The majority of my customers are what are referred to as SME’s – Small to Medium Enterprises. Some have small numbers of IT Support staff on-site
(where I serve as Technical Support to those staff) others don’t have any IT Support on-site at all (where I serve as the IT panic button for employees!). In all cases, as I can only be in one place at a time (preferably my office!) the ability to remotely be able to assist people is a must.
There are a variety of solutions.
VPN and TightVNC
My preferred route is to install a VPN or Virtual Private Network. This means I can securely access the clients network from anywhere I can get
an Internet connection, as though I were physically connected to that network. I can then use tools such as TightVNC to actively remote
control the desktops of PC’s and Servers. Free and easy!
PC Anywhere
For sites where it’s not possible or cost-prohibitive to install a VPN, until recently I’ve been reduced to talking people through instructions via telephone. When that’s dealing with the secretary who’s knowledge of IT extends as far as Microsoft Excel tables, that’s a frustration! Packages such as PC Anywhere have been available for a while but once again you’ve got the issue of cost to the sometimes very small end-business.
LogMeIn
So when I had a problem with a customer where VPN just wouldn’t work reliably and cost was an issue, and I found the software at LogMeIn, I
was both pleased and relieved! LogMeIn works through a web-browser. It installs a small peice of software on the client-side and then, provided you’ve got a broadband Internet connection, you can connect via any Firewalls that might be in place and it, well, just… works!
There is a paid for version of LogMeIn on the web-site which is well worth looking at for multiple-PC’s, but the Free version has to be the best bit of
software I’ve come across this year. Now I can simple take control of PC’s and fix the problems quickly instead of my heart sinking after I say down the telephone “click on the start menu” and hear “Where’s that?”… 🙂
Richard Tubb is one of the best-known experts within the global IT Managed Service Provider (MSP) community. He launched and sold his own MSP business before creating a leading MSP media and consultancy practice. Richard helps IT business owner’s take back control by freeing up their time and building a business that can run without them. He’s the author of the book “The IT Business Owner’s Survival Guide” and writer of the award-winning blog www.tubblog.co.uk
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Comments
4 thoughts on Providing Remote Support with LogMeIn
ANDREW DAVES
15TH JULY 2013 16:54:18
Nice article. I use LogmeInIgnition for remotely accessing computers. It works really well. Apart from logmein, vendors such as RHUB, Bomgar, GoToMyPC etc. also offer remote support products or services.
RICHARD TUBB
16TH JULY 2013 08:47:06
Thanks Andrew! Other remote access tools to check out include join.me (from LogMeIn) and TeamViewer. Things have certainly come on in the years since I first wrote this blog post! :-)
OLEG11
1ST JULY 2014 13:09:02
I use http://www.radmin.com/ I like, I use more than three years. Fast, and most importantly safe program for remote control of computers. Advantages, high speed, reliable security system.
RICHARD TUBB
1ST JULY 2014 17:57:17
Oleg - thanks for the heads-up on RAdmin!