Teamviewer alternative for providing IT support to family

outtatune

I'm currently using Teamviewer to remote into my mum's laptop when she has an IT problem. But they've recently launched a new interface which is abysmal and makes basic tasks almost unuseable.

For the time being you can stick with the old interface but they've said that option will at some stage be removed, so I'm looking for an alternative.

It needs to be:

• free
• fall off a log easy to use for basic screen sharing
• other features aren't needed
• secure

Has anyone got any suggestions?

Thanks

chunter

Anydesk
https://anydesk.com/en-gb/downloads/windows

Neil_Jones

Here you go:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_remote_desktop_software

The various *VNC programs have been spun off/forked away from their source projects, so you'll find a few variations of UltraVNC - such as TigerVNC, etc.

If the destination machine has Pro, you can use Remote Desktop which is part of Windows:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/how-to-use-remote-desktop-5fe128d5-8fb1-7a23-3b8a-41e636865e8c

victor2

Zoom is not that bad (not as neat as Teamviewer is/was) when used for remote access and it gives you a video call as well. All free with no time limit if only two people on the call.

Only drawback I've found with it is that the client sees your camera image in a small floating window that you don't see on your view of their screen. I've been trying to tell someone to click on a particular item which happens to be behind my image, and all they can see is my frustrated face!

[Deleted User]

Neil_Jones said:

The various *VNC programs have been spun off/forked away from their source projects, so you'll find a few variations of UltraVNC - such as TigerVNC, etc.

If the destination machine has Pro, you can use Remote Desktop which is part of Windows:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/how-to-use-remote-desktop-5fe128d5-8fb1-7a23-3b8a-41e636865e8c

I assume Mum is not based at the same house.

VNC / Microsoft Remote desktops only work over LAN connection (home networks in the same house) as they are direct client-server (computer to computer connections) that will not work behind NAT (a router) unless you set up VPN server to join your network to your Mum's (recommended) or configuring port forwarding in your Mum's router, the latter being terribly insecure and not recommended.

Setting up a VPN server is a little more involved, hence why products such as Team Viewer are so popular, they use their gateway to link the computers. The disadvantage is you hand over your data and security to a third party.

Anydesk would be my recommendation for ease of use but you get a cut-down package for free.

k_man

If both yours and your mum's PCs are Windows based you could use the built in Remote Assistance or Quick Assist. 
No third party software required.

outtatune

Thank you all, mum is at a different location and doesn't have windows pro so I will have a look at Anydesk, that does seem to be the same kind of thing as Teamviewer so not too much change for her to get used to.

400ixl

Given that AnyDesk is the go to choice for Fraudsters gaining access to PC's of non tech savvy people, I would not give them a head start by having the client already installed for them.

What is the issue with Teamviewer? (haven't looked at the latest version) The user of the local device should not have to do much other than approve the request to take over (assuming you rightly haven't set it up to auto approve).

lr1277

I use a flavour of VNC. My mum's computer is set up as the server and I have the client. Yes I am at a different location and mum has a virgin provided router.

The server software was provided by VNC. My client software was provided by VNC. Not sure where I got them from but would have searched for VNC.

This flavour of VNC has apps so that it can be used from a phone or a tablet, not that I have tried.

My brother who currently works in tech does not rate VNC because of potential security holes. He prefers Microsoft and by that I assume he means teamviewer.

Looking at my Start menu, apparently I have RealVNC. I got that for free but now seems to be chargeable.

Free is good, but some software I use is no longer supported because the company weren't making any money so have closed down. So i use the software on an supported basis. I think if I had to pay for VNC I would agree something with mum as it would save both of us time and money.

Edited to add: This link seems to suggest you can download the software though I didn't try it so don't know if you have to pay for it.

https://www.realvnc.com/en/connect/download/viewer/

HTH

Edited to add: I meant to say I use the software on an unsupported basis.

cm4ever

outtatune said:

I'm currently using Teamviewer to remote into my mum's laptop when she has an IT problem. But they've recently launched a new interface which is abysmal and makes basic tasks almost unuseable.

For the time being you can stick with the old interface but they've said that option will at some stage be removed, so I'm looking for an alternative.

It needs to be:

• free
• fall off a log easy to use for basic screen sharing
• other features aren't needed
• secure

Has anyone got any suggestions?

Thanks

Hi

If you're happy with using VNC or RealVNC etc in local connection mode i.e. for when your computer/tablet/phone was on the same logical network as your mum's, may I suggest you have a look at a VPN solution called tailscale - it's completely free for individual use and would allow an easy point-to-point virtual network to be setup on demand between both of your computers/devices, allowing both computers/devices to appear to be securely directly connectable with zero configuration of routers or port forwarding etc

https://tailscale.com/

In that way, if mum has a problem, she could just enable the tailscale connection and then just approve your RealVNC or whatever connection request.....

Ncafeel

I also used TeamViewer for a long time until it started cutting off connections for exceeding the limit in the free version.
So, I switched to https://www.helpwire.app/ It's a free app, and I've been using it for several months now. There are no limits, and everything works great.