Tech Talk: Connect to home network while away
Source: Andrew Fraser
While mobile phones and tablets have taken off as always-available devices, the home computer is still central to the computing experience.
Users have been able to access their home computer away from home for some time, but advances in home Internet upload speeds, mobile bandwidth and cloud computing have made the experience much easier.
Last week, major remote desktop player LogMeIn announced that it would be discontinuing access to its LogMeIn Free service, which allowed users to remotely connect to their home computer for free. LogMeIn users are being directed to the paid LogMeIn Pro product, which costs $49 or $99 a year for existing and new LogMeIn users, respectively.
Looking to access your home computer away from home, but aren’t looking to pay a large yearly subscription? Try these options:
Third-party programs
A few third party programs have greatly simplified the remote desktop process.
One of the most recommended LogMeIn alternatives is TeamViewer (www.teamviewer.com), which is free for private use. After installing and configuring the TeamViewer client on two computers, the software can be used to access either computer from the other.
TeamViewer supports a variety of platforms, including Linux, OS X and Windows, as well being available on iOS and Android. Users also can download apps on their phones and tablets to access their other devices from the road.
Splashtop, also available for several platforms, is another great remote desktop solution. It provides remote desktop like TeamViewer, although users need to install the Splashtop Streamer software on the computer that will be accessed and the Splashtop app on the computer or devices that will be doing the accessing.
Splashtop is free to use when accessing the remote desktop within your home network, but requires a $2 a month subscription for access outside the home network (e.g., away from home). Splashtop apps for some tablets and phones also have a one-time purchase fee, so research which devices you’ll be connecting from and find the associated app costs before committing.
LogMeIn is still functionally a good program, but the high subscription costs seemed to have turned off most users. If you’re comfortable with LogMeIn and don’t mind becoming a paid user, it’s a good remote desktop option.
OS remote desktop
Windows and OS X also have officially supported remote desktop features, although they may require a little more setup know-how than TeamViewer or Splashtop.
Windows Remote Desktop Connection (http://bit.ly/1eBpUOP) is installed and free on all versions of Windows since XP. Windows 7 and 8 machines will need the Pro version or higher to act as the remote host.
Setting up Windows RDC is a bit more involved than simply installing a client with the third-party programs; users may have to open ports on their router, find machine IP addresses and adjust firewall settings, among other options. Once working, RDC does a great job providing remote access. Microsoft even offers a free app for iOS and Android to connect to their home PCs.
Apple Remote Desktop (apple.com/remotedesktop) is available on the Mac App Store for $79. It also may require extra configuration than a third party app, but, like most Apple software, it’s fairly easy to use. This software has extra features that may appeal to Mac power users, such as remote software and update management.
Browser remote desktop
One remote desktop solution that has been picking up steam is Chrome Remote Desktop (chrome.google.com/remotedesktop).
Users of the Chrome browser (google.com/chrome) can download the Chrome Remote Desktop extension on both the local and remote computer and use the extension to connect to either computer from the other.
The remote access happens completely in the browser, negating the need for any third-party software, outside of the extension or home network tweaks. It’s a great, free way to connect to a remote computer easily.
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