Far from your main machine? Whether that PC is at work or home, if you're looking for a remote-access option, look no further than GoToMyPC. Just be sure you can cover the entry price.
This Web-based app is easy to set up and use, and with version 3.0's much-improved file-transfer tool, this is also the best way to access and run files and programs on a remote computer.
At US$20 (AU$37) per month or US$179 (AU$325) per year, this app requires you to fork over almost twice as much in a year as you would for a desktop program such as LapLink or PCAnywhere, but you make up the price in portability. GoToMyPC lets you run your Windows PC from any Java- enabled Web browser anywhere, anytime, so it's perfect for corporate types who are frequently on the road.
Slick setup
Setting up an account with GoToMyPC takes just a few minutes. From the secure GoToMyPC Web site, use your e-mail address as your login name and create a password of your own. Installing the necessary software on a host PC takes less than 10 minutes, even when you're connected over a slow dial-up connection. Create a second password, called an access code, for connecting to your host PC, and you're ready to go. A couple of caveats: the host must be a Windows PC, and it must be an always-on Internet connection; dial-up modem hosts will not work.
The process of connecting is as easy as logging on to a Web-based e-mail account. From any remote Windows, Linux, Macintosh, or Solaris computer equipped with Internet Explorer or Netscape, head to the GoToMyPC site, enter your login name and password, select the host, and punch in its access code. A Java applet, called the Universal Viewer, automatically downloads, and the host's desktop screen displays in the viewer. This process takes seconds over a fast connection but can take as long as a minute over a 28.8Kbps dial-up link.
You have arrived
Once connected to the host, you can work as though you're on that PC. Run any program that resides on your host machine to retrieve mail or open documents, or you can print from your host desktop to a printer attached to the remote computer. Response speed is, of course, dependent on the speed of the Net connection for both the remote and the host. Using a dial- up remote computer (tested at speeds as slow as 28.8Kbps), GoToMyPC is sluggish compared to programs such as LapLink, but it is useful for file transfers or short chores such as grabbing e-mail. If you up the speed to broadband rates, GoToMyPC's screen redraws fast enough for any task.
Simpler file transfer
GoToMyPC 3.0 now creates a desktop shortcut that, when clicked, connects you to a specific host. You still must enter your account name and password as well as the host's access code, but the shortcut eliminates the need to first surf to GoToMyPC's site.
More dramatic, though, is the new, two-pane-view file-transfer utility, which allows you to create, delete, rename, and move files and folders on both machines. You can drag and drop files or folders between desktops with a simple move of the mouse. It's not up to the file- transfer prowess of PCAnywhere or LapLink--file transfers still take much longer on GoToMyPC--but it has been much improved. Kudos.
Security is solid
Security is built into GoToMyPC. We tested it on Windows XP hosts without firewalls, and this service and software didn't expose the machines to hacker risk, because rather than leave one or more ports open, GoToMyPC pings its servers every five seconds via HTTP port 80. When we engaged a personal firewall such as ZoneAlarm Pro, both host and remote PCs were in Hidden mode, as is expected when a firewall has been installed, so hackers can't even tell that the computers are there.
Security in the 2.0 edition includes AES 128-bit encryption, automatic deactivation of an account after three failed login attempts, and screen blanking and keyboard/mouse locking. In addition, GoToMyPC 3.0 gives you a new option: closing the GoToMyPC Viewer on a remote machine after a set period of inactivity.
Still the best, even at this price
Online support remains weak. The FAQ file is thin, and there's no searchable database of problems and solutions, but you can e-mail questions from anywhere on the GoToMyPC site.
So is GoToMyPC worth it? Sure, the price is sky-high compared to a one-time purchase of a remote-control desktop app such as LapLink or PCAnywhere. But GoToMyPC's flexibility-- you can connect to your host PC from virtually anywhere there's a Net connection--means that if you leave home without it, you can still get to your stuff, perfect for those who are constantly on the road.
GoToMyPC 3.0
Company: Expertcity, Inc
Price: US$20(AU$37) per month or US$179(AU$325) per year
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