[TIP] Company setting itself up as a TeamViewer alternative.

[Metanis]

Saw this program reviewed in the most recent AskWoody newsletter. Distant Desktop remote control software is free for both personal and commercial use. They said they'll start charging for commercial access in 2 years. Published by a small Finnish software house...

Distant Desktop

 

[Larry Sabo]

It was disappointing in the short trial I just had:

1. Windows Defender blocked the app on the remote laptop I used to connect to my Desktop PC and while it still connected, mouse clicks did nothing
2. After reconnecting, their was a mouse pointer moving around apparently following moves I had made with the mouse earlier, and response to clicks was glacial. I thought someone else was browsing my desktop!
3. The app can't be run in the background (for unattended access): your only option is to close it; minimizing it puts it a shortcut at the top of the screen, which is too in-your-face if I want it listening for a connection. AnyDesk sits in the Notification area waiting for a connection and I was looking for something similar.

Maybe these will be ironed out in future revisions or maybe it's just my network.

 

[britechguy]

Not that I don't get why a third-party solution is needed if unattended access is desired, but if it's not, and you have not tried the Windows 10 built-in Quick Access feature, you should.

These days it's all I use for remote control and it has performed very, very well even over slow connections. I've used it with my mobile phone hotspot, when I'm in "restricted to 600Kbps" mode, and it still works very well.

It will even reconnect in those instances where a restart is required for something that needs to be done on the assistee's end. If they ever put in unattended access it would be a game changer.

 

[gadgetfixup]

Quick Assist

 

[carmen617]

Not that I don't get why a third-party solution is needed if unattended access is desired, but if it's not, and you have not tried the Windows 10 built-in Quick Access feature, you should.

These days it's all I use for remote control and it has performed very, very well even over slow connections. I've used it with my mobile phone hotspot, when I'm in "restricted to 600Kbps" mode, and it still works very well.

It will even reconnect in those instances where a restart is required for something that needs to be done on the assistee's end. If they ever put in unattended access it would be a game changer.

Quick assist is great, but I spend more than 50% of my time supporting Macs, iPhones, iPads, and even Android phones. I have a $200/year subscription with Splashtop SOS that literally pays for itself after I bill 2 hours, and works very well for what I do. I use the plan that gives me 10 unattendeds, which I divvy up to friends and family, and the rest of the world can download the app and give me a code every time they need support. Highly recommended, a lot cheaper than TV, and works just fine.

 

[britechguy]

@carmen617

If your business is that heavily iProducts based, I agree that Quick Assist is certainly not the solution for you in that arena. Glad to hear you've found something that works for you "on that side."

I just love Quick Assist on the Windows 8 & later platforms because it's just there and it just works. It's a world away from Windows Remote Assistance, which I also used to use, but far less frequently.