Hidden remote access to a computer. Hidden RMS
There are a lot of programs for organizing remote access. There are paid and free programs, there are programs for different operating systems. It is clear that in this article we will not be able to consider everything at once, but we will talk about the most interesting of them, and most importantly, we will understand what is more effective for a particular task.
Radmin (shareware)
About ten years ago, the most popular program for remote access was Radmin, it still exists (www.radmin.ru) - it has not gone anywhere during this time. Let's start the review with it.
The program consists of two parts: Server and Viewer. The first one runs on a remote computer (or remote computers), and the second one runs on your computer and is used to connect to the remote machines that you are going to configure. On the developers' website you can download both the complete set and individual components. There is also a portable version of Viewer that works without installation, and a version of Radmin Server 3.5 NTI - this is a special version without a tray icon, that is, the user of a remote computer will not know that Radmin is installed on it until you start managing his computer.
I will note the key features: support for Windows 8 32/64 bit, support for switching user sessions in Windows XP/Vista/7/8, compatibility with Wine (Radmin can organize remote access to a PC running Linux via Wine), Telnet support, remote PC shutdown , Radmin server scanner (allows you to find all the PCs that you can manage on your network), file transfer between Server and Viewer.
Conclusions:
- The program's functionality includes its own authentication, voice chat support, and the ability to transfer files. Everything is very convenient.
- Due to the fact that Server is installed on the remote computer, the presence of the user is not required, as in other similar programs. For example, you can administer the remote PCs of your colleagues when they go to lunch. In other similar programs, it is necessary either for the user to allow the connection, or for the user to provide you with a password, which is generated automatically with each communication session.
- Low system requirements, the program does not load the processor at all, which is especially important for my old laptop with an AMD processor, which gets hot like an iron - it acted as a “remote” computer.
- Just running Server is not enough; you also need to configure it.
- Many users love TeamViewer not for its functionality, but because it does not require any special ports (it uses port 80 by default) and does not require any firewall settings. Radmin Server uses port 4899, and it will not be possible to run it without setting up a firewall.
- No mobile clients.
- Does not support other OS.
TeamViewer (freeware)
Nowadays, TeamViewer is probably the most popular remote access program. You can download its full version from www.teamviewer.com/ru and not pay a penny. For non-commercial use the program is absolutely free.
Rice. 4. TeamViewer is running TeamViewer pleases with support for Windows, OS X, Linux, which was so lacking in Radmin. There are also mobile clients for Android, iPad/iPhone: you can control a remote computer from your iPhone. There is also a Portable version of the program for Windows, which is very useful for infrequent use of the program, and the Portable version can be run both on the “server” and on the “client”, unlike Radmin, where you can only run the client (Viewer) without installation, but the “server” part must be installed.
After starting the program, you will see the main TeamViewer window and the “Computers and Contacts” window (Fig. 4). If you plan to help all your relatives and colleagues at once, you can click the “Register” button, create an account, and then in this window you will see all the numerous computers that you have set up.
Rice. 5. TeamViewer in actionNow let's figure out what is what. If you need to connect to your computer, then you must provide the remote party with your ID (in this case 969 930 547) and password (8229). How to communicate, decide for yourself - you can copy and transmit these values via Skype, ICQ, email, SMS, or simply dictate over the phone. This password changes every time the program is started. If the program is installed on your computer, you can make a permanent personal password, but I do not recommend it: the password can be compromised and then anyone can connect to your computer.
If you need to connect to a remote computer, then you need to enter the ID of the remote party (in this case 411108007) and click the “Connect to partner” button, after which the program will ask you to enter the password that you received from the remote party. That's all - in the window that appears, you can configure the remote computer (Fig. 5).
You've probably already noticed the main difference from Radmin: you need to give the password to the person setting up the computer, but in Radmin the password is specified when creating a user account. In other words, the user must be present at the computer. The question is, how can you organize a home office when you want to access your work computer from home, for example, at night? Everything is very simple. You need to organize TeamViewer autostart (for example, add it to the “Startup” group or register it in the registry in the Run key) and set a “Personal password”. Please note that you cannot set a personal password if the program is not installed on your computer, but is launched without installation.
There is one more program you should know about: TeamViewer Host. It runs as a system service and is used for 24/7 access to a remote computer, including logging in/out. It turns out that TeamViewer Host allows you to organize a terminal server, and it supports an unlimited number of clients for one server (the number of clients is limited only by the computing capabilities of your computer). It should also be noted that to install TeamViewer Host you need administrator rights, which are not always available, so in most cases you will still use regular TeamViewer. However, if you need to set up just one computer (or simply organize remote access to it, say, from home), then TeamViewer Host is not needed. For the sake of fairness, it should be noted that if a regular TeamViewer (not Host) is running on computer A, then computers B, C, D (the number three is given as an example) can connect to it for joint administration. Another thing is that it is necessary to coordinate the actions of administrators, since the keyboard and mouse are shared, but one can configure, the rest will observe.
Like Radmin, TeamViewer allows you to exchange files, voice and text messages, as well as remotely reboot the computer (the required command is in the “Actions” menu, see Fig. 5; simply rebooting the computer is not enough - because then the TeamViewer communication session will not be established, reboot When setting up a computer, you only need to use the “Actions” menu).
Conclusions:
- Simplicity (the program is simpler than Radmin - a huge advantage for untrained users who will have to install it on the remote side).
- The program does not require installation at all: both on the client and on the server. Installation is optional.
- It works through port 80 (and some additional ports), so it does not require firewall configuration.
- Availability of versions for other OS.
- Availability of mobile clients for Android, iOS and Windows Phone 8 (that is, you can control a remote computer directly from your iPad).
- Possibility of organizing interactive conferences (up to 25 participants).
- Does not require administrator rights for remote access.
- It loads the processor noticeably more than Radmin, my old laptop even overheated and turned off.
- Although there are mobile clients, they are not very convenient (however, this is better than nothing).
