There are times we wish we could access our PC when we are not around it – to add files to that download queue, run that daily maintenance task or get dad out of that “Server security exception” page on Firefox – the list is endless. For those times, we have tools like Teamviewer that can tap into any remote system and let us use it as if it was running inside our own Windows PC.
Getting started with Teamviewer:
Teamviewer is extremely popular and free software (free for non-commercial use, that is) used to access remote computers. It has a multitude of options and requires only that you have the Teamviewer client and a working Internet connection on both ends (the host which is the other computer, and the guest computer, which is you in this case).
To start with, download the Teamviewer application from the official Teamviewer download page. Install it and then, run it from the Start menu.
Teamviewer starts up and you are presented with the home screen of the application. There are some important things to note here.
On the left, (inside the area marked with the red box), you will see your 9 digit ID and a password. These are all anyone with Teamviewer requires to access your PC remotely. Share these values only with people you trust.
When you receive a partner’s ID, put it in the box which says Partner ID. You can use the test ID of 12345 and Teamviewer will bring up a test system, which you can access to try out how Teamviewer works.
Setting up Fully an Unattended Access:
Setting up a complete unattended access gives you (or anyone with the username and password) unattended remote access to another computer. Usually, whenever you try to access another computer remotely on Teamviewer a prompt will come up asking for confirmation from that computer. With unattended access, there is no such prompt.
Step 1: On the Teamviewer main windows, click on Connection -> Setup Unattended Access.
Step 2: Click on the Next button on the next screen.
This will bring you to a window with options to set the computer name and password for remote access.
Step 3: At the next step, you can optionally create a Teamviewer account if you want. You can always leave this step for later.
Step 4: Finally, on clicking on Next (as indicated above), you are taken to a window with the confirmation. This window lists your Teamviewer ID. This is the final screen and you will be ready to use remote access in seconds.
Using the unattended access you just set up:
Step 1: To use the unattended access you just setup, enter your ID in the Partner ID field, and click on the “Connect to Partner” button.
Step 2: You will be prompted for a password in the next screen. Enter the password you used for setup during the above process, and click on the “Log on” button. You can also select the type of access you want from the “Advanced” option. After clicking on “Log on”, you will be able to use your computer remotely and in an unattended manner.
Teamviewer is available for Windows, Mac, Linux and mobile devices. This means, you can access a Windows PC from Linux or a Mac from any mobile device. The platform does not matter. However, both the endpoints must have Teamviewer installed.
Try out Teamviewer and do not forget to share your experiences with us.
~Chimoy Kanjilal
Tags: Teamviewer
Awesome program and a great Christmas gift. You all are awesome. I have been with you for many years and you never let us down. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and Happy New Year.
Very nice. Have unattended access is great. I’ll try Teamviewer but I currently use ScreenConnect which works great (http://www.screenconnect.com/)
When I try do this: it asks the host computer to confirm some bloody crap and I have to run 5 miles to allow it, plus, I only have 10 seconds.
It’s hard to find well-informed people in this particular subject, however, you sound like you know what you’re talking about!
Thanks