For IT teams and network admins who need to resolve technical issues, getting to the root of the problem without getting in the way of other peoples work can be difficult. You need to figure things out before they cause issues across your network, but you cant bring everything to a halt to do it.
To help, Id recommend using a remote desktop software. With free, freemium, and commercial options on the market, you can remotely access another computer from your ownor even from a mobile device. This allows you to help end users experiencing issues or to work in the background while they go about their business. Plus, a tool like this can help you remotely manage your computer, storage, and network resources throughout your companyeven if you have branch offices around the state, country, or globe.
Free and freemium options can be great depending on your needsand my list goes into detail about thembut if youre looking for truly cost-effective, premium options, Id recommendSolarWinds®Dameware®Remote Supportfor an on-premises remote desktop solution and theJUST RELEASEDDameware Remote Everywherefor cloud-based solutions. As a proven leader in the remote support industry, SolarWinds is the one to beat.
Whether youre resolving IT issues on-site, in different buildings on-premises, or at branch offices, remote desktop software can speed up the process without bringing workflows to a halt. Heres my pick for the best free remote desktop software.
Feel free to jump ahead to reviews:
- Chrome Remote Desktop
- Microsoft Remote Desktop
- RemotePC
- UltraVNC
- Remote Utilities
Top Free Remote Desktop Software
New year, new offerings. Whether youre looking for a free, freemium, or commercial remote desktop viewer, you have a lot of options at your disposal. However, Im just going to focus on free platforms right now, so you can understand what the most entry-level options on the market look like. Like Ive already said, these tools can give you a lot of the essentials when it comes to remote access, but theyre not going to give you absolutely everything.
Regardless, free remote desktop software can help you dip your toe into the water. This can be useful if youre not exactly sure what your needs are or if youd like to get familiar with some options before deciding in which commercial software you want to invest. On the other hand, these free remote desktop tools might give you everything you need, in which case the following options will be just fine. In no particular order, heres what to consider:
- Chrome Remote Desktop
Chrome Remote Desktop is one of the more basic offerings out there for free remote desktop connections, but it gets the job done pretty conveniently. The only requirement is that both computersthat is, yours [the client] and the computer youre remotely logging into [the host]have Chrome installed.
This option works via an extension you install. Youll give yourself access to the host by creating a unique PIN and you can take control of the host by logging into Chrome on the client side. As a plus, you can access the host even if Chrome isnt running or if theyre not logged into their account. However, the functions are a bit limited. There are no chat options available in case you need to communicate quickly with someone on the other end and the platform doesnt support file sharing at the moment, so Id definitely call it an entry-level choice.
- Microsoft Remote Desktop
Microsoft Remote Desktop is similar to Chromes. It offers basic features that are convenient if youre a certain kind of user, but it comes with a spate of limitations that might not make it the best option for everyone. With the platformwhich Microsoft provides for freeyou can remotely access Windows PCs from other Windows computers, mobile, devices, and Macs.
However, you should note that you cant access a Mac from a Windows PC. With Microsoft Remote Desktop, youll be able to work with any version of Windows starting with Windows 7 provided theyre running Enterprise, Ultimate, or Professional. It doesnt require authorization to connect to your own PCs, which is a plus, but it also doesnt support file sharing or offer a wealth of options when it comes to IT assistance.
- RemotePC
Compared with Chrome Remote Desktop and Microsoft Remote Desktop, RemotePC gives you some additional features. For example, it supports file-sharing and chat functionalitiesboth important things if youre trying to work with someone remotely to solve a problem. You can also use mobile devices to access a computer, so youre not tethered to a desktop or laptop host.
On the flip side, the biggest limitation is that youre only able to store information for one connection at a time, unless you take advantage of their freemium options. This means that you can only have an access ID and key paired for one type of connection. You could conceivably access as many hosts as you need, but you wont be able to store that information to toggle through.
- UltraVNC
UltraVNC works by installing a server and a viewer on two different PCs. Youll install the server on the computer you want to connect to, and the viewer on the computer youre going to use as your controller. By installing the server as a system service, itll always be running and you can make connections more easily.
As far as potential snags, youll need to change your router settings while using UltraVNCspecifically for port forwarding. Aside from that, the platform supports file sharing and transfers, chatting between the server and the viewer, and clipboard sharing. Fair warning, the download page isnt as elegant as some of these other options.
