Can I remote desktop between two 'home' computers or must they be part of a network?

Question

My father-in-law lives miles away and he keeps having computer problems. I want to fix them from here as the click-by-click telephone calls are wearing me down!

Answer 1

Make sure you both have MSN Messenger installed, then tell him to request remote assistance from you. This will allow you to have full control over his computer, but still be able to see everything you are doing on his screen so he can learn at same time.

He still has ability to take control, and you can chat between you to explain what you are doing, just type and you can both see the text.

Answer 2

If you are talking about Remote Desktop Connection which comes with Windows XP Professional. Yes, you can do that through the Internet.

Follow the steps,
1. Ensure that both your father-in-law and your PCs are running Windows XP Professional.

2. On his PC, ask him to enable Remote Desktop Connection by going to Control Panel > System > Remote, then enable the Remote Desktop Connection. Then enable the exception for Remote Desktop Connection in his Windows Firewall settings (I assume you know how to do this, unfortunately you have to run through these steps over the phone.)

3. Get him to set a username and password for his computer if he hasn't.

4. Ask him to connect directly to the internet, not using routers. (Although you can work around it, but connecting directly to the modem just makes your life easier later on.)

5. Ask him for his IP, username and password for his computer.

6. On your computer, go to Start menu > All Programs > Accessories > Communications > Remote Desktop Connection. Put in his IP address, leave the username and password out for now. Adjust the connection settings to the your ideal configurations on the last tab. Then click Connect.

7. When prompt for username and password, type them in accordingly.

8. You should be connecting to his computer like as if it is beside you now. =)

Answer 3

A cross over cable of a few miles in length would be impractical!

Assuming you can both connect successfully to the internet you could try using VNC. This requires sofwtare to be installed on both PCs, but once this is done it'll allow you to take control of his computer. Its available here:

http://www.realvnc.com/products/free/4.1/winvnc.html

Word of warning: this will work if you are both connected to the internet via a modem connected directly to your PC. It is MUCH more complicated if he is attached to the internet via a router.

Also be aware that VNC is a bit of a techy tool, not really geared to the average home user.

Answer 4

I use a program called Radmin. Works great. You could always follow Sandy's advice and connect the two computers with a cross-over cable.... two miles away?! Glad I learned how to read when I was like 3....

Answer 5

permit's call the places A and B. set up the LAN IP addresses at region A employing the 192.168.a million.0/24 subnet. this means that one and all LAN gadgets at region A have LAN IP 192.168.a million.x, subnet mask 255.255.255.0. i might make the router IP 192.168.a million.a million it is additionally the default gateway and the DNS for this LAN. i might provide each and every laptop i desire to remotely get right of entry to a static LAN IP and that i might then shrink the DHCP pool significantly. permit's say you have 25 computers at A. i might reserve, for static IP use, the 192.168.a million.2 - 192.168.a million.one hundred fifty five for static IP and bypass away the 192.168.a million.156 - 192.168.a million.255 for the DHCP selection. it quite is probable lots extra desirable than needed in spite of the undeniable fact that it quite is extra desirable to have extra desirable than not adequate. in addition for region B, i might assign the LAN IP in the 192.168.2.0/24 subnet. i might use a similar DHCP and static project and project reservations here. Please observe you won't be able to have region A and placement B on a similar subnet or chaos will reign. (we don't desire chaos in place of work ever Now you probably did not point out the type you desire to hyperlink places A and B. in case you have a component - component T1 dedicated line, you like an get right of entry to not a gateway router and that i might assign the WAN IP at region A at 10.10.10.a million and at B at 10.10.10.a million set up a static routing table (there is not any awareness to apply an computerized routing protocol like RIP, BGP, and so on because it is so common). you probably did not perceive which section is to have information superhighway get right of entry to so which you will desire to grant information superhighway at one region and fold this into the routing protocol. in case you have a component - to information superhighway, you may desire to purchase a router that helps vpn to stay on the router. For CATV (cable information superhighway) and DSL, evaluate the two the Adtran Netvanta 2050 improved (for small community) or the Adtran Netvanta 2100. For component to information superhighway T1, evaluate the Adtran Netvanta 3200 with a T1/FT1 NIM interface. set up a digital inner maximum community between A and B. enable distant laptop on all computers you desire to get right of entry to. With VPN enabled between the two places, you may proceed to apply distant laptop to get right of entry to computers. you additionally can change records lower back and forth, lower back up region A to region B, and so on.

Answer 6

just connect two pc's with an cross cable..and provide them ips
you dont need anything else..
type conf in the command prompt and through netmeetion you will be able to take remote........

Answer 7

YOU CAN BUT BOTH HAVE TO BE PART OF THE SAME DOMAIN IN A NETWORK OR AT LEAST SAME WORKGROUP. IF YOU ARE USING THE INTERNET IT MAY BE DIFFICULT COS YOU NEED TO USE VPN (VIRTUAL PRIVATE NETWORKING) OVER THE INTERNET. ANYWAY HOPE IT ANSWERS YOU QUESTION.

Answer 8

get on msn messenger and do the remote desktop thing. its really easy to use

Answer 9

Try:
Gottomypc.com