Team Viewer Alternative

[bdwillie]

I use team viewer between my sequencing computer and our show computer, and have for many years.  Today for some reason my account has been tagged as being used for commercial without a commercial paid license.  I have submitted their form but it could take up to 5 days before I get an answer.  Don't know why it was flagged, I use it maybe at most twice a week?

So if they don't reactivate my account, what is an easy, reliable alternative for both machines being on the same home network?

Thanks in advance!

[TheDucks]

Windows Pro (since 7) has remote desktop connection  (you only need Pro on the host. There are cross platform clients for free)

I have used VNC  previously, but it probably should not be used on a outside accessible network if you have sensitive data on the host. What I like about this, is you can leave the host screen active (be a helper) for the sessions, where RDC locks the hosts screen (good security) . VNC does not require Internet access to use

[k6ccc]

I also have used TeamViewer between my various computers.  I have several times had to submit the "I'm really not using it professionally" form.  Most recently just a couple weeks ago.  I submitted the form in the morning and got approved that evening.  Never had a problem with getting it approved.  TeamViewer is by far my preferred remote access software.

With that said, TheDucks mentioned both RDC and VNC.  I have used both.  The biggest disadvantage of RDC is it locks out the local screen.  VNC is SLOW.  VNC also does not send audio which for our purposes can be a disdvantage.  Last I was aware of it, VNC is no longer free  for the server end.  Oddly enough, server is included with the RaspBerry Pi OS for free, so that is what I normally use to access the couple of RasPis as the house.  I can also use VNC to access my server and show computer using an old version with a license number from several years ago (but that license wont work with new versions of VNC server).  I can access the VNC servers from the Internet, but it requires a port knock sequence to the router in order to open the port - most consumer routers can't use a port knock seqeunce, but I'm not using a consumer grade router at home.

Another one that I have heard of but never used is AnyDesk - https://anydesk.com/en

There are some others as well.

 

[jerryb721]

Chrome remote desktop works if you just want to log in and make changes, say like to start and stop a show, or changes to a show, etc. but is not good for sending files.

But when I have the same license issue I use Chrome RPD and have my show computers drive networked mapped so I can transfer files that way. You could also setup a dropbox folder or Google drive folder to copy to and from on both then use Chrome RDP to bring the files to the show PC

 

[bdwillie]

Teamviewer did get back same day and unlocked me back to a free license, but I still can't use it.  As soon as I start a new session it shuts down, Sigh,  Will start trying the ones that you guys have mentioned, and uninstall and reinstall team viewer on both machines tomorrow..

 

[k6ccc]

You may need to make you completely stop and restart TeamViewer (or reboot the computer) to get it to unlock.

 

[rick gurnee]

You might have to have Team Viewer unlock both computers, yours and the one you are accessing.

[bdwillie]

Thanks everyone!  We can mark this one fixed!  Had time to sit at the keyboard for a minute.

Had to uninstall and reinstall team viewer on my sequencing computer and now we are back in business!  Never had to mess with the show computer.

 

 

[k6ccc]

31 minutes ago, rick gurnee said:

You might have to have Team Viewer unlock both computers, yours and the one you are accessing.

Yes, that is an issue.  TeamViewer has now gotten smart - the form requests the ID of all of your computers.  Used to be that it only requested on, so you ended up going back and forth between one, then another, then another of your computers.  Much better form now.