Royal TS (shareware)
Once upon a time there was such a program - mRemote. I don’t know what happened there, but the mRemote project was closed, and the developers went and created another project - Royal TS. On the site you will find versions for Windows, OS X and iOS (can be run from iPhone and iPad).
In Royal TS, before creating a connection, you need to create a document, that is, one connection = one document. Royal TS documents are a very convenient thing; they can be transferred as regular files, for example to another admin. He will be able to open such a document and immediately connect to a remote computer without having to create a connection manually. The shareware version has a limit on the number of simultaneously open documents - ten. As for me, this is quite enough for non-commercial use of the program, so in practice you won’t even notice that you are missing something (unless, of course, you remotely administer a huge network of computers).
First of all, it must be said that this program is radically different from Radmin and TeamViewer. Both of these programs combine the functionality of both server and client (in the case of Radmin, the server and client are different programs, in the case of TeamViewer they are the same program). In other words, on one of the computers you can install Radmin Server or TeamViewer, and on the other you can use Radmin Viewer or TeamViewer, respectively, to connect to this remote computer. So, Royal TS is something like Radmin Viewer, that is, a program for connecting to a remote server, but you will have to create the server yourself. How you do it is your problem. Royal TS will not help you create such a server, but only let you connect to it.
Rice. 6. Royal TS for WindowsAmong the protocols for connecting to a remote server that Royal TS supports: RDP, Telnet, SSH, Citrix, VNC. The RDP/Telnet/SSH and other servers themselves will have to be configured independently.
On the one hand, this is beyond the scope of the article, on the other hand, it would be incomplete if I did not give an example of setting up at least one of the servers that Royal TS supports. SSH/Telnet servers, I think, will not be very interesting to the reader. I want something graphic. Let's say we have Linux (Ubuntu or its clone) and need to set up a VNC server. To do this, first install the VNC server with the command:
Sudo apt-get install vnc4server
After that, you need to run it - for the first time without parameters:
Sudo vnc4server
When running the sudo vnc4server command, you need to enter a password that will be used to connect to this VNC server. The password itself will be saved in $HOME/.vnc/passwd. I won’t say another word - there is man :). After the first launch, you need to launch vnc4server, specifying the screen number:
Sudo vnc4server:3
Next, in Royal TS you need to create a new document (on the File tab), then go to the Edit tab and click the VNC button. In the window that appears (Fig. 7), you need to enter the display name (Display Name) - in our case: 3, the IP address of the VNC server and specify the port number (usually 5900). The password will be requested when connecting to the server.
Rice. 7. VNC connection parametersConclusions:
- A universal client for connecting to a remote server using various protocols.
- There are versions for Windows, OS X and iOS.
- It is impossible to organize remote access using Royal TS alone; additional programs are needed.
- Not suitable for remote configuration of computers for inexperienced users - they simply will not be able to configure the necessary remote access services.
Supremo: free and simple (freeware)
Let's analyze the situation. If you don’t like TeamViewer or cannot use it for some reason (including the need to purchase a license for commercial use), and Radmin is also not suitable for some reason, then you will have to look for analogues. Since the article is about simple and free programs, then the following program must be: a) free; b) simple. This is the Supremo program, which can be downloaded from the website.
The program (Fig. 8) was created “in the image and likeness” of TeamViewer. It does not require installation, its operating principle is the same as that of TeamViewer, it even uses the same terminology (this is me regarding the partner ID and other inscriptions in the program interface).
The computer you are setting up and the support technician's computer must be running Windows only. Multiple editions of Windows are supported, including Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. Nothing has been said about support for Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 on the official website yet.
Rice. 8. Supremo programThe algorithm for using it is simple: you need to run the program on both computers, then ask the remote party for its ID and password, and then click the “Connect” button. Before this, the remote party must press the “Start” button, otherwise the connection will not be allowed. Perhaps this is the only difference from TeamViewer.
To make the review more complete, let's go to the program settings (Tools -> Options). In the “Security” section (Fig. 9), you can configure automatic launch of the program, specify a password for remote connections, and indicate which IDs are allowed to connect to your computer.
Rice. 9. Supremo Security OptionsIn the “Connection” section (Fig. 10), you can specify the parameters of the proxy server, if it is present on your network.
Rice. 10. Supremo connection parametersIn addition to its direct purpose, namely remote computer control, the program can be used to exchange files. To exchange files (which is possible in two directions - both downloading and uploading) simply use drag & drop.
Conclusions:
- Easy to use.
- No installation required.
- Ability to transfer files.
- Chat option.
- Does not require firewall configuration (uses HTTPS/SSL).
- There is no support for operating systems other than Windows.
- No mobile clients.
LogMeIn (freeware)
Let's consider another useful program - LogMeIn (Fig. 11). The purpose of this program is the same as all the others discussed in this article - remote access. On the website logmein.com you will find several similar products, but we are primarily interested in the LogMeIn Free product. Its capabilities are quite sufficient for most purposes: access to a computer running Windows or OS X, remote control and viewing of the desktop, copying and pasting data between computers, reboot function, chat, support for multiple monitors, intrusion detection via SSL/TLS protocol, etc. requires configuration of firewall settings, does not require administrator rights on the remote computer.
Personally, I liked the functions of copying and pasting data between computers, as well as the reboot function: during the process of setting up the computer, sometimes you need to reboot it, after which the remote access session will be automatically restored, which is very convenient.
Unlike the Free version, the Pro version supports file transfer between computers, HD video, dragging and dropping files between computers and several other functions that are hardly worth paying almost 53 euros per year - that’s what the Pro version costs. A comparison of these two versions, as well as the OS X version, can be read at: https://secure.logmein.com/comparisonchart/comparisonFPP.aspx.
Rice. 11. LogMeIn main windowThe way this program works is slightly different from TeamViewer and similar programs. It's a little more complicated, but apparently this is how the LogMeIn developers determine who uses the program and for what purposes. In the main window, select “from Mac or PC” and then you will see the sequence of actions that need to be performed to give another user access to this computer (Fig. 12). Grandfather and grandmother will definitely get confused and not appreciate it. You can’t do without registering on logmein.com; although it is free, in terms of convenience it is completely unnecessary.
