# Recommendation for simple remote desktop over the internet



## Flanker (Feb 8, 2020)

I may need to access my office computer from home (ie. across the internet) in the next week or so. Home PC uses Win10 Pro, Office Pc uses Win10 Enterprise.
I am looking for programs that requires 

- minimal set up 
- no need to touch my company's router or local network settings (I have no access and going through the IT deparment takes too long)
- if possible, doesn't use too many data
- free

It is mostly for writing code in my office computer and running some 3D simulations. Any suggestions?


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## Solaris17 (Feb 8, 2020)

splashtop

teamviewer

If your ok with port forwarding.

tightVNC


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## sneekypeet (Feb 8, 2020)

Another for TeamViewer.


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## newtekie1 (Feb 8, 2020)

With the security issues with TeamViewer and their very poor handling of them, I just can't recommend them anymore.

I've switch to Screenconnect/Connectwise Support: https://www.connectwise.com/software/control/support

There is a free plan that, IIRC, allows you to have remote access to up to 3 computers.  Though I now pay for the basic plan to access more computers and unlock a few extra features.


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## Khonjel (Feb 8, 2020)

Windows' built in Remote Desktop Connection app.

I don't like how TeamVirwer and Splashtop exposes your target PC unlocked in an office. When you sign in on RDC, the target Windows machine automatically gets locked. Windows lock mind you.

But the functions a bit limited. I don't think RDC has remote turn on feature like Splashtop (only works if you have boot via network selected in bios iirc).

Do a hybrid method like I used. Turn on PC with Splashtop. Then connect with RDC.

Don't shut down your pc. just keep it asleep for better result. Iirc a tomshardware or someone tested that shut down and sleep state consume almost same energy.


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## Flanker (Feb 8, 2020)

Thanks for the suggestions guys



Khonjel said:


> Windows' built in Remote Desktop Connection app.
> 
> I don't like how TeamVirwer and Splashtop exposes your target PC unlocked in an office. When you sign in on RDC, the target Windows machine automatically gets locked. Windows lock mind you.
> 
> ...


Doesn't the WIndows' remote desktop app only provide access through LAN though? VPN and portforwarding isn't an option for me unfortunately, might be available later but I need something quick for the short term


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## JackCarver (Feb 8, 2020)

Why is VPN not an option? Isn‘t VPN the most used solution to get access to office pcs for external employees?

It would be the most secure one also


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## bencrutz (Feb 8, 2020)

Khonjel said:


> Windows' built in Remote Desktop Connection app.
> 
> I don't like how TeamVirwer and Splashtop exposes your target PC unlocked in an office. When you sign in on RDC, the target Windows machine automatically gets locked. Windows lock mind you.
> 
> ...



with teamviewer (paid license), we can blanked the remote screen and disable inputs


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## TheLostSwede (Feb 8, 2020)

Your router might be able to set up as a VPN server, it's how I connect to my home network, using OpenVPN. Once you're on the network, you can use Windows Remote Desktop.


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## newtekie1 (Feb 8, 2020)

bencrutz said:


> with teamviewer (paid license), we can blanked the remote screen and disable inputs



And have all your data stolen. 

Seriously, no one should be recommending Teamviewer at this point.



TheLostSwede said:


> Your router might be able to set up as a VPN server, it's how I connect to my home network, using OpenVPN. Once you're on the network, you can use Windows Remote Desktop.



I'm not sure why people aren't understanding that he doesn't have access to the router.  No port forwarding, no VPNs.  How is this hard to understand?


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## JackCarver (Feb 8, 2020)

Hard to understand because it‘s the most secure solution, especially if you connect to an office pc from home. Everyone can read the data otherwise.

The solution TheLostSwede posted would be the best in my opinion. A secure connection via VPN and then a local Remote Desktop Connection. If the office doesn't provide VPN I assume that they don't want external connections at all.


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## TheLostSwede (Feb 8, 2020)

newtekie1 said:


> I'm not sure why people aren't understanding that he doesn't have access to the router.  No port forwarding, no VPNs.  How is this hard to understand?


I read it the other way around for some reason, my bad.


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## dgianstefani (Feb 8, 2020)

Chrome remote desktop is simple and functional.


