Controlling home PC from networked laptop

I'd like to be able to take control of stuff on my home PC from my
wirelessly networked laptop. Stuff like P2P and email on the desktop, that
I don't really want to clutter the laptop up with.

I have managed to set up file and printer sharing for the laptop, and get
web wirelessly, all via a Linksys BEFS11W4(I think) router.

Is this easy to do? Will it cost me anything? Can it be done?

Any help or pointers would be great.


thanks in advance



Chris

Per Evil Uncle Chris:
>I'd like to be able to take control of stuff on my home PC from my
>wirelessly networked laptop. Stuff like P2P and email on the desktop, that
>I don't really want to clutter the laptop up with.
>
>I have managed to set up file and printer sharing for the laptop, and get
>web wirelessly, all via a Linksys BEFS11W4(I think) router.
>
>Is this easy to do? Will it cost me anything? Can it be done?
>
>Any help or pointers would be great.

I'm currently doing what I think you're describing between my home office PC and
a PC at a client site.

Home office PC brings up the client site PC's desktop and it acts almost exactly
as if I were at the site and logged on there.

VPN (Virtual Private Network) gets me connected to the client site's LAN. You
probably don't need that because it sounds like you're already on your home LAN
via the wireless card.

"Remote Desktop" is the tool that does the desktop thing. It's part of Windows
XP. Dunno about earlier versions of Windows. There are other tools that do
the same thing, but I don't know any names.
--
PeteCresswell

If your PC is running XP Professional, this will tell you how to enable and
configure remote desktop:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315328/en-us

This feature is not available on XP Home Edition except as a client.
Instead you could use NetMeeting or a third party solution - eg:

http://www.tightvnc.com

Doug Sherman
MCSE, MCSA, MCP+I, MVP

"Evil Uncle Chris" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:vldpg.7715$(E-Mail Removed)...
> I'd like to be able to take control of stuff on my home PC from my
> wirelessly networked laptop. Stuff like P2P and email on the desktop,
that
> I don't really want to clutter the laptop up with.
>
> I have managed to set up file and printer sharing for the laptop, and get
> web wirelessly, all via a Linksys BEFS11W4(I think) router.
>
> Is this easy to do? Will it cost me anything? Can it be done?
>
> Any help or pointers would be great.
>
>
> thanks in advance
>
>
>
> Chris
>
>

If the home desktop PC is running XP Pro or MCE using Remote Desktop is one
method...

http://theillustratednetwork.mvps.or...eshooting.html

If the home desktop PC is running XP Home then UltraVNC is a good
alternative. Get the server, client, encryption plug-in and XP video driver
(for the desktop only) from...

http://ultravnc.sourceforge.net/

--
Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows Networking)

Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the
mutual benefit of all of us...
The MS-MVP Program - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights...


"Evil Uncle Chris" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:vldpg.7715$(E-Mail Removed)...
> I'd like to be able to take control of stuff on my home PC from my
> wirelessly networked laptop. Stuff like P2P and email on the desktop,
> that I don't really want to clutter the laptop up with.
>
> I have managed to set up file and printer sharing for the laptop, and get
> web wirelessly, all via a Linksys BEFS11W4(I think) router.
>
> Is this easy to do? Will it cost me anything? Can it be done?
>
> Any help or pointers would be great.
>
>
> thanks in advance
>
>
>
> Chris
>

"Diamontina Cocktail" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Evil Uncle Chris" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:vldpg.7715$(E-Mail Removed)...
>> I'd like to be able to take control of stuff on my home PC from my
>> wirelessly networked laptop. Stuff like P2P and email on the desktop,
>> that I don't really want to clutter the laptop up with.
>>
>> I have managed to set up file and printer sharing for the laptop, and get
>> web wirelessly, all via a Linksys BEFS11W4(I think) router.
>>
>> Is this easy to do? Will it cost me anything? Can it be done?
>>
>> Any help or pointers would be great.
>>
>>
>> thanks in advance
>>
>
>
> Easiest way of the lot and free and doesn't matter if you run XP Pro or XP
> Home is to install UltraVNC. You don't pay for it and it simply works.
>
>
Thanks for all of the guidance.