Rice. 12. How to connect to this PCThere is, however, a simpler way - anonymous access through a browser. Quite an interesting feature that is not found in other similar programs. The point is this: a user who wants you to set up his computer creates an invitation link, then sends it to you in any convenient way (by email, Skype, and so on). The invitation link is valid for a certain time (the time is set by the remote user), even if someone spies on the link, he is unlikely to be able to use it after the expiration date.
Let's look at how to create an invitation and how to use it. The Desktop Sharing section displays your current invitations. By clicking the “Send invitation” button, you can generate that same link. The New Invitation Wizard allows you to determine the duration of the invitation and how you want to send the invitation (you can send an email with a link, or you can simply receive a link and send it manually).
Rice. 13. Controlling a remote computer via browserThen this link needs to be sent to the person who will be setting up the computer. When he copies it into the browser and opens it, he will see a screen similar to the one shown in Fig. 13. To continue, click the “Continue” button. After which the user who sent the link will receive two requests sequentially. The first request is a request to allow access to the guest, the second request is to grant access rights (Fig. 20). The guest can either fully control the computer, or only view the desktop without control.
Conclusions:
- Does not require administrator rights.
- Does not require firewall configuration.
- Ability to use a browser for remote control.
- Mobile clients.
- A somewhat unusual operating principle.
Mosh (mobile shell): a good alternative for SSH
Mosh can also be used for remote console access (that is, you can execute commands remotely and see their results). The main advantage of Mosh over SSH is the ability to roam, that is, change the network on the client machine, which is useful on the road when the network can change (now it is cellular, in a few minutes - Wi-Fi, while the IP changes, but the connection remains). Frequently traveling admins will appreciate this. But there is one big drawback: Mosh will not connect to a regular SSH server, which means you will have to install Mosh on the server. But Mosh does not work as a daemon, like SSH, but as a regular program, that is, root access is not required to run it. Mosh is available for many Linux and BSD distributions, OS X, iOS (as part of the popular iSSH client), and Android.
UltraVNC/RealVNC
VNC (Virtual Network Computing) is a system for remote access to a computer desktop using the RFB (Remote FrameBuffer) protocol. Previously, it was shown how to organize a VNC server in Linux; in Windows, such a server can be created using the UltraVNC or RealVNC programs. The UltraVNC program is similar to RealVNC, but has additional features such as encrypting the connection between the client and the server, the Java Viewer module (access to a remote PC through a Java-enabled browser) and others. Although RealVNC has a VNC Viewer plugin for Google Chrome, so there is no need for Java Viewer. As already noted, the programs are largely similar, so in this article we will only consider UltraVNC.
When installing UltraVNC, it is possible to install both a VNC server and a VNC client. If you don’t need remote access to your computer, you don’t need to install a VNC server. When installing a VNC server, you will be able to configure it to run as a system service, but this requires administrator rights. The RFB protocol that VNC uses typically uses ports 5900–5906. Therefore, to connect via VNC you need to configure a firewall, otherwise it will kill the connection.
To connect to the VNC server, use the UltraVNC Viewer program. The program is universal, and you can use it to connect to any VNC server, not just the one running UltraVNC Server. Similarly, you can connect to a server created by the UltraVNC Server program using the RoyalTS program or any other VNC client.
A few words about how it all works. First, launch the UltraVNC Edit Settings program and on the Security tab set a password to access the VNC server, then you need to launch the UltraVNC Server program. Then, on another computer, launch UltraVNC Viewer (Fig. 14) and enter the IP of the computer on which the VNC server is installed, and click the Connect button.
Rice. 14.UltraVNC ViewerConclusions:
- You need administrator rights, you need to configure a firewall.
- The same protocol can be used to control Windows, OS X and Linux, but these are the advantages not of a specific program, but of VNC itself.
SSH access
SSH remains the classic of remote access. It would seem, what else can you come up with here? Well, for example, what to do if you have a lot of remote machines? Should I register aliases for each? There are special utilities that allow you to quickly switch between machines. One such manager in Linux is Gnome Connection Manager. The program is very convenient, we highly recommend it. On Windows, AutoPuTTY is used for this purpose - a shell for the popular SSH/Telnet client PuTTY, which can be downloaded from: http://www.r4dius.net/autoputty/. There is a similar SSH connection manager for OS X -Shuttle. For mobile platforms, you can use mobile SSH clients - Prompt (iOS) and ConnectBot (Android). You can easily find links and screenshots on the Internet.
Ammyy Admin (freeware)
Ammyy Admin is another program for remote desktop access. The good thing about the program is that it is absolutely free, completely undemanding in terms of resources (the executable file generally takes up a ridiculous 700 KB), allows you to organize both regular remote access to the desktop and a remote office-style connection, and does not require installing or changing firewall settings. You can find out about the rest of the program's features on the developers' website.
AnywhereTS (freeware)
Allows you to convert computers into thin clients. The main purpose of this program is not remote access for technical support reasons, as in all previously described programs, although it can also be used for this. AnywareTS allows you to give a second life to old computers that will be used as thin clients - connect to a server that will run programs that are physically impossible to run on old PCs. You will find detailed information about this program on the developers' website.
Remote access in Windows 8
This review would not be complete if we did not consider the capabilities of the OS itself. On the “server” (that is, on the computer to which remote access is planned), you need to perform the following steps:
- Run SystemPropertiesRemote.exe.
- Enable the "Allow Remote Assistance connections to this computer" checkbox.
- Turn on the “Allow remote connections to this computer” switch and click the “Apply” button.
- If you are using energy saving mode, you need to configure your computer so that it never goes into sleep mode.
On your computer, use the Remote Desktop Connection application to connect to a remote computer.
Rice. 15. Allow remote accessGoogle Hangouts: screen sharing and video conferencing
As a last resort, you can use a new service from Google - Hangouts. It allows you to host video meetings, during which users can share their screen with each other. If you wish, you can familiarize yourself with this service yourself.