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## Flanker (Feb 8, 2020)

JackCarver said:


> The solution TheLostSwede posted would be the best in my opinion. A secure connection via VPN and then a local Remote Desktop Connection. If the office doesn't provide VPN I assume that they don't want external connections at all.


You are absolutely right haha. My company never planned for us to use the PC's remotely, but it just so happened I'm on my holiday, and something really urgent popped up that only I can fix. Will definitely make them use a VPN later on lol.


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## ixi (Feb 8, 2020)

Check out anydek.


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## TheoneandonlyMrK (Feb 8, 2020)

Flanker said:


> I may need to access my office computer from home (ie. across the internet) in the next week or so. Home PC uses Win10 Pro, Office Pc uses Win10 Enterprise.
> I am looking for programs that requires
> 
> - minimal set up
> ...


google chrome remote desktop, simple and effective.


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## JackCarver (Feb 8, 2020)

Flanker said:


> You are absolutely right haha. My company never planned for us to use the PC's remotely, but it just so happened I'm on my holiday, and something really urgent popped up that only I can fix. Will definitely make them use a VPN later on lol.



Yes VPN would be absolutely necessary in this case. Otherwise you expose all the office data to the internet or to Google/Teamviewer or what solution you are using to get on your desktop. As you aren't able to get on your machine via the office router (I assume NAT and no port forwarding defined as you said) you have to use these remote desktop tools, but they are not designed to establish a secure and reliable connection between two machines.

Securitywise it's a nightmare with those tools 
Another problem is, that you need two connections to a Google or Teamviewer server, one from your office pc, the other from your home pc. At this server the connection gets established and when one of these connections get disrupted, the whole connection collapse.


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## silentbogo (Feb 8, 2020)

Fuck teamviewer. Dropped it entirely at work, cause of recent hacks and constant service outages.
Switched everyone to Anydesk. Pretty much a TW clone, but at half price and less bloat.
Anydesk is perfect for personal/home use cause the free version is actually functional. TW has implemented some smart-ass algorithm which tracks what you are doing and at the first sign of using it for "persumably non-personal tasks" it'll block your sessions every 30 seconds. Pretty much unusable.

Another thing you could do, is do RDP over SSH tunnel. If you don't have an access to work's router, but you can tweak your personal network settings - that's the best free solution which does not rely on thrird-party software and services. Also, it's more secure than just opening a port to the outside world. I'm using this setup to connect from my personal office to a home server, and similar setup (TightVNC+SSH tunnel) to connect to my OrangePi at second work (running Armbian w/ XFCE cause I need a browser on this remote machine).
On Windows you can use Putty to set up a tunnel. There are tutorials on the internet, and it takes just a couple of minutes.

EDIT: forgot an important thing. It'll be very beneficial if you have a static external IP at home, or DDNS.


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## JackCarver (Feb 8, 2020)

silentbogo said:


> I'm using this setup to connect from my personal office to a home server



He wants to connect from the machine at home to the office pc, not from the office pc to the home machine. But you can establish a VPN connection from your office pc to your home pc. At home you can do a port forwarding from your router to your home pc where a vpn server is running. After you have established this VPN network you are able to connect from home to the office and vice versa.

You only have to install OpenVPN at the office pc and configure it as VPN client. It's for free. At home you install OpenVPN at home pc and configure it as VPN server. You tunnel the office NAT with this solution and can connect from home->office->home via the VPN network. No port forwarding needed at the office only at home to get on your VPN server.

With this solution you don't need those third party remote desktop tools and your connection is secured in the VPN tunnel.

You only need the VPN IP of your office PC and you can connect from home to office via this IP. You can then use the built in remote desktop to get your office desktop at home and everything goes via the VPN connection.


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## Bill_Bright (Feb 8, 2020)

Flanker said:


> - no need to touch my company's router or local network settings (I have no access and going through the IT deparment takes too long)


Going through the IT department may take too long (though not sure why), doing so may keep you from being fired (or worse if customer personal information is involved). IT departments typically are big money pits. They eat up huge amounts of resources and profits and generally contribute nothing to company earnings. So companies generally don't have entire departments dedicated to IT unless there is a genuine need for that level of expertise, support and protection. 

