Review

Created: 7 January, 2002

GoToMyPC.com PC Remote Control software/service

By Andy Walker, Cyberwalker Media Syndicate

If you travel a lot, but need access to your data and e-mail, you can load it all up on a laptop, but often being away from your office PC leaves you without access to critical data.

GoToMyPC.com. is a web service and software that keeps you connected to all that vital data. In fact, the service gives you direct access to your office computer over the Internet so that you can work on your computer as if you never left it.

Here’s how it works. After signing up, you assign yourself a user ID and password and then you download a little program onto your office PC. It runs as a little icon on your System Tray, which in Windows is at the bottom right side of your screen.

When you leave the office you need to leave your computer on and it needs to be connected to the Internet all time. It’s vital that your system has Internet access via a cable modem or digital subscriber line (DSL). GoToMyPC will not work for you if you connect to the Internet from you office using a dial-up modem.

When on the road you can use your office computer any time by finding a web-connected computer. This can be in an Internet café or you can dial-up the Internet with your laptop.

Once connected to the Web, all you have to do is browse to www.GoToMyPC.com and log-on using the user ID and password you previously set up.

The site sends a little program to the remote computer you are using. It takes less than a minute to automatically load. The system then asks for a second password and then connects to your office computer.

A window pops open and your office computer’s Windows desktop appears exactly as if you were sitting in front of it.

You then use the computer as if you were sitting at your desk back at the office. That includes launching any programs you like, including your e-mail program.

What’s wonderful about this is that all the “computing” occurs on your office machine. So any e-mail you send or receive any file you create is on your office computer. It doesn’t have to be transferred upon your return.

In most small business environments, this system works no matter what computer terminal you use to access the information. If you can use a Web browser, then you can use your office terminal. It also works if your office computer is behind most small business firewall systems.

The other bonuses: In the event that you can only find a Mac or Linux/Unix system, you can still access your Windows computer. You can also print from the remote computer to wherever you are. Plus you can stop anyone in the office from using your computer while you are accessing it remotely.

There’s a downside to all of this. Ideally you need both accessing and accessed computer to be connected to a fast Internet connection to get the best results. If you use a 56K modem to remote control your office computer, it can be frustrating as every mouse click or keyboard tap results in a short delay. Just writing and sending a simple e-mail over the system can take two or three times as long. However, it works in a pinch and is an invaluable tool for those that travel frequently but need access to all their data back home.

Reviewer’s rating: 4/5

Reviewer’s Comments: A must have for frequently travelers who need access to their computer at the home office.

Price:
$119.40 US ($180 Canadian) per year per PC or $19.95 ($35 Canadian) per month per PC. Volume discounts for multiple PCs available.

Where to buy: GoToMyPC

System requirements:
Accessed computer:
Pentium 300 with 64 MB of RAM or better.
Operating system: Windows 95, 98, 2000, Me, NT or XP.
Web browser: Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator 4.0 or later
Internet access: Always on Internet connection including DSL, ISDN or cable modem.

Accessing computer:
Any computer that has Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator 4.0 or later with all Java components enabled.