Instead of a conclusion
There are a lot of programs for remote access. As I hope I have shown, the most familiar tool is not always the most effective. You need to build on the conditions of a specific task, target platforms and other factors. I hope that now I have finally cleared up the whole picture of remote access in your head. All suggestions and wishes can be sent to [email protected].
Surely not every PC user (especially a beginner) knows that a computer can be safely controlled from a distance, and fully! Those. as if you were sitting and working at your own computer, but from a distance, and doing it, for example, from a tablet or another computer. This can be very convenient and, for example, I use this opportunity regularly. Why do I need it? I work a lot on the Internet, but I can’t always sit at my computer. Sometimes I need to go somewhere or see someone, but some urgent matter comes up and I need my computer to open some program, run something, look at something. Carrying a computer with you always and everywhere is very problematic. It weighs about 4 kg, which feels good when carrying it :) But on the other hand, I always have a tablet or smartphone with me, from which I can connect to my computer at any time and from anywhere, which I leave turned on at home. And this way, I can work on it just as if I were at home. Another reason for remote access is the ability to ask a friend or colleague to help you sort out any problems in the settings or programs on your computer through remote access. You yourself can also help someone solve some problem on their computer by connecting remotely to this person. And one last thing... It happens that the computer you need is in a hard-to-reach place or you need to go to it. In this case, the easiest way is to connect to it remotely and you’re done!
This article of mine will talk about how to remotely control a computer from any device, and with the help of this guide you will learn how to do it easily even if you are a complete beginner! We will consider the most, in my opinion, convenient program for this matter - TeamViewer, and today I will tell you about its main most necessary and useful functions. Yes, it is also free for non-commercial use! There are only 2 conditions for remote device management: the presence of an Internet connection on both devices, and the presence of the TeamViewer program on both devices.
Today, the TeamViewer program is supported, one might say, by all devices:
- Smartphones based on Android and Windows Phone 8 operating systems;
- Tablets on the same Android and Windows Phone 8 systems;
- iPad of all modifications;
- IPhone;
- Computers based on the operating system Mac, Linux, Windows.
For all these devices, you can download the TeamViewer app for free.
It is also interesting that you can control it the other way around – smartphones and tablets from a desktop computer.
So, let's begin to understand the program step by step, starting with its installation process.
Installing TeaViewer
- First you need to download the program itself. It is best to download from the official website, since the latest version will always be posted there. Go to the official TeamViewer website using the link:
- At the top of the page that opens, you can’t help but notice the large “Free full version” button. Here we press it:
- After downloading the file, find it on your computer and run it. The file will be named: “TeamViewer_Setup_ru”:
- The next program window will ask you to select the option to use TeamViewer. These settings can be changed at any time after installation. If you want to control this computer (on which you are installing the program) remotely, then immediately select the appropriate item. Otherwise, simply select Install.
Below, be sure to select the “Personal, non-commercial use” option, since the program is distributed free of charge only for this use case.
At the end, check the “Show additional settings” box and click the “Accept - Next” button:
- Windows User Account Control may ask you for confirmation to continue with the installation. Just click “Yes”:
- In the next window, check the path where the program will be installed and change it if desired. But I recommend leaving the default path. The options below may not be enabled. All of them, if necessary, can be set after installation. Click the “Finish” button:
A quick program installation process will begin, which will take from a few seconds to a minute.
This completes the installation of the TeamViewer program! Let's move on to its settings and application.
Setting up TeamViewer
Setting up uncontrolled access to a computer:
Now we can freely control this computer from any other device, no matter where we are within the Internet access zone :) But for this, let’s deal with the information that we (or anyone else) need to know so that we can connect to this computer remotely.
Data required for remote control of any device:
Perhaps the most important thing is to know the data by which you can connect remotely to your current computer.
To connect to this computer from another computer / device with TeamViewer installed, you only need to know:
- ID of this computer;
- Password for accessing this computer via TeamViewer (not to be confused with the password for logging into Windows!).
All this data is located in the main program window:
According to my example (see image above), to remotely access this computer, at the moment I need to specify ID: 900 288 832 and password: 6sx71k on the remote device.
The ID in TeamViewer for each specific computer does not change. Those. the one that is indicated in the window you will always indicate during a remote connection. And there are 2 types of passwords in TeamViewer: temporary (random) and personal (permanent). Now more about this:
I hope you understand the difference in passwords :)
Now let's go through the main most important settings of the program.
Basic program settings:
- To go to all program settings, open the “Advanced” menu at the top and select “Options”:
- We will immediately be taken to the “Main” tab. Here you can enable or disable TeamViewer to automatically start when Windows boots. If you are going to control this computer remotely, then I strongly recommend leaving this item enabled. Then you won’t have to launch TeamViewer manually, and even more so, if you are far away and TeamViewer is not running on this computer, you will not be able to connect to it.
Below you can see a message that you are linked to the account you created earlier. If you click the "Delete" button, you can break this connection.
On this tab, there are no more important settings that are not set by default. Go to the next tab “Security”.
- On the “Security” tab we can change the “Personal” password by entering a new one and repeating it at the very top. Below you can set up a “random” password by specifying the number of characters. By default, such a password will always be 6 characters long.
In the last section, “Rules for connecting to this computer,” you can allow or deny logging in remotely using a Windows password. It is most reliable to leave this parameter set to default, i.e. - "Is not allowed". The easiest way to connect is through a TeamViewer password and it will be safer this way.
- “Remote control” tab. There are important settings here. All these settings are global - i.e. for any connection. But if you have created an account for yourself, then for each computer added to your personal list, you can set your own connection parameters, but more on that later.
This is what the settings on this tab look like:
At the very top you can adjust the image quality when connecting to a remote computer. It’s better to leave either “Automatic quality selection” or “Optimize speed”. I always set speed optimization to connect to a remote machine and work with virtually no delays, even via mobile Internet. There is only one minus - the image quality (the way we see the remote computer) will not be the best, but sometimes this is not even noticeable.