It seems that as both machines ar XP Home, then UltraVNC is the solution to
consider.

Thanks again to all who offered advice, it has helped a lot.


Cheers



Chris

>>> I'd like to be able to take control of stuff on my home PC from my
>>> wirelessly networked laptop. Stuff like P2P and email on the desktop,
>>> that I don't really want to clutter the laptop up with.
>>>
>>> I have managed to set up file and printer sharing for the laptop, and
>>> get web wirelessly, all via a Linksys BEFS11W4(I think) router.
>>>
>>> Is this easy to do? Will it cost me anything? Can it be done?
>>>
>>> Any help or pointers would be great.
>>>
>>>
>>> thanks in advance
>>>
>>
>>
>> Easiest way of the lot and free and doesn't matter if you run XP Pro or
>> XP Home is to install UltraVNC. You don't pay for it and it simply works.
>>
>>
> Thanks for all of the guidance.
>
> It seems that as both machines ar XP Home, then UltraVNC is the solution
> to consider.
>
> Thanks again to all who offered advice, it has helped a lot.
>
>
> Cheers
>
>
>
> Chris

OK, I have tried and failed to set up UltraVNC. There are just so many terms
I don't undersstand, I just don't know where to start, so probably best that
I don't.

Is there a method for dummies to create what I am looking for, or should I
just accept that this is beyond me?

Cheers



Chris

news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Chris Macnamara" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
> message news:Sdaqg.12424$(E-Mail Removed)...
>>>>> I'd like to be able to take control of stuff on my home PC from my
>>>>> wirelessly networked laptop. Stuff like P2P and email on the desktop,
>>>>> that I don't really want to clutter the laptop up with.
>>>>>
>>>>> I have managed to set up file and printer sharing for the laptop, and
>>>>> get web wirelessly, all via a Linksys BEFS11W4(I think) router.
>>>>>
>>>>> Is this easy to do? Will it cost me anything? Can it be done?
>>>>>
>>>>> Any help or pointers would be great.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> thanks in advance
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Easiest way of the lot and free and doesn't matter if you run XP Pro or
>>>> XP Home is to install UltraVNC. You don't pay for it and it simply
>>>> works.
>>>>
>>>>
>>> Thanks for all of the guidance.
>>>
>>> It seems that as both machines ar XP Home, then UltraVNC is the solution
>>> to consider.
>>>
>>> Thanks again to all who offered advice, it has helped a lot.
>>>
>>>
>>> Cheers
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Chris
>>
>> OK, I have tried and failed to set up UltraVNC. There are just so many
>> terms I don't undersstand, I just don't know where to start, so probably
>> best that I don't.
>>
>> Is there a method for dummies to create what I am looking for, or should
>> I just accept that this is beyond me?
>>
>
> At this point, seeing you cant get UltraVNC set up, I would be calling in
> your local "computer guy" to fix it for you. You could, alternatively, buy
> PC Anywhere but honestly, I don't recommend ANYTHING Symantec (Nortons) at
> all. It is a remote control program and easier to set up but being a
> Symantec program, you know there are inherent problems. Your local
> computer guy should be able to fix it for you and if he cant, then he
> doesn't get paid.

Spookily enough, the thread above this is talking about wirelessly backing
up two laptops.

On reading further, someone mentioned www.logmein.com , a service which is
somewhat like GoToMyPc, best thing is, this one is free!

Took me all of 10 minutes to set up, and now I can control either machine
wherever I am (but usually whilst sitting downstairs in the conservatory)
I guess that there are some security issues around this, but it sems to do
exactly what I need.

So for the time being "the local computer guy" can have a day off.

Any opinions on this service?


Chris