Remote management software for home use?

gkainz

gkainz

Final Approach
Joined
Feb 23, 2005
Messages
8,401
Location
Arvada, CO
Display Name
Display name:
Greg Kainz
Anyone using any tyep of remote management or access software (like PC Anywhere, Remote Desktop, etc) to access home machines thru a router and firewall? Recommendations or warnings?

Somewhat ironic request, as the contract I'm on right now includes managing about 4 dozen databases on 3 dozen servers in at lest 3 different domains, but hey, I'm the DBA, not the network or server admin. (I am ready to resign those posts at home on just about given day)
 
Last edited:
i use pcanywhere for my office and home puters. both are using routers and built in firewall. when accessing the other computer, you need to access the real IP and not the router given IP. If that was your question. You can find that ip by going to IPChicken.com

The only downside i see with PCanywhere is the speed. Althogh, you can make it faster by changing the resolution etc.
 
I manage a corporate network and I have a home network as well. I often use various forms of remote access but great care must be used when setting up something like that. With some of these things like PC Anywhere and the typical home router you have to open and forward the ports required by your remote access server. This leaves those ports open to the entire world unless you have something more sophisticated than the typical home router.

All of my connections are restircted to specific IP addresses that are allowed to connect. Even with that there are risks if the traffic is not encrypted. Any traffic that is sent as open text can be read at any intermediate point along the internet, including usernames and passwords. So, that being said, I would recommend you do your remote access over a VPN tunnel. You'll have to talk to your firewall administrator to see if they will let you have that sort of remote access in the first place. For your home, there are several companies that offer firewall routers that are VPN capable.

Hope this helps,

Jeannie
 
PCAnywhere works well. I helped a friend with a home business enable PCAnywhere so his accountant could tap in and exchange files.

You'll need to enable ports 5631 and 5632 through any firewalls (cable/dsl modem, router, XP).

Also, most home networks won't have a static IP address. You'll need to use a dynamic DNS service like www.dyndns.com.

Greg
182RG
 
If you're looking for pure private VPN type networking then I would sugguest that you look into Hamachi! www.hamachi.cc It's pretty leet. You can then do other things over that LAN such as file remote desktop or pc anywhere or whatever. I use it to get past my local firewall and the firewall at work to connect my home PC to my work PC.
 
Radmin

They have a Beta you can use for free.

http://www.radmin.com/products/radmin30beta/

gkainz said:
Anyone using any tyep of remote management or access software (like PC Anywhere, Remote Desktop, etc) to access home machines thru a router and firewall? Recommendations or warnings?

Somewhat ironic request, as the contract I'm on right now includes managing about 4 dozen databases on 3 dozen servers in at lest 3 different domains, but hey, I'm the DBA, not the network or server admin. (I am ready to resign those posts at home on just about given day)
Click to expand...
 
Ditto what Jeannie said. In addition, consider altering whichever solution you select to a different, random port and change it fairly often (every week or two). Most portscans tend to identify applications based on port numbers rather than more indepth TCP or UDP probes per port (ie pick one port and scan for certain services vs identifying port 80 as a webserver just because it happens to be on port 80).

I have no personal preference for remote software and usually use ssh for Linux or plain ole Remote Desktop for Windows. Instead, I restrict via IP addresses (sometimes 'bouncing' off of a known, public server that's not as protected using logins) and shift ports regularly. I've had scans hit me but nothing indepth enough to get worried about.
 
Depending on your requirements, at a minimum you either want a VPN package to get you an encrypted connection from your remote station to the LAN that houses the devices you are managing, or (if you've got Unix), an SSH session. Depending on the firewall you mentioned, it may already include VPN.

I manage several government systems remotely (even from the North 40 at Oshkosh!) using a FIPS VPN solution (Nortel Contivity, PIX client, or Quest V-One). On top of the encrypted connection I run MS terminal services client to manage the MS boxes, and SecureCRT for SSH to the unix servers and network devices.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top