WBJ Talking Tech:

Remote Access To Your Home Or Office

January, 2006

By Sean Patton

Ever forget your presentation that was prepared on your home computer and there is no time to run back and get it?  Ever wanted to work from home, but the documents you need are sitting on your office PC?  Or. ever wanted to check on your home while you are on vacation to make sure every thing is safe?  Well, by utilizing a remote access solution you can. 

Remote access technologies allow you to by connect up to another computer from anywhere in the world, whenever access is needed.  Enabling anyone to work from home, retrieve documents or other important information that was left on a home computer or simply to access you work email. 

You are probably already aware or even have the ability to access work email over the internet along with a few other applications, like a web based calendar and contact list.  This is a great feature and is well suited for those who only need to utilize a few features, however it does not allow for full access to all of the programs and documents stored on your work computer or network.  Here are a few ways that you can gain remote access to another computer and be able to accomplish some bigger tasks.

With Microsoft or other operating systems and servers, there are built in tools that allow you to remotely access another PC.  This is a great option when using a laptop in and out of the office or setting up a computer to work from home.   If a workstation computer is being used at work and it is within a network, you are limited to information stored on the server, as it will not grant access to that individual workstation..  So the document, program or other data you are looking for would need to be saved on the office server rather than on your local workstation.  For security reasons and data recovery purposes it is best practice and recommended that all critical information is stored on the server anyway.

There are also some other useful tools that will grant you access to a remote computer over the internet, including GoToMyPC, pcAnywhere and Webex.  These applications may require a software installation or could simply be a subscription based service that uses a web based application.  In this situation the home or office computer acts as the host and enables the remote computer to gain access to it. When using these applications the host computer must remain on to grant the remote connection request. 

These applications not only allow you to just retrieve stuff from a computer, but also give you the ability to access other equipment within the home or business.  Enabling you to view security cameras or access a security system, adjust the thermostat, turn on or off the lights or even warm up your hot tub before you head home from work. 

Always remember when using any of the web based applications that security is always a high priority, since you are accessing the internet to gain access to a remote location.  So, make sure that the remote access solution you choose is secure and that you also have the proper internet security and anti-virus tools installed.