Below, as you can see, the “Hide wallpaper on the remote machine” option is enabled. This means that when you connect to a remote computer, the desktop background there will become just black. I always leave this option enabled so as not to waste resources on loading a sometimes large background image.
Even lower are additional settings that can be configured according to everyone’s preferences. For example, if the “Play computer sounds and music” function is enabled, you will accordingly hear all the sounds of the remote computer.
It can be useful to enable the “Send keyboard shortcut” option. If you enable this option, then when you connect to a remote computer, you will be able to use your usual keyboard shortcuts. For example, a quick way to open the task manager is “Ctrl+Shift+Esc”.
In general, here you configure it as you need.
Let’s go straight to the “Computers and Contacts” tab.
- The “Computers and Contacts” tab will display your account settings, which will then show all the remote computers and users you have added. On this tab you can change your account information, as well as computer display settings.
At this point we have discussed the basic settings. Now let's move on to the main thing - remote computer control.
The principle of remote computer control
We can, as I already said, control a computer or any other device (TeamViewer must also be installed and configured on them!) from any point where there is access to the Internet and we just need to know the ID of the managed device and its password (random or permanent ). Knowing these 2 parameters, we can control the computer.
Let's try to connect to the computer remotely:
- In the main TeamViewer window, where the “Manage Computer” section is located, indicate the ID of the computer that we will manage in the “Partner ID” field.
If you created an account, then we can immediately add the computer to our “Favorites” list by clicking the button with an asterisk:
- A window for access settings for the computer that we add to the list will open in front of us:
In the image above, I have marked the fields and lists where it is best to make changes:
- We specify the password if you know the “personal” password of the remote computer. Otherwise, leave the field blank.
- Specify the network name of the remote computer (for your own convenience). It will appear in the list of your computers.
- If you wish, you can specify a description of the remote computer to be added for convenience if you have a large list of them.
- In the Window list, I selected Full Screen Mode. This means that when connected to a remote computer, TeamViewer will display the remote computer in full screen. It will look like you are fully working on that computer. You can select another option, for example “Windowed Mode”, and then the remote computer will be displayed in the window.
- In the “Quality” list, I always select “Optimize speed” so as not to sacrifice performance, especially when connected to a slow Internet.
- It is better to always set “Identification mode” to “TeamViewer Identification”. Then you will only need to know the password set for a particular computer in the TeamViewer program to connect to it.
The remaining settings can be left with the “Inherited” value, because, as a rule, there is no need for them and, in extreme cases, they can be configured at any time.
When the settings are set, click the “OK” button.
The computers that you will add to your list will be visible in a separate window, as in my example in the image below:
In the example, I added a computer named “Test TeamViewer”.
- Now that the computer is in the list, to connect to it, simply double-click on its name. If you immediately specified a password, it will not be requested and the connection will occur immediately (within a couple of seconds).
Another way to quickly connect to a computer, if for some reason you did not create an account and do not add computers to your favorites list, is to simply enter the ID in the appropriate field and click “Connect to partner”:
The default mode is “Remote Control”, which is what we need. And we can enable the “File Transfer” mode at any time during a remote session.
Now a window will appear where you need to enter a password to connect to the remote computer:
Enter the password and click the “Login” button.
- The connection usually occurs in a couple of seconds, but this depends on the speed of the Internet on both sides. After connecting to the remote computer, the window will look like this:
As you can see, the screen of the remote computer is black. As you probably remember, in the settings we left the “Hide wallpaper on the remote machine” option enabled. As a result, the wallpaper on the remote machine became black, which will reduce resource consumption, and immediately after disconnecting from the remote computer, its desktop wallpaper will return to its previous appearance.
This is how simple and easy it is to connect to a remote computer :)
You will be able to fully control your computer from any distance, and at the same time it will look exactly as if you were sitting at that computer.
Let me remind you once again that the same can be done from almost any device. If you, for example, have an iPad, then download TeamViewer onto it (it’s always free!), enter the ID and password of the remote computer, and that’s it! You will connect and be able to control it directly from your tablet, and it’s also very convenient!
Now let's look at some of the functions available to us during a remote session.
Functions available during a remote computer session using TeamViewer:
So, we are connected to a remote computer. At the top we see a panel with a set of functions. Let's go through the most necessary of them:
- The button numbered “1” allows you to immediately terminate the connection with the remote computer.
After any termination of a TeamViewer session on both devices, a window will be displayed indicating that the free session has ended. Just always click "OK":You can also instantly terminate the connection while on that remote computer. For example, someone remotely helps you set up a system or fixes a problem. If suddenly that person began to do some actions on your computer that, in your opinion, he does not need to do at all, then you can break the connection with just one button in the form of a cross (see image below):
- The button numbered “2” allows you to hide this panel of remote session functions.
- The button numbered “3” allows you to instantly switch to full-screen mode, which I use in 99% of cases.
- A very useful feature is transferring files from a local computer to a remote computer and back. This can be done by simply dragging the necessary files from your computer window to the window of the remote computer.
Another way is to use a special manager – “File Transfer”. It opens from the same panel that is fixed at the top. Select “File Transfer”, and then “File Transfer” again:
A special manager will open - Explorer. There is nothing complicated here either. We indicate from which folder on the local computer the file will be transferred, then indicate the folder where exactly the file will be transferred to the remote computer. Then select the file itself on the local computer that we will transfer and click the “Send” button:
Here you can change the scaling, for example, enable full screen mode. Here, in the “Quality” submenu, you can select the quality you want for displaying content on the remote computer, for example, by turning on “Optimize speed”. Also here you can change the resolution of the remote computer (for example, if the resolution of your local computer is very different) and show / hide the wallpaper on the remote machine. Everything else is not so significant and necessary...
Well, that’s probably all the most useful things you need to know about how to remotely control a computer using TeamViewer :) Cool program, isn’t it? :)
The most important thing is that it is extremely simple, convenient, and even a beginner can handle it. And, of course, it’s free! In general, to be honest, I have not seen a better worthy replacement for the TeamViewer program.
This is where I finish writing this article.
