Access your Computer from Anywhere

It could be that you forgot to do something on your office computer, you need to work on something while you are on holiday, you want to collaborate on a document with a colleague or simply that you want to help out with an IT issue from the other side of the world.  For those occasions when you need to access a computer remotely (i.e. from a different location) via the internet, LogMeIn is an ideal solution.  LogMeIn is just one of many remote access services available on the net but we were drawn to its simplicity and ease of use, as well as the comprehensive features it offers for free.

Setting it all up is relatively painless.  To start with you need to register for a free account and then specify each computer you wish to access. This will require you to be at the computer itself so planning in advance is recommended.  Simply install LogMeIn’s software and you will be able to access it remotely from then on.  Each computer you set up in this way will appear in your account (accessible from your internet browser) and it will tell you which computers are online and offline.

Then comes the clever bit.  You will now be able to access any online computer in your account through your browser (i.e. any computer connected to the internet) and see exactly what you would normally see if you were sitting right in front of it. You also have control over its mouse so you can work on it and find that dreaded document you forgot to send from the office.  If you are helping a colleague who is sitting at the computer, a small notification will appear in the top right hand corner to warn them of your connection and you will be able to work on the same screen at the same time and even communicate over the built in chat feature.

LogMeIn ensures that your connection is securely encrypted and will lookout for any intrusions.  In our tests we were also able to reboot the computer remotely (and still reconnect afterwards) and we even managed to control a Mac from a Windows based PDA.

LogMeIn offers a vast array of extra functionality for a fee, such as file sharing, drive mapping, remote printing, and sound, but unless you are a professional IT consultant we feel that the free version is more than adequate for everyday needs.

LogMeIn is a truly convenient program to have, but it has two glaring limitations even through no fault of its own. Firstly, the computer you wish to access needs to be switched on.  While this may sound obvious it is not always practical, especially in the case that you need it running non-stop during your two week holiday.  Added to this, Murphy’s Law dictates that despite having installed LogMeIn on your computer you will only ever need to access it on the one occasion you turned it off.

The second limitation is the need for a solid internet connection, both from the remote computer and from the computer you are using to access it.  LogMeIn can run on relatively low bandwidth but don’t expect to get much work done from the GPRS connection on your mobile phone.

It is also worth noting that some security conscious companies may take exception to applications like LogMeIn, so it is certainly advisable to run it past your boss first.

That said, with a wide range practical uses, solid performance on both Windows and Mac and a slew of functionality at no cost at all, LogMeIn is a great application to have at your fingertips.