Free/cheap remote desktop helpdesk software

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SandyNZ

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Geek

Topic # 60890 5-May-2010 08:28

Hi there,

We are currently using the free version Single Click but with the advent of Vista and Windows7 things are now coming to a grinding halt. We use it to remote into clients PC's and fix/install/update software etc. One of the other major draw backs with Single Click is updating who can be invited in for support as it's bundled up and sent out as a static list.

Has anyone used anything else?

Thanks for your advice and suggestions!

Sandy

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Reply # 326721 5-May-2010 08:30

Check LogMeIn - they have pro and free versions available (www.logmein.com).

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Reply # 326724 5-May-2010 08:33

+1 for LogMeIn
Use it for all my personal clients and some work stuff.

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semigeek

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Reply # 326734 5-May-2010 08:52

I use Team Viewer to do my remote support.
http://www.teamviewer.com/index.aspx

amanzi

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Reply # 326760 5-May-2010 09:48

We use LogMeIn Rescue for remote support. It's not free or cheap but it's the best tool for the job. https://secure.logmeinrescue.com/US/Helpdesk/Home.aspx

You can preinstall a "calling card" on remote computers to allow them to easily initiate a remote support session, or direct them to a webpage (which you can host) which lets end-users download a small applet that starts the remote support session. You can also set up unattended access to allow you to connect to remote servers or computers. You can brand the calling card with your company colours and logo which gives it a professional look and feel. There's heaps of other features too, like full reporting, the ability to switch sessions between technicians, screen capture and recording, chat, whiteboard, etc...

muppet

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Reply # 326766 5-May-2010 09:58

I've always just used one of the many VNC options. TightVNC and UltraVNC are my current favourites. The person installs VNC, then you get them to do a reverse connection back to your waiting VNC viewer.

It's free and it works well, but it doesn't have all the fancy options that LogMeIn etc have.

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SandyNZ

34 posts

Geek

Reply # 326780 5-May-2010 10:16

Thanks everyone.

I like the look of the LogMeIn Rescue but it's fairly pricey for our needs. Will check out the pro and free versions. We have used the free Team Viewer a few times which works much better with vista/W7 but was still slower that we would have liked.

We are using the Ultra VNC and it has been great but now with Vista and Windows 7 response time can be EXTREMELY slow (10-15s per action) so we thought we'd look at something more compatible with these OS's. Has anyone else has similar experiences with VNC and if so, did you find a fix for this? We're thinking it could be AV/Firewall related but when you're on a slow connection like that the last thing you want to do is muck around trying to work out why.

S

amanzi

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Reply # 326790 5-May-2010 10:29

Another one to look at is GoToAssist Express. This has some of the same features as LogMeIn Rescue, but it's designed for individuals so each account has to be registered and paid for separately. But it does work well.

fab

155 posts

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Reply # 326792 5-May-2010 10:33

+1 for Logmein, I have about 30 PCs on there, mixture of work (remote) machines and freind's PCs.
Sometimes I use showmypc though if I am trying to work on a pc that doesn't have the logmein client installed, that works well...

CYaBro

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Reply # 326794 5-May-2010 10:38

Have a look at www.ammyy.com.

Works great for us and is free.

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lokeynz

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Reply # 326801 5-May-2010 10:52

We use Advantig Oneclick, it's based on UltraVNC and free for non commerical use, although we've purchased a commercial license to get rid of splash screens and rebrand the client with our own logos etc.

We direct users to our website where there's a link to download the remote support tool, they run it and double click the name of the technician they're talking to, a popup appears on the tech's screen asking to accept or deny the incoming support request.

A bit of fiddling to setup but worth it considering the price difference to other products.

zxr400

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Reply # 327598 7-May-2010 08:33

When it comes to quick access to PC's and with a user on the other end of the phone, i have always used
www.showmypc.com. Its really easy to use and works 95% of the time, works with vista, 7 and xp

give it a whirl.