Surely not every PC user (especially a beginner) knows that a computer can be safely controlled from a distance, and fully! Those. as if you were sitting and working at your own computer, but from a distance, and doing it, for example, from a tablet or another computer. This can be very convenient and, for example, I use this opportunity regularly. Why do I need it? I work a lot on the Internet, but I can’t always sit at my computer. Sometimes I need to go somewhere or see someone, but some urgent matter comes up and I need my computer to open some program, run something, look at something. Carrying a computer with you always and everywhere is very problematic. It weighs about 4 kg, which feels good when carrying it :) But on the other hand, I always have a tablet or smartphone with me, from which I can connect to my computer at any time and from anywhere, which I leave turned on at home. And this way, I can work on it just as if I were at home. Another reason for remote access is the ability to ask a friend or colleague to help you sort out any problems in the settings or programs on your computer through remote access. You yourself can also help someone solve some problem on their computer by connecting remotely to this person. And one last thing... It happens that the computer you need is in a hard-to-reach place or you need to go to it. In this case, the easiest way is to connect to it remotely and you’re done!
This article of mine will talk about how to remotely control a computer from any device, and with the help of this guide you will learn how to do it easily even if you are a complete beginner! We will consider the most, in my opinion, convenient program for this matter - TeamViewer, and today I will tell you about its main most necessary and useful functions. Yes, it is also free for non-commercial use! There are only 2 conditions for remote device management: the presence of an Internet connection on both devices, and the presence of the TeamViewer program on both devices.
Today, the TeamViewer program is supported, one might say, by all devices:
Smartphones based on Android and Windows Phone 8 operating systems;
Tablets on the same Android and Windows Phone 8 systems;
iPad of all modifications;
Computers based on the operating system Mac, Linux, Windows.
For all these devices, you can download the TeamViewer app for free.
It is also interesting that you can control it the other way around – smartphones and tablets from a desktop computer.
So, let's begin to understand the program step by step, starting with its installation process.
Installing TeaViewer
First you need to download the program itself. It is best to download from the official website, since the latest version will always be posted there. Go to the official TeamViewer website using the link:
teamviewer
At the top of the page that opens, you can’t help but notice the large “Free full version” button. Here we press it:
After downloading the file, find it on your computer and run it. The file will be named: “TeamViewer_Setup_ru”:
The next program window will ask you to select the option to use TeamViewer. These settings can be changed at any time after installation. If you want to control this computer (on which you are installing the program) remotely, then immediately select the appropriate item. Otherwise, simply select Install.
Below, be sure to select the “Personal, non-commercial use” option, since the program is distributed free of charge only for this use case.
At the end, check the “Show additional settings” box and click the “Accept - Next” button:
Windows User Account Control may ask you for confirmation to continue with the installation. Just click “Yes”:
In the next window, check the path where the program will be installed and change it if desired. But I recommend leaving the default path. The options below may not be enabled. All of them, if necessary, can be set after installation. Click the “Finish” button:
A quick program installation process will begin, which will take from a few seconds to a minute.
This completes the installation of the TeamViewer program! Let's move on to its settings and application.
Setting up TeamViewer
Setting up uncontrolled access to a computer:
Now we can freely control this computer from any other device, no matter where we are within the Internet access zone :) But for this, let’s deal with the information that we (or anyone else) need to know so that we can connect to this computer remotely.
Data required for remote control of any device:
Perhaps the most important thing is to know the data by which you can connect remotely to your current computer.
To connect to this computer from another computer / device with TeamViewer installed, you only need to know:
ID of this computer;
Password for accessing this computer via TeamViewer (not to be confused with the password for logging into Windows!).
All this data is located in the main program window:
According to my example (see image above), to remotely access this computer, at the moment I need to specify ID: 900 288 832 and password: 6sx71k on the remote device.
The ID in TeamViewer for each specific computer does not change. Those. the one that is indicated in the window you will always indicate during a remote connection. And there are 2 types of passwords in TeamViewer: temporary (random) and personal (permanent). Now more about this:
I hope you understand the difference in passwords :)
Now let's go through the main most important settings of the program.
Basic program settings:
To go to all program settings, open the “Advanced” menu at the top and select “Options”:
We will immediately be taken to the “Main” tab. Here you can enable or disable TeamViewer to automatically start when Windows boots. If you are going to control this computer remotely, then I strongly recommend leaving this item enabled. Then you won’t have to launch TeamViewer manually, and even more so, if you are far away and TeamViewer is not running on this computer, you will not be able to connect to it.
Below you can see a message that you are linked to the account you created earlier. If you click the "Delete" button, you can break this connection.
On this tab, there are no more important settings that are not set by default. Go to the next tab “Security”.
On the “Security” tab we can change the “Personal” password by entering a new one and repeating it at the very top. Below you can set up a “random” password by specifying the number of characters. By default, such a password will always be 6 characters long.
In the last section, “Rules for connecting to this computer,” you can allow or deny logging in remotely using a Windows password. It is most reliable to leave this parameter set to default, i.e. - "Is not allowed". The easiest way to connect is through a TeamViewer password and it will be safer this way.
“Remote control” tab. There are important settings here. All these settings are global - i.e. for any connection. But if you have created an account for yourself (as discussed), then for each computer added to your personal list, you can set your own connection parameters, but more on that later.
This is what the settings on this tab look like:
At the very top you can adjust the image quality when connecting to a remote computer. It’s better to leave either “Automatic quality selection” or “Optimize speed”. I always set speed optimization to connect to a remote machine and work with virtually no delays, even via mobile Internet. There is only one minus - the image quality (the way we see the remote computer) will not be the best, but sometimes this is not even noticeable.
Below, as you can see, the “Hide wallpaper on the remote machine” option is enabled. This means that when you connect to a remote computer, the desktop background there will become just black. I always leave this option enabled so as not to waste resources on loading a sometimes large background image.
Even lower are additional settings that can be configured according to everyone’s preferences. For example, if the “Play computer sounds and music” function is enabled, you will accordingly hear all the sounds of the remote computer.