The fact your company has an IT department suggests (1) it is not a tiny company and (2) executive management has decided it needs someone in charge to manage the company IS/IT resources and access to those resources. 

If you have not done so already, I urge you to get written permission from your manager before even attempting to "hack" into the company network from home with your personal computer.


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## JackCarver (Feb 8, 2020)

Bill_Bright said:


> Going through the IT department may take too long



That's definitely curious...I wouldn't want my employees to connect via third party remote desktop tools to the office network. At first I would establish the possibility to connect via VPN, as all others would do in this case also.


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## Bill_Bright (Feb 8, 2020)

Just to make sure we are on the same page, that was me quoting the OP. It is my experience that, once remote access is authorized by the appropriate managers, it only takes a few minutes for the IT department to setup the applicable user credentials/permissions. 



JackCarver said:


> I wouldn't want my employees to connect via third party remote desktop tools to the office network.


Well, that depends on their jobs. It is often much easier (and quicker) to allow such remote access. For example, if I can take 5 minutes to log in from home and reset the boss' password because he fat-fingered it (again), instead of 30 minutes to drive into work, opening my office, logging into my work machine to reset his password, everyone is happy. 

My point has nothing to do with whether the employee has a "need" to gain remote access. It is 100% about being properly "authorized" to gain remote access.


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## JackCarver (Feb 8, 2020)

Bill_Bright said:


> For example, if I can take 5 minutes to log in from home and reset the boss' password because he fat-fingered it (again), instead of 30 minutes to drive into work, opening my office, logging into my work machine to reset his password, everyone is happy.



Yes but establishing a VPN connection to the office VPN server and connecting to the needed machine afterwards via the VPN network is as fast but much more secure as connecting directly via Teamviewer. If you connect via Teamviewer or Google you route the whole traffic to them.

The solution to do it in the other direction may not be as intended or 100% authorized by the manager, but he wouldn't at least expose the traffic to the internet.


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## Bill_Bright (Feb 8, 2020)

JackCarver said:


> Yes but establishing a VPN connection to the office VPN server and connecting to the needed machine afterwards via the VPN network is as fast but much more secure as connecting directly via Teamviewer. If you connect via Teamviewer or Google you route the whole traffic to them.


No argument there. However, all that can be properly setup to ensure secure, controlled and private access, even with Teamviewer or Google. So while a valid point, it is not really the point here. 


JackCarver said:


> The solution to do it in the other direction may not be as intended or 100% authorized by the manager, but he wouldn't at least expose the traffic to the internet.


But you are assuming the home computer has not been compromised and that no unauthorized person has access to that home computer. That is not an assumption I am willing to make. 

My son is an account manager for a major bank. He works entirely from home. He has total access to customers' accounts and their very personal and sensitive information.  BUT, the bank provided and setup the computer. The bank grants and authorizes access and the bank ensures he only has access to data he needs to do his job. The company even compensates him for his Internet access. If the company is expecting the employee to work from home, then the company needs to be 100% involved in how that is being done. 

That is not just for the company's protection, but the employee's too.


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## JackCarver (Feb 8, 2020)

Bill_Bright said:


> However, all that can be properly setup to ensure secure, controlled and private access, even with Teamviewer or Google.



Yes Teamviewer assures on their support site 256 Bit AES encryption of the data and RSA public/private key handshakes. If so your connection will be as safe as if you setup a 256 Bit AES VPN, but you have to trust them.



Bill_Bright said:


> But you are assuming the home computer has not been compromised and that no unauthorized person has access to that home computer.



That's right, the solution is not the cleanest as you tunnel the office firewall also. 



Bill_Bright said:


> If the company is expecting the employee to work from home, then the company needs to be 100% involved in how that is being done.



I absolutely agree here.


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## Solaris17 (Feb 8, 2020)

@Flanker  did you ever find something suitable? You had mentioned what you can and can’t do so simple options were recommended and I don’t want the thread to get too off topic.


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## Flanker (Feb 9, 2020)

Solaris17 said:


> @Flanker  did you ever find something suitable? You had mentioned what you can and can’t do so simple options were recommended and I don’t want the thread to get too off topic.


We decided to use anydesk. 

To other posters: Thanks about the concern about company policy. This is something directly requested by my manager with formal written consent of CEO.


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