dameware.com/sales/pricing/ ]
I will have to say, I was
rather impressed with what
I saw. I didn't get a chance
to use it on a modem (what
I consider a worst case scenario
benchmark ). I did use it on
my home 100base net though. It
was fairly smooth, and only showed
some choppiness when it was trying
to reproduce moving graphics, such
as my screensaver that came up from
it idling. The control buttons
on the clientside window are
amusingly close to pcAnywhere's.
A smart move on their part. As
far as feature differences...
DameWare has a few "cute"
enhancements. Cursor highlighting
to keep you grounded in what
window you are accessing. And
something they call "warning
border" Basically a scrolling
marquee highlight around the
client window. Nice for the
obvious reason, but then also
totally annoying. Good vs evil.
When I started it up, and tried
connecting to the host, it said
the service was not running,
do I want to install it? I ok'd
it, it did it's thing, and there
I was, viewing the remote desktop.
Fairly easy install from start
to use. Many features for options,
but nothing new for a pcAnywhere
user. Encryption, host locking,
color depth, and port selection
are a few of the common settings.
If I wasn't already as familiar with
pcAnywhere as much as I was, I
would consider DameWare Remote for
use. The price of the Mini Remote
by itself is a nice difference
from pcAnywhere. 5M of disk space
is the difference in size for the
more dainty DameWare, coming in
at a whopping 11M (good thing to
know).
You asked about pcAnywhere having
an open port that could be
exploited by hackers.
As with most services that allow
a remote TCP/IP connection, there
will be a port open, waiting for
a connection to pcAnywhere. With
the multiple challenge structure
(NT permissions, IP range limiting)
the open port should not pose a
major problem.
{The most secure network is one
that has nothing attached to it, hehe}
There are several methods employed
by pcAnywhere to thwart people
with too much time on their hands.
You can change the data and status
ports in the advanced TCP/IP options
page. You can restrict the network
adapter that you accept connections
on. You can limit access to an IP
range. Outbound data port range
can be changed from default. You
can log sessions to detect illicit
activity, it even sends NT events.
Finally pcAnywhere like DameWare
has encryption.
how'd I do?
-AI
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
aloy61-ga
on
06 Aug 2002 23:30 PDT
Hi AI,
Are you able to install the guest service remotely through a firewall
using Dameware to a remote computer?
Could you help by explaining if you are able to install the guest
service to a remote computer(without physically install the services
at the computer)with firewall in place?
Thanks
aloy61
|
Clarification of Answer by
alienintelligence-ga
on
07 Aug 2002 02:08 PDT
This is actually getting fun aloy61.
Ok, don't tell anyone, but if the
ports are open, and you know someone's
login and password, you can totally
connect to their computer, install
the service app remotely, start it
up and just take over (you can lock
their kb and mouse). Need I say hacking
tool extraordinaire? It's hard to
believe I'm one of the first to give
a review on it.
In fact, a firewall is the only thing
that will protect you. Unless the
particular ports are open on the
firewall that the mini remote is
trying to connect to. Then you are no
better off. So, if the firewalled
computer you are trying to connect
to, has port 6129 open, you're in.
I didn't get the chance to try other
ports, uhh yet, hehe ;-)
I will have to play with ports on
new computers tomorrow. I haven't
figured out how to undo the remote
install yet, since the OS doesn't
recognize the installation and doesn't
put it in the Add/Remove programs area.
It looks like it will have to be
a fully manual uninstall. There was
an option on the install... to remove
up disconnection I think it said.
More play with it tomorrow.
Thanks for introducing me to this
software. :o)
-AI
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
aloy61-ga
on
08 Aug 2002 20:36 PDT
Hi AI,
do you think the Dameware can be use through the internet to remotely
control a PC??
Can dameware work with different subnet masks??
Thanks
aloy
|
Clarification of Answer by
alienintelligence-ga
on
09 Aug 2002 03:47 PDT
Any computer that can be
accessed by an IP address
can be controlled by DameWare
Mini Remote. Given that a port
is able to be attached to. (Not
blocked by a firewall)
DameWare will connect over
subnets just fine, as long
as it has a route. If you
can 'tracert' to it, you can
connect to it with DameWare.
I tried connecting to several
IP #'s on my LAN and it worked
fine. I don't think it has
a route discovery feature
though, if that is what you
are wondering.
Have you not tried the free
trial download on their site?
[ http://www.dameware.com/download/default.asp ]
-AI
|
