logmein alternative?

[tek-monkey]

As I'm sure a lot of you are aware logmein is no longer free as of tomorrow, and the product is not worth the new costs. So, anyone got a favourite alternative? I set up chrome remote desktop last night but just realised it doesn't get through my work firewall, which is a shame. Over the next few days I'll try out a few others, there is a list of alternatives here which may be of interest:

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/blogs/2014/01/21/free-alternatives-to-logmein/

 

[Jonah]

http://www.teamviewer.com/en/index.aspx

 

[tek-monkey]

Unfortunately they use teamviewer at work, and it is locked down. I tried to get an installation onto my PC but it wouldn't have it
I guess I can still use it to access my home PCs though, which is better than nowt!

 

[wmrcomputers]

I'm a huge fan of teamviewer too. Did you try just running it rather than installing it permanently? (you should have been given the choice)

 

[proactive]

Is Teamviewer cheaper than logmein?

I'm currently having a play with Splashtop but haven't been using it long enough to make an evaluation yet, beyond the fact that it works.

 

[wmrcomputers]

Free if it's for personal use

 

[tek-monkey]

And its gone!

Does teamviewer have a web front end I can use to view, or does it rely on a local installation?

EDIT: Local installation no good at work as a locked down teamviewer is already running, looks like a web interface I could use to connect to home though.

 

[wmrcomputers]

never looked into a web front end so not sure. When running the setup file though it gives you the option to just run it once or install it. As your work has it locked down, it may still allow you to run it once. Or not.

 

[tek-monkey]

I get a message to the effect of its already running, shut it down first. Which I can't

 

[wmrcomputers]

Thinking about it Tek, you're right. They do that to stop businesses with a single user licence from running concurrent sessions.

I take it that it won't let you end it via Task Manager either with it being locked down?

 

[wmrcomputers]

Ooh, ooh, I've had another thought. Bit of a ballache to initially set up, but what about setting up a virtual PC and installing your "home contact" version on that?

EDIT:- I had to do this on a forumites wife's business computer that wouldn't allow Windows Live Mail to install no matter what I tried, and due to the complexity of other programs a full windows re-install wasn't an option so this is the way we went with it.

 

[hop]

Unfortunately they use teamviewer at work, and it is locked down. I tried to get an installation onto my PC but it wouldn't have it
I guess I can still use it to access my home PCs though, which is better than nowt!

If you just want to logon to your home pc and/or access restricted web pages from work why not use ssh / stunnel.
Setup an ssh server and change the port to 443 (ssl / https) so will get through the firewall.
On windows you will need to use Cygwin and cygrun command to install the daemon as a service.

If your using windows then download putty and use port forwarding to establish a secure encrypted tunnel with your ssh server.
The configure your client software to connect to a local machine and port. Putty or stunnel will then forward this to your remote location.

When your tunnel is created you can use anything launch Firefox on your remote machine and access from work. Use VNC etc

This would work in most situation unless your employer uses deep packet inspection.

 

[tek-monkey]

Hmm, I previously set up a media server to stream in on 443 so no idea why I'd not thought of that, thanks! WMR has a valid point on virtual machines too, that would allow me any software I wanted and just restricted by the firewall. I'm not sure inbound would work without being initialised internally as I'm pretty sure all inbound ports are dumped unless previously routed, I'll have to check.

Not that I should really be trying to circumvent my employers firewall, but I did a lot more unpaid hours for them when I had external access so I guess they shouldn't be too annoyed. Its amazing what comes to you in the shower but is gone before you're at your desk, its why when self employed I always kept a notebook by my bed. I have literally dreamed program designs in the past that have proven faultless, although I've also had the odd one that was just implausible! I suspect my brain works better when unfettered with conscious thought, meaning I get in the way of my own thinking

 

[cometcycle]

Saw this LifeHacker article from yesterday. Can't see much that hasn't already been mentioned - maybe something in the comments?

 

[tek-monkey]

I've installed teamviewer and can connect from work to home using the web client, so I have a solution. Logmein was promptly uninstalled from both home PCs, I imagine their traffic will have plummeted since yesterday.

 

[wmrcomputers]

I've installed teamviewer and can connect from work to home using the web client, so I have a solution. Logmein was promptly uninstalled from both home PCs, I imagine their traffic will have plummeted since yesterday.

I should think so, yes. I hadnt even realised the free version was ending but then I've not been a user of it since discovering teamviewer anyway. Glad you are sorted

 

[hop]

Hmm, I previously set up a media server to stream in on 443 so no idea why I'd not thought of that, thanks.... I suspect my brain works better when unfettered with conscious thought, meaning I get in the way of my own thinking

I the past I have employed various tricks to gain remote access even when behind a firewall and in FTSE companies.. I have even written outlook rules which detected keywords in an incoming message and spawned a reverse VNC session back to my home machine from the client site. At all times though the entire end to end data would be encrypted and running on encrypted ports so A firewall wouldn't suspect a thing. The tunnel would be to the benefit on the client since it would allow additional changes to be made when a brainwave occurred and I wouldn't cost them a penny.

 

[proactive]

I had an email from Logmein the other week assuring me that if all I want to do is remote onto PCs/Laptops from my iPad then that part of their service would continue to be free for the foreseeable future.

Unless they change their minds...