remote access software

[Amourek]

I just built a headless backup machine/file server, hooked up to my LAN using gigabit ethernet. I'm currently using an old copy of pcAnywhere to control it from my main system, but it's a bit laggy. Is there anything more responsive out there, preferably free?

[shrugs*]

Any distro of VNC.

http://www.realvnc.com/

Fast, easy, free. And cross platform :)

[johnson_w]

I just built a headless backup machine/file server, hooked up to my LAN using gigabit ethernet. I'm currently using an old copy of pcAnywhere to control it from my main system, but it's a bit laggy. Is there anything more responsive out there, preferably free?

What OS are you running? If you're using Windows XP Pro or Vista Business/Ultimate, you can use Remote Desktop (RDC), which is built into windows.

[crazdefool]

Any distro of VNC.

http://www.realvnc.com/

Fast, easy, free. And cross platform :)

+1 my favorite

[willy]

What OS are you running? If you're using Windows XP Pro or Vista Business/Ultimate, you can use Remote Desktop (RDC), which is built into windows.
+1

[deep]

Remote Desktop or UltraVNC/RealVNC.

[phucyall]

If it's Windows there is simply nothing that even comes close to RDP.
It is so tightly integrated into Windows only another Microsoft product can ever compare. Works brilliant with a multi monitor setup. I often have a remote desktop to either a server or my home machine full screen on one monitor and my normal desktop on the other. Authentication is based windows based and while RDP does log the local user off, I find that a lot better for administering remote machines because nobody can see what you are doing on the screen locally (as the local user is logged out when remote user logs in).

For all other OS it's best to use VNC. I personally always liked TightVNC, but pretty much any flavor of VNC will do the same basic functions and have roughly the same performance.

[trucanuck]

RDP is great as the others have said.

VNC can be laggy even on a LAN.

Another very reliable, easy to configure option is logmein.com free. Seems just as good as Windows remote desktop even over the internet.

Try it below, you WILL like it:

https://secure.logmein.com/products/free/register.asp

[Amourek]

I will try RealVNC, thanks for all your suggestions.

Authentication is based windows based and while RDP does log the local user off, I find that a lot better for administering remote machines because nobody can see what you are doing on the screen locally (as the local user is logged out when remote user logs in).

That may be a problem since I also plan on using the machine to for BT and Usenet while my main system is turned off and I need to check when downloads are done, etc.

[shrugs*]

I will try RealVNC, thanks for all your suggestions.

That may be a problem since I also plan on using the machine to for BT and Usenet while my main system is turned off and I need to check when downloads are done, etc.

From what I remember, you can use the console switch with RDP.

If you're using the same user account (ie, logging in with 'Admin' when the Admin account has downloads in progress), it will just take over that session: the RDP screen will show the active desktop (the downloads and whatever else is running), and the local machine will be on the login page.

Only if you're using a different account will it kill the current session and then create a new one.

[jerryhung]

Remote connections: LogMeIn.com
I also use SSH(putty) + VNC over secure channel

LAN: I use UltraVNC, or Remote Desktop

or you can setup a VPN on a Linksys router

[ItemFinder]

SSH + VNC would be the ideal solution. I wouldn't recommend RealVNC as it's not freeware, where as UltraVNC is.

[Zero]

RDP, Radmin (not free), UltraVNC in that order.

[johnson_w]

If you're going to use Remote Desktop, I'd also recommend you check out a third party client called mRemote. I find it much better than the default client, though it has improved in Vista SP1 .