History of Remote PC Access

Remember the movie War Games with Matthew Broderick? He was attempting remote access of a computer with a modem so old he actually had to put the handset of a telephone into a cradle!

Programs like pcAnywhere, before being owned by Symantec, were the primary remote access software used for people using PC's running on MS-Dos. pcAnywhere would require a user name and password for security, but most people felt just an unlisted phone number was pretty good security.

Nobody figured too many David Lightmans (Broderick's War Games character) existed in their neighborhood.

The problem with remote access via telephone line and modem was the potential long distance cost. Speed was not a huge problem back then because Windows was not yet on the scene with the high data graphical interface to transmit.

Once the internet came along, companies and individuals sought to eliminate line charges and long distance fees by using a local number to connect to the internet and use the web as a free conduit for the remote access software.

The real progress in remote computer access and control came about with broadband internet. Not only could broadband handle the higher data requirement of Windows, it was an always on connection with no dialing and modem negotiation to wait for - and hope worked!

Programs like VNC and pcAnywhere proliferated on the internet with only basic user authentication, most times with weak passwords, as the security. Once hackers were able to scan IP address ranges an "unpublished" IP address was pretty much useless for security and of less value than the old unpublished modem number.

Since remote PC access software typically ran on default "ports" on the internet, hackers could easily scan IP address ranges looking for a program "listening" on those known default ports. A short time later no password was strong enough to protect this type of remote access against attack.

Enter the Virtual Private Network or VPN. A VPN is typically a combination of a security device such as a hardware firewall on the host side combined with a software client on the remote side that together provides a secure "tunnel" for remote communication.

Once you have a secure tunnel, any style of remote access software can work safely without threat of hackers. But this tunnel comes at the price of dollars and expertise to set up; and some level of inconvenience to the user every time he or she needs to connect or trouble shoot.

Today, though, we have another option thanks to broadband internet. Web based remote PC access provides a secure method of remotely controlling any two computers that each have an internet connection.

Trusted service providers offer accounts on their servers whereby a host computer can establish a secure connection to their servers and await for a remote user to login to his or her account at the trusted providers website and request access to a host computer that they have setup there.

This web based remote access has many advantages over previous remote PC control methods. The primary advantage is that a user can sit down at any computer in the world and login to their account at the trusted provider. A small download sets up that computer in only a minute or two.

No other pre-configuration is required at the remote site. This feature makes web based remote control ideal for users needing access to a host at a time when they do not have a computer of their own available. A public computer at a hotel, library, friend or relatives house will do just fine.

There are many providers of web based remote access software services, the question is which ones can be trusted. See the website in the resources box for full reviews and recommendations on web based remote access services that are the best for you to choose from.