Educating Yourself About Remote PC Access Programs

Sometimes, you're not near your computer, and you just need something on it. Or you want to let a technician into the inner workings of your machine, so that they can figure out what's wrong with it. People in either of these situations can benefit from having some form of remote PC access.

Basically, remote access programs allow you to enter your computer's files and software from another physical location. This includes things like modifying and reading files, playing media, and adding and deleting software-- almost anything that you can do when sitting in front of your computer. There are controls that can be placed on the software, however, which allow you to access only certain components remotely.

Microsoft began selling their operating systems with remote access software built in when Windows 2000 and XP came out. This version of remote software is not very highly thought-of, however-- it is generally considered buggy and hard to deal with. Windows 7 has software specifically for sharing media files with other computers, which is more popular. Free and purchasable software is available for download from the internet, as well.

There are various reasons why remote access software can be useful. One is the ability to compile important information such as files and data on a single computer, and then allow access from other people in various locations who are all working on the same project. This can allow the possibility of a company or office where the people are not in the same physical location. Technical services also benefit from remote access software. Being able to let a technician find the problem themselves, rather than relying on the rather tedious process of asking you to perform tasks and report the results, can save time and money. Because in-person technical service can be so expensive, but technicians can find out much of the same information via remote access, it can be money saved without sacrificing quality, too.

Remote access software is usually created to work best with a particular operating system, such as Windows, Mac, or Linux. Sometimes these programs are later adapted to run on other systems. Do some research before choosing your remote access software, so that you can make sure your choice usually works well with your OS. Unfortunately, remote access software can create huge security holes in your machine. Installing the software necessarily opens the machine to some outside invasions, and they might not all be desirable ones. Sometimes viruses and bugs can slip in through the cracks the remote access software left. To reduce problems, always back up your entire computer right before installing the software, and consider wiping and restoring your machine if you later remove it.

The good parts and the bad parts of remote PC access software make the decision easy for some people, but most will have to think about it for a while. If you truly need the functions of remote access, the risks may be worth taking. If you can do without, then you might find more peace of mind by not using it. If you do install or run any kind of remote access software, make sure to keep your antivirus software updated.