Log Me In Better Alternative

[NECRAT]

Is there a better and more affordable alternative for Log Me In? I had to quickly access a machine I only need remote access to once in a while. Only to be directed four different times to the correct log in page, followed by a wonder message about the password expiring (I should determine if my remote access password needs to expire or not. On this account, the answer is no.). Once I finally got that, it wanted to reinstall the client and wouldn't let me run the existing client. For how much it costs now, this nonsense isn't worth it. I use the Log Me In client because the network it is on, doesn't have a static IP. (It's consumer DSL).

Is there a better alternative to this crap?

[dbuckley]

TeamViewer.

[TPT]

Unfortunately, yes. We bit the bullet and bought a full license.

Probably has paid for itself. Examples: traffic/office manager out with the flu--she logged in from home to get billing out. Saleswoman does copy/order from home, rather than making an extra trip in. Most recently, we took over the management of a college station after they closed out their media department...we just gave a part-time announcer extra hours and he does program insertion and log checking from our studio via teamviewer. Saves college cost of an employee, his hours are more than covered by their fee--and the station stays on the air until they decide where they going.

[ChuckG]

If there is a human on the other end, ShowMyPc.com works fine for occasional uses, and is free.
For recurring situations I use either RealVNC or Team Viewer (paid), depending.

[Dale H. Cook]

I still use pcAnywhere for my clients. Almost anything that you pay for will be better. I did use VNC on one machine at one client (who has since left the building) so that I could gain access through that machine to the rest of the network via my tablet at lunch. RealVNC and UltraVNC are good approaches for someone on a tight budget.

[kkiddkkidd]

I _had_ a 5 seat LogMeIn license with a number of "free" computers connected on the same account. LogMeIn tried forcing me to expand my license (killed off the free connections) to cover these seldom used computers and I dropped the whole license.

I seldom use it but have TeamViewer on several computers around home and the shop. I like TeamViewer better than LMI but the last time I looked at their paid licenses, they were substantially more expensive than LMI.

I have been unable to make VNC work reliably into my network. Especially from hotel WIFI. TV works flawlessly most of the time.

I would not be surprised if at any time, TV goes full paid like LMI.

Regards,

[kkiddkkidd]

And I never remember that with TV, the license is lifetime. Their webpage doesn't make it clear that it's not per year... It is expensive but...

[NECRAT]

This is simply for one single machine. I figure if I can get into the one machine, I'll just remote desktop into the second machine.

I will look into the free version of TV, see what I get.

[dbuckley]

If you can make it work, then RDP (remote desktop) is by far and away the best solution for Windows, as long as the server end licence allows console mode. VNC is a third rate alternative but works adequately well, particularly if you've got fast and low latency internet path, its a bit miserable on lousy links.

The problem is that, on the face of it, this requires the machine to be exposed to the internet, which is a really bad idea. Solutions include:

• * If you are always calling in from a static IP address, then use firewall filters on the site router top only allow that IP address in.
  
  * Use a firewall that allows one to log in to the firewall, and that once logged in, additional rules are activated. Easy to do with enterprise firewalls like Checkpoint, but that is a sledgehammer pile driver to crack a nut for a small site.
  
  * Set up a VPN, so that only through the VPN can you get access to the machine

[dbuckley]

deleted - double post.

[Slab Bulkhead]

If you can make it work, then RDP (remote desktop) is by far and away the best solution for Windows, as long as the server end licence allows console mode. VNC is a third rate alternative but works adequately well, particularly if you've got fast and low latency internet path, its a bit miserable on lousy links.

The problem is that, on the face of it, this requires the machine to be exposed to the internet, which is a really bad idea. Solutions include:

• * If you are always calling in from a static IP address, then use firewall filters on the site router top only allow that IP address in.
  
  * Use a firewall that allows one to log in to the firewall, and that once logged in, additional rules are activated. Easy to do with enterprise firewalls like Checkpoint, but that is a sledgehammer pile driver to crack a nut for a small site.
  
  * Set up a VPN, so that only through the VPN can you get access to the machine. Some relatively low cost routers, like the small Fortigates, have SSL VPN capability and/or available clients, which is a lot easier than configuring OpenVPN or something similar, and provides flexible options easily and out-of-the-box.

I do option 3 with the LPFM I take care of. I have a Linux computer at the station with OpenVPN on it, once that login is established, I can do VNC to other computers or connect to other internal resources like the IP camera at the tower. OpenVPN is also a nice way to circumvent firewalls that won't allow the Comrex to connect on its normal port.

[dbuckley]

I have a Linux computer at the station with OpenVPN on it...

OpenVPN good. Very good.

If one does not fancy fritzing around with Linux, then an excellent solution is the Ubiquiti ER-X micro router, which is tiny, silent, priced to be almost free with a packet of cornflakes, and is a great OepnVPN endpoint. It has the massive advantage that it has a read-only flash filesystem, so it doesn't have a power off sequence, it survives quite happily being just switched off, which Linux machines are not a fan of.

It isn't actually any easier to configure OpenVPN on this than it is on any other platform, which implies that yes, OpenVPN takes some reading to be proficient in the setting up thereof, but as a runtime solution, it is more fit and forget than most other solutions out there.

This message brought to you across an OpenVPN connection.

[NECRAT]

These are all good options if the remote machine has a static IP, which this site doesn't.

Honestly, I am going to go with the team viewer option, that seems the simplest, which is the best idea for me.

[Deep Thought]

Can't you run a DDNS client for something like dyn.com to get around the static IP issue? I do this all the time for remote desktop access and just enter the DDNS host name to get to the computer.

[dbuckley]

These are all good options if the remote machine has a static IP, which this site doesn't.

I hope someone doesn't tell my OpenVPN that it cant run on a dynamic IP address. That would be really annoying.

All those options can be made to work on dynamic IPs.