James Fry
asked on
Best Remote Support Application
Hi EE'ers,
I'm looking for the best remote support software. Basically something like GoToAssist, but maybe cheaper? I'm looking for something that the far side can just bring up a browser or similar, and not have to manually download and install software (like TeamViewer) for me to be able to pin up the remote session. Thanks in advance!
I'm looking for the best remote support software. Basically something like GoToAssist, but maybe cheaper? I'm looking for something that the far side can just bring up a browser or similar, and not have to manually download and install software (like TeamViewer) for me to be able to pin up the remote session. Thanks in advance!
We switched to ConnectWise ScreenConnect in the past year after LogMeIn became too expensive for our non-profit. ConnectWise can do on-demand with a user on the other end or unattended if software is already installed. We pay $420/yr for the Standard license.
I have started to use Dameware Remote Everywhere (https://www.dameware.com/dameware-remote-everywhere) because I need to support computers that are not on the LAN (remote office and laptops on the road). You install the agent and you are ready to give unattended support. It also supports Wake-On-Lan.
I have been using Teamviewer for the last 12 years and have hundreds of clients on it. For simple, I need to connect to you this one time, then I get the client to go to my home page and chose quick support - I pre-program the password in and as soon as I'm finished, the client can drop the software or it will drop on restart.
For clients, I work with all the time, I have them go to my web page and click on the Remote Support icon which I tell them to click and I walk them through the 1-minute install. They give me the 9/10 digit ID and the random password and I create a profile for them under the company they work for I can go into their system then and put in a unique password.
They work on a per month subscription now but when you consider that I can make enough profit for service calls in 1 day to pay for the whole year, it's really not that expensive.
If you are going to be in the IT consulting business, you don't worry about the cost of something like this that you use every day. I charge by the minutes for the entire time I am one the phone and online with a client. In 25 years, I have had 2 clients question an invoice charge and they no longer question it when they realize that if their computers go down, my cost to fix them is a lot less than the cost to have them down.
For clients, I work with all the time, I have them go to my web page and click on the Remote Support icon which I tell them to click and I walk them through the 1-minute install. They give me the 9/10 digit ID and the random password and I create a profile for them under the company they work for I can go into their system then and put in a unique password.
They work on a per month subscription now but when you consider that I can make enough profit for service calls in 1 day to pay for the whole year, it's really not that expensive.
If you are going to be in the IT consulting business, you don't worry about the cost of something like this that you use every day. I charge by the minutes for the entire time I am one the phone and online with a client. In 25 years, I have had 2 clients question an invoice charge and they no longer question it when they realize that if their computers go down, my cost to fix them is a lot less than the cost to have them down.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
"you can't got wrong with VNC"
I would be VERY careful with versions of VNC that require ports to be open. The ones I've dealt with only allow short (8-character) passwords and that's really not enough to withstand a remote attack.
I would be VERY careful with versions of VNC that require ports to be open. The ones I've dealt with only allow short (8-character) passwords and that's really not enough to withstand a remote attack.
I think that we have talked about the issues of VNC some time ago.... my take on this...if you have "reasons" that someone will try to "attack" you and spend time and energy on this then there are are other most effective way to "accomplish" that than bruteforcing its way ....
After all a 8 character password with a bit of a complexity takes 12 Days for a computer working day and night with only the password to deal...so if you take into account that for each case the bruteforcer's computer will have to connect...send the password...the VNC server check the password...reply with the error message...disconnect...in a normal environment i would say it should take some months before someone manages to crack the password....if i add that some VNC servers have the option to block connections after a number of failed attempts this would skyrocket to year/s....not to add the machine might change IP/the network might change IP/the port might change/the VNC will be started on demand (phone call ...enable it to connect to see the problem)/ a simple recommendation to change password every x months ....etc...unless you are the one in the million cousin of Gastone Duck
then ....... for occasional remote support i don't see much danger in it...