It can be useful to enable the “Send keyboard shortcut” option. If you enable this option, then when you connect to a remote computer, you will be able to use your usual keyboard shortcuts. For example, a quick way to open the task manager is “Ctrl+Shift+Esc”.
In general, here you configure it as you need.
Let’s go straight to the “Computers and Contacts” tab.
The “Computers and Contacts” tab will display your account settings, which will then show all the remote computers and users you have added. On this tab you can change your account information, as well as computer display settings.
At this point we have discussed the basic settings. Now let's move on to the main thing - remote computer control.
The principle of remote computer control
We can, as I already said, control a computer or any other device (TeamViewer must also be installed and configured on them!) from any point where there is access to the Internet and we just need to know the ID of the managed device and its password (random or permanent ). Knowing these 2 parameters, we can control the computer.
Let's try to connect to the computer remotely:
We specify the password if you know the “personal” password of the remote computer. Otherwise, leave the field blank.
Specify the network name of the remote computer (for your own convenience). It will appear in the list of your computers.
If you wish, you can specify a description of the remote computer to be added for convenience if you have a large list of them.
In the Window list, I selected Full Screen Mode. This means that when connected to a remote computer, TeamViewer will display the remote computer in full screen. It will look like you are fully working on that computer. You can select another option, for example “Windowed Mode”, and then the remote computer will be displayed in the window.
In the “Quality” list, I always select “Optimize speed” so as not to sacrifice performance, especially when connected to a slow Internet.
It is better to always set “Identification mode” to “TeamViewer Identification”. Then you will only need to know the password set for a particular computer in the TeamViewer program to connect to it.
In the main TeamViewer window, where the “Manage Computer” section is located, indicate the ID of the computer that we will manage in the “Partner ID” field.
If you created an account, then we can immediately add the computer to our “Favorites” list by clicking the button with an asterisk:
A window for access settings for the computer that we add to the list will open in front of us:
In the image above, I have marked the fields and lists where it is best to make changes:
The remaining settings can be left with the “Inherited” value, because, as a rule, there is no need for them and, in extreme cases, they can be configured at any time.
When the settings are set, click the “OK” button.
The computers that you will add to your list will be visible in a separate window, as in my example in the image below:
In the example, I added a computer named “Test TeamViewer”.
Now that the computer is in the list, to connect to it, simply double-click on its name. If you immediately specified a password, it will not be requested and the connection will occur immediately (within a couple of seconds).
Another way to quickly connect to a computer, if for some reason you did not create an account and do not add computers to your favorites list, is to simply enter the ID in the appropriate field and click “Connect to partner”:
The default mode is “Remote Control”, which is what we need. And we can enable the “File Transfer” mode at any time during a remote session.
Now a window will appear where you need to enter a password to connect to the remote computer:
Enter the password and click the “Login” button.
The connection usually occurs in a couple of seconds, but this depends on the speed of the Internet on both sides. After connecting to the remote computer, the window will look like this:
As you can see, the screen of the remote computer is black. As you probably remember, in the settings we left the “Hide wallpaper on the remote machine” option enabled. As a result, the wallpaper on the remote machine became black, which will reduce resource consumption, and immediately after disconnecting from the remote computer, its desktop wallpaper will return to its previous appearance.
This is how simple and easy it is to connect to a remote computer :)
You will be able to fully control your computer from any distance, and at the same time it will look exactly as if you were sitting at that computer.
Let me remind you once again that the same can be done from almost any device. If you, for example, have an iPad, then download TeamViewer onto it (it’s always free!), enter the ID and password of the remote computer, and that’s it! You will connect and be able to control it directly from your tablet, and it’s also very convenient!
Now let's look at some of the functions available to us during a remote session.
Functions available during a remote computer session using TeamViewer:
So, we are connected to a remote computer. At the top we see a panel with a set of functions. Let's go through the most necessary of them:
The button numbered “1” allows you to immediately terminate the connection with the remote computer.
After any termination of a TeamViewer session on both devices, a window will be displayed indicating that the free session has ended. Just always click "OK":
You can also instantly terminate the connection while on that remote computer. For example, someone remotely helps you set up a system or fixes a problem. If suddenly that person began to do some actions on your computer that, in your opinion, he does not need to do at all, then you can break the connection with just one button in the form of a cross (see image below):
The button numbered “2” allows you to hide this panel of remote session functions.
The button numbered “3” allows you to instantly switch to full-screen mode, which I use in 99% of cases.
A very useful feature is transferring files from a local computer to a remote computer and back. This can be done by simply dragging the necessary files from your computer window to the window of the remote computer.
Another way is to use a special manager – “File Transfer”. It opens from the same panel that is fixed at the top. Select “File Transfer”, and then “File Transfer” again:
A special manager will open - Explorer. There is nothing complicated here either. We indicate from which folder on the local computer the file will be transferred, then indicate the folder where exactly the file will be transferred to the remote computer. Then select the file itself on the local computer that we will transfer and click the “Send” button:
The file will be transferred to the remote computer. In my example, I transferred an image file called "" from the "Downloads" folder to the remote computer's desktop:
After transferring the necessary data, the file transfer manager can be closed, and a window will be displayed with statistics on the transfer of your files, where you need to click “Close” again:
Or you can minimize this window.
There are 3 more very useful features that are available during a remote session. This includes voice communication, video broadcasting and chat support.
All these 3 functions can be activated by selecting the “Audio/Video” menu:
Here you can change the scaling, for example, enable full screen mode. Here, in the “Quality” submenu, you can select the quality you want for displaying content on the remote computer, for example, by turning on “Optimize speed”. Also here you can change the resolution of the remote computer (for example, if the resolution of your local computer is very different) and show / hide the wallpaper on the remote machine. Everything else is not so significant and necessary...
Well, that’s probably all the most useful things you need to know about how to remotely control a computer using TeamViewer :) Cool program, isn’t it? :)
The most important thing is that it is extremely simple, convenient, and even a beginner can handle it. And, of course, it’s free! In general, to be honest, I have not seen a better worthy replacement for the TeamViewer program.