- Remote Utilities
Remote Utilities gives you a competitive array of tools considering that its free. After pairing two computers with an Internet ID, youll be able to remotely access up to ten PCs. The service provides a number of tools to help with the pairing process, including a Viewer for the computer you want to use as your controller, a Host on remote computers for unattended access, a run-only Agent for spontaneous access, and an RU Server to route remote connections and access additional capabilities.
Available for personal and enterprise use, Remote Utilities has a lot of effective remote access capabilities. For example, available modules include a task manager, file transfer, power control, and text chat, just to name a few. However, the primary limitationaside from the limit of 10 connectionsis that Remote Utilities only works on Windows.
Why Remote Desktop Software?
Whatever industry youre in, IT teams face a difficult task: how can you resolve issues with computers, storage, and networking resources without getting in the way of other important work your enterprise does? Whether youre resolving an issue with one end users computer or investigating a problem affecting the organization as a whole, theres a lot of pressure to get in, fix the problem, and get out as soon as possible.
On one hand, I can see where people are coming from. Research shows that54% of companiesexperienced a downtime event lasting more than an entire workdaythats about eight hoursin the past five years. When you consider that longer incidents can cost companies tens of thousands of dollars, if not hundreds of thousands, you can understand why its critical that IT professionals get to the root of whatevers going wrong and figure things out.
On the other hand, I think its important to point out the barriers IT teams face. For instance, if an end user is having a problem that calls for your attention, you want to help them get back up to speed without putting them and their workstation out of commission for hours on end. Additionally, if someone in a branch office or a different building on your corporate campus needs assistance, its probably time-consumingif not impossibleto physically be with them at their computer.
This puts IT professionals in a bind. You need to fix problems before they cause big losses for your company, but you also need to do so in a way thats almost like youre not even there. So how can you make this happen? Well, you probably need remote desktop software. This software can help you take over computers that have already given you permission to do so, and that includes everything: mouse, keyboard, and all.
If youre looking for a free remote desktop software to fit these needs, you want to find the solution that works best for your team and your budget. While its up to you whether you go for free, freemium, or commercial products, take the time to learn more about whats out there. To that end, Im sharing some of my favorite free remote desktop software options with you below.
If Free Remote Support Tools Dont Cut It
Free remote desktop software can give you some of the primary capabilities IT teams need. From portability options to chatting platforms, you can access a lot of the tools that make remote desktop software so useful in the first place. Youll be able to take control of another computeroften whether or not somebodys on the other endand get to the root of the problem without disturbing their work or having to waste time actually walking to their workstation.
However, youre going to run into some limitations depending on which software you use. For instance, a lot of free remote desktop software only allows you access to a certain number of computers at any one time. This may be all you need if youre on a smaller team, but its obviously a hassle for bigger operationsand potentially a deal-breaker. Even if you fall somewhere in the middle, youre not going to want to have multiple kinds of remote desktop access software just so you can cover all your computers without having to pay.
When I think of remote desktop software thats easy to install, intuitive to use, and backed up by other positive customer reviews, I have to go withSolarWinds Dameware Remote SupportandDameware Remote Everywhere. Available for on-premises and cloud-based teams, Dameware Remote Support and Dameware Remote Everywhere provide really effective tools that I depend on. Its secure, functional 24/7, and comes with support. If I need to start a mobile session over a device, centrally manage my Dameware environment, or organize work tickets easily, these SolarWinds offerings would be the perfect fit. Whats great is that you can try out either one of these remote support solutions risk-free for 14 days to see if it meets your support needs.
Other Helpful Free Tools Lists
Top FREE Network Monitoring Tools
If your network is down or experiencing real issues, its hard for the rest of your organization to do what needs to get done. Whether youve already figured out your network architecture or you want to get it up and running in tandem with network monitoring tools, make sure that you do your research and get the options that will work best for your team.
Top FREE Server Monitoring Tools
If you and your team regularly build your own applications, safeguarding your server environment is critical. After all, those applications are probably essential, whether theyre for people inside your organization or for clients outside of it. To that end, you need server monitoring tools that can get the job doneregardless of whether you want free, freemium, or commercial options.