But i would really love to see an actual case that someone sets up a VNC server...uses a fairly complex password (not 12345678) and someone tries to break in...but life is not like movies where super duper hackers tap keys in a frenzy on unknown Linux distros...with numbers and letters floating around like they are doing something and presto...password revealed ( .....even a Simple WEP password which is considered a weak weak password takes more than ideal conditions to crack it)
After all a 8 character password with a bit of a complexity takes 12 Days for a computer working day and night with only the password to deal...so if you take into account that for each case the bruteforcer's computer will have to connect...send the password...the VNC server check the password...reply with the error message...disconnect...in a normal environment i would say it should take some months before someone manages to crack the password....if i add that some VNC servers have the option to block connections after a number of failed attempts this would skyrocket to year/s....not to add the machine might change IP/the network might change IP/the port might change/the VNC will be started on demand (phone call ...enable it to connect to see the problem)/ a simple recommendation to change password every x months ....etc...unless you are the one in the million cousin of Gastone Duck
then ....... for occasional remote support i don't see much danger in it...But i would really love to see an actual case that someone sets up a VNC server...uses a fairly complex password (not 12345678) and someone tries to break in...but life is not like movies where super duper hackers tap keys in a frenzy on unknown Linux distros...with numbers and letters floating around like they are doing something and presto...password revealed ( .....even a Simple WEP password which is considered a weak weak password takes more than ideal conditions to crack it)
If one really uses a complex password, 8 characters may be adequate. The problem I all too frequently encounter is that users tend to use passwords that are too simple.
"some VNC servers have the option to block connections after a number of failed attempts": I've not seen that in the limited number of free VNC versions I've used. If that option were available (or even just a long pause), I'd agree that it would dramatically minimize the risk.
Part of my concern here comes from two different clients who had their VNC connections compromised by an anonymous remote system probing away repeatedly. The passwords weren't particularly complex, though.
"some VNC servers have the option to block connections after a number of failed attempts": I've not seen that in the limited number of free VNC versions I've used. If that option were available (or even just a long pause), I'd agree that it would dramatically minimize the risk.
Part of my concern here comes from two different clients who had their VNC connections compromised by an anonymous remote system probing away repeatedly. The passwords weren't particularly complex, though.
"some VNC servers have the option to block connections after a number of failed attempts": I've not seen that in the limited number of free VNC versions I've used. If that option were available (or even just a long pause), I'd agree that it would dramatically minimize the risk.I read it somewhere....i don't have time to research it extensively......i am sure that some companies that sell VPS implement this
Part of my concern here comes from two different clients who had their VNC connections compromised by an anonymous remote system probing away repeatedly. The passwords weren't particularly complex, though.Wow...i am pretty sure that these are not random .... unless we are talking high value clients that move money in "strange" conditions e.g bitcoins......with all the fuss about hacking/exploiting ...i will bet that most of them are inside "jobs" ....someone does something nasty...wants to cover their tracks and they "invent" the whole remote attacking story.
I have also being in a remote attacking situation .... one of our salesman connected to RD probably through a public computer...forgot address/username ....left.....and a "scripting kid" used them to attack ...trying to guess the password...he called me....found out the frequent lockups...changed port in RD...blocked the IP ...never had an incident again.
"i am pretty sure that these are not random"
In one of these cases, I actually saw it happen. After one computer was compromises, the remote system (IP address outside of the country) was going through a dictionary of standard words. The one that finally worked wasn't one of the usual culprits (12345678, Password, etc.) but was a name that wasn't particularly common but not exceptionally uncommon either. A complex password would have helped, certainly, as would a lockout/delay feature.
I just think it is important to make potential users of basic VNC aware of the risks and that they need to take specific precautions to be safe.
The clients were small doctor's offices, nothing that was worth anything serious other than ransomware potential.
In one of these cases, I actually saw it happen. After one computer was compromises, the remote system (IP address outside of the country) was going through a dictionary of standard words. The one that finally worked wasn't one of the usual culprits (12345678, Password, etc.) but was a name that wasn't particularly common but not exceptionally uncommon either. A complex password would have helped, certainly, as would a lockout/delay feature.
I just think it is important to make potential users of basic VNC aware of the risks and that they need to take specific precautions to be safe.
The clients were small doctor's offices, nothing that was worth anything serious other than ransomware potential.
ASKER
Thank you very much for your input everyone. Chrome Remote Desktop turned out to the be the best fit for me. Thanks again!
I pay about $300/year and can have unlimited clients but only one user connecting to them at a time. That is, I can connect to multiple clients' computers at once, but if I had another tech who wanted to make a remote connection, I'd have to log off or buy another license.
It supports unattended clients which can be very useful for doing remote maintenance when the client is not in the office.