And now I think that in a couple of weeks I will already write an article, and you will be able to familiarize yourself with the next testing of the new autoclicker!
Well, now I say goodbye to you for a week... Good luck to you and always have a good mood! ;)
It's quite annoying when someone gains unauthorized access to your computer. If you think your computer has been hacked, disconnect it from the Internet. Then find the vulnerabilities that the attacker exploited to break into the system and fix them. Then take steps to avoid similar intrusions in the future.
Steps
Part 1
Blocking unauthorized access- An attacker could gain remote access to the computer, but this is unlikely. But some measures can be taken to prevent the attempted intrusion itself.
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Look for obvious signs of remote access. If the cursor moves, programs are launched and files are deleted without your participation, someone has gained access to the computer. In this case, turn off the computer and disconnect the Ethernet cable.
- If you find unfamiliar programs or your Internet connection speed has dropped, this does not mean that your computer has been hacked.
- Many programs that update automatically open pop-up windows during the update process.
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Disconnect your computer from the Internet. Do this if you think your computer has been hacked. Disconnect your computer not only from the Internet, but also from the local network to prevent unauthorized access to other computers.
- Turn off your wireless router and disconnect the Ethernet cable from your computer.
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Launch Task Manager or System Monitor. Using these utilities, you can determine active processes.
- On Windows, press Ctrl + ⇧ Shift + Esc.
- On Mac OS, open the Applications - Utilities folder and click System Monitor.
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In the list of running programs, find programs for remote access. Also look in this list for any unfamiliar or suspicious programs. The following programs are popular remote access programs that are installed without the user's knowledge.
- VNC, RealVNC, TightVNC, UltraVNC, LogMeIn, GoToMyPC, and TeamViewer
- Also look for unfamiliar or suspicious programs. If you do not know the purpose of a particular active process, find information about it on the Internet.
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Please note that the CPU load is abnormally high. It is displayed in the Task Manager or in System Monitor. High CPU usage is normal and does not indicate a computer hack, but if it occurs when no one is using the computer, most likely there are many processes running in the background, which is very suspicious. Keep in mind that high CPU usage occurs during background system updates or large file downloads (that you forgot about).
Scan your system with an antivirus program. Be sure to install an antivirus or do not turn off Windows Defender. Open your antivirus program and run a scan of your operating system. A full scan will take about an hour.
- If your computer does not have an antivirus, download it on another computer and copy it to your computer using a USB drive. Install an antivirus and scan the system.
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Delete files found by the antivirus. If your antivirus detects malware, remove it or send it to “quarantine” (this depends on the antivirus); in this case, the found programs will no longer harm the computer.
Download and install Malwarebytes Anti-Malware. This is a program that detects and neutralizes malware that is not found by the antivirus. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware can be downloaded for free from malwarebytes.org.
- Since your computer is disconnected from the Internet, download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware on another computer and copy it to your computer using a USB drive.
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Scan your system with Anti-Malware. The full scan will take about 30 minutes. It is possible that Anti-Malware will detect a malicious program that is controlling your computer.
Send detected malware to “quarantine”. In this case, the found programs will no longer harm the computer.
Download and run Malwarebytes Anti-Rootkit Beta. This program can be downloaded for free from malwarebytes.org/antirootkit/. Anti-Rootkit Beta detects and removes rootkits, which are malicious programs that allow an attacker to gain a foothold in a system and hide traces of entry. A full system scan will take some time.
Monitor your computer's behavior after removing malware. Even if your antivirus and/or Anti-Malware program has found and removed malware, monitor your computer's behavior to determine whether there is hidden malware.
Change all passwords. If your computer is hacked, the attacker most likely obtained your passwords using a keylogger. In this case, change the passwords for various accounts. Do not use the same password for multiple accounts.
Log out of all accounts. Do this after changing your passwords. Sign out of your accounts on all devices on which you use these accounts. In this case, the attacker will not be able to use the old passwords.
Reinstall the operating system if you are unable to block unauthorized access to your computer. This is the only reliable way to prevent intrusion and get rid of all malicious files. Before reinstalling the system, create a backup copy of important data, as during the process of reinstalling the system, all information will be deleted.
- When backing up your data, scan every file because there is a risk that old files will lead to infection of the reinstalled system.
- Read on for more information on how to reinstall your Windows or Mac OS system.
Part 2
Preventing unauthorized access-
Set up automatic updates of your antivirus program. A modern antivirus detects malware before it reaches your computer. Windows comes pre-installed with Windows Defender, which is a good antivirus that runs and updates in the background. You can also download an excellent and free antivirus such as BitDefender, Avast! or AVG. Remember that you can only install one antivirus program on your computer.
- Read for more information on how to enable Windows Defender.
- Read for more information on how to install an antivirus program (this will turn Windows Defender off automatically).
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Set up your firewall. Unless you own the server or run remote access software, there is no need to keep the ports open. Most programs that require open ports use the UPnP protocol, which means ports are opened and closed as needed. Constantly open ports are the main vulnerability of the system.
- Read and then check if all ports are closed (unless you are the owner of the server).
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Be careful with email attachments. They are the most popular way to spread viruses and malware. Open attachments to letters from people you know, and even then it is better to contact the sender and find out if he sent any attachment. If the sender's computer is infected, then malware will be sent without his knowledge.
Set strong passwords. Each protected account or program must have a unique and strong password. In this case, an attacker will not be able to use the password to one account to hack another. Find information on the Internet about how to use a password manager.
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Don't use free wireless networks. Such networks are insecure because you have no way of knowing whether someone is monitoring your incoming and outgoing traffic. By monitoring traffic, an attacker can gain access to the browser or more important processes. To protect your system while connecting to a free wireless network, use a VPN service that encrypts traffic.
- Read
Keep in mind that your computer may turn on automatically to install updates. Most of the latest versions of operating systems are updated automatically; As a rule, this happens at night when no one is using the computer. If your computer turns on without your knowledge (that is, when you are not using it), it most likely woke up from sleep mode to install updates.