Remote access to laptop?

worlds goodest teecher

Hi,

I am trying to source a program that would allow me to work from home, something like Team Viewer?. What are the alternative options?

I was working 100% remotely up until two weeks ago. I am now working 3 in office, 2 at home. The software I primarily use is on the company server so I need to get access to it. The cost would be coming out of my pocket so the cheaper the better.

Thanks

niallb

Surely that decision should be made by whoever manages that server?

They might have an RDP gateway to give you access to your in office laptop.

What were you using when you were 100% remote or did you have the laptop at home?

projectgtr

Tell them you want to telnet in, the will set it up for you on their end.

Joking aside this is the conversation you want to have with your IT team , depending on what that server is used for or where its positioned on the network will dictate what they will allow you to use. How did you connect when you were 100% WFH? Also what kind of software is it you need access to?

ItHurtsWhenIP

Just concur with the previous two responses and to add that if the job wants you to have remote access into their systems, tis them that should be paying.

Think of it this way. If they left you to pick what you use ... what if you chose to install the "hackymachackyremoteaccess" tool from Kim's Korean Krapware, and your entire company gets nuked by the Norks ... whose responsible for that?

The answer is not you by the way.

worlds goodest teecher

The reason that I am asking is that I have a severe brain injury. I am going back into an industry that has changed vastly since I was previously. Not having access to work files is majorly impacting my progress. I will talk to my boss to see what we can do. We are only a small company (4 employees). I had been asking hear in order to bring something to him and propose something that could work.

worlds goodest teecher

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121886006#Comment_121886006

It was a different job previously. Everything that I needed was on my pc.

worlds goodest teecher

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121885996#Comment_121885996

In my previous job there were 4 of use and we were all working individually, One Drive was enough. This job is different.

LambshankRedemption

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121887276#Comment_121887276

Can you describe the current setup in more detail and we can advise better. There is a myriad of solutions out there, many that cost nothing at all to implement.

And describe your needs in more detail.

worlds goodest teecher

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121887314#Comment_121887314

Right now I am working from the office Mon, Wed & Fri. Tues and Thurs from home. The main software that I am using is server based therefore I am having to print out and 'old school' measure from pdf print outs Tues & Thurs. Very inconvenient.

LambshankRedemption

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121887424#Comment_121887424

What is the server software you are using? I assume its a windows based environment? Do you have a laptop?

worlds goodest teecher

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121887445#Comment_121887445

Costx. It is on a laptop here in the office.

LambshankRedemption

You're not really helping me here.

Anyway,

You mentioned TeamViewer, could you just use that? If not, what is the blocker for you for using that?

Can you email the documents to yourself and work on them while at home?

worlds goodest teecher

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121887487#Comment_121887487

Yeah working from laptops on what was described as a "normal vpn" server

LambshankRedemption

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121887668#Comment_121887668

So there is a VPN? Then thats all you need.

When remote, you connect to the VPN and its like being back in the office. You then connect to the "server" like you are in the office.

kirving

So there is one laptop setup with the CostX server installed, and when you're in the office, each of your own laptops can connect and work?

Do you bring your own work laptop home?

I think what you're actually looking for here is to VPN into the office network, so your laptop acts as if you were actually in the office?

You could also connect directly to the laptop which has CostX server setup on it, but this might be a bit messier for the IT person.

Either of the above can I think be done for free depending on what internet router you use in the office/home, but tbh I'm not sure how on your specific setup and license.

Finally, you could just leave your work laptop in work, and dial directly into it through Teamviewer or Remote Desktop. This might be the best stop-gap solution but could be slower, as it's transferring the full screen view the whole time and not just the data you need in the background. It would also mean that you need another PC/laptop at home to do that.

worlds goodest teecher

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121887771#Comment_121887771

That is the scenario that I am working from right now. I have a work laptop that belongs to the company and I have a work laptop that belongs to me. I am sitting in the office right now with two laptops in front of me.

LambshankRedemption

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121887856#Comment_121887856

Can you access one laptop from the other?

worlds goodest teecher

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121887863#Comment_121887863

I am not aware that I can. I will have to discuss this with the other lads.

LambshankRedemption

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121888018#Comment_121888018

OK< as I asked earlier, can you email the files to yourself so you can work on them offline?

ThreeGreens

You can leave one laptop in the office (turned on all the time) and the other one at home.

You can use anydesk.com to connect from your laptop at home to the one in the office. The one in the office can access the server.

worlds goodest teecher

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121888023#Comment_121888023

Yes i can, but this is where it starts to get messy. Too many versions.

worlds goodest teecher

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121888119#Comment_121888119

Okay thanks. I spoke with a colleague this morning about using Team Viewer. I asked him would he assist me on the mornings that I am working from home by logging me in.

DopeTech

Ask IT to sort it for you or you could end up fired.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121889309#Comment_121889309

Your colleague could get into very bad trouble over that, even in a very small company where there’s a casual approach to this. If anything happened re data that you access you could be called into wyrdtion, and in the unlikely but potential event of criminal activity being investigated you don’t want your login being associated.

I have given family members login details for genealogy, that’s lower risk. But I wouldn’t give any work colleague my personal login details, if anything happened they would get dragged in too. It’s just not good practice in a work environment.

just think of it like this, it’s the digital equivalent of asking someone to sign in the attendance book for you. Or giving the key to your private filing cabinet. neither are good practice.

Anyway that’s my tuppence worth and I hope you find yourself sorted with a safe and suitable solution.

JDxtra

AnyDesk is an alternative to TeamViewer and it works extremely well.

As mentioned above, don’t go solo on this - get guidance from your manager or owner on the best way for you to work remotely.

worlds goodest teecher

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121889566#Comment_121889566

Is this the case when the computer that I would be remotely logging into, via Team Viewer/AnyDesk/etc, is a former employee, and the laptop that I am logging from is mine?

DopeTech

Forget about asking here and just ask your it department. You clearly need guidance.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121889727#Comment_121889727

Even worse if a former employee 😱

wandererz

Let everyone else argue, argue, debate, debate etc. Par for the course on Boards.

This is a 4 person company. There is no IT department.

You need a solution.

Have a look at splashtop. I used it for years to access my home machines from anywhere.

I even used it at home with both laptops next to me so that I could have a second screen experience.

https://www.splashtop.com/blog/best-remote-pc-access-software?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=230712_EMEA_EU_EN_PMAX_Google&utm_content=&utm_term=&utm_device=m&hsa_acc=9411848004&hsa_cam=20357656764&hsa_grp=&hsa_ad=&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_src=x&hsa_mt=&hsa_kw=&hsa_tgt=&hsa_ver=3&gad_source=1

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121889773#Comment_121889773

You're the hackers dream.

worlds goodest teecher

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121890650#Comment_121890650

How did all these people work at home during the pandemic?