Hello all

I'm not completely computer illiterate but I am getting
into an area that I am not familiar with at all. Please be
kind. My wife wants to connect directly to her computer at
the office so she can avoid driving and hour each
direction to update info on that computer. I am not sure
if this is networking or not, from what I've read there
should be far less involved than networking. For the life
of me however, my computer lingo comprehension is lacking
so much I am unable to find the information I am after in
the MS HELP. If someone could give me any direction it
would be a tremendous help and greatly appreciated.

thank you
Jonathan

Your wife can use WinVNC (free), or Remote Desktop
(if the work computer runs WinXP Professional). Both
involve the cooperation of your network administrator,
to punch through the firewall. Is he/she available to
discuss details?

On a purely physical level: While remote access is
possible on any link, a dial-up modem link tends to
be unacceptably slow and awkward. What connection
to the Internet do you have at home?


"Jonathan Lewis" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:c60801c3ee77$e2507b30$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hello all
>
> I'm not completely computer illiterate but I am getting
> into an area that I am not familiar with at all. Please be
> kind. My wife wants to connect directly to her computer at
> the office so she can avoid driving and hour each
> direction to update info on that computer. I am not sure
> if this is networking or not, from what I've read there
> should be far less involved than networking. For the life
> of me however, my computer lingo comprehension is lacking
> so much I am unable to find the information I am after in
> the MS HELP. If someone could give me any direction it
> would be a tremendous help and greatly appreciated.
>
> thank you
> Jonathan

Jonathan,

Does she need to access her computer, or just data on the server. Accessing
servers and mail is usually less complicated, but it seems like you're
saying that your wife wants to be able to control her computer at work
remotely. I don't know what you've read, but this really isn't THAT simple.
There are a lot of issues/questions.

1) In order for this to work, the IT department has to set up a one-to-one
NAT (Network Address Translation) association between the private address of
your wife's computer and a public address. This means that they have to be
OK with her doing this. Some IT departments don't allow this. If the IT
people say it's OK, then keep reading.

2) What operating system is on your wife's computer at work, and the one at
home?
If she has Windows 2000 or XP at work, it can be configured for access
remotely. You need a machine at home with the appropriate client (Remote
Desktop for XP, or NetNeeting for 2000). The machine needs to be on when
she's out of the office, and waiting for her to connect. The IT people can
probably help with the setup on the work side. On the home side, it's pretty
straightforward. You just plug the address you get from the IT folks into
the client, and you're off to the races.

There's a technology called GoToMyPC that is a web-based method of remote
desktop control, but I've never tried it.

Write back with more details or questions.

Jeff

"Jonathan Lewis" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:c60801c3ee77$e2507b30$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hello all
>
> I'm not completely computer illiterate but I am getting
> into an area that I am not familiar with at all. Please be
> kind. My wife wants to connect directly to her computer at
> the office so she can avoid driving and hour each
> direction to update info on that computer. I am not sure
> if this is networking or not, from what I've read there
> should be far less involved than networking. For the life
> of me however, my computer lingo comprehension is lacking
> so much I am unable to find the information I am after in
> the MS HELP. If someone could give me any direction it
> would be a tremendous help and greatly appreciated.
>
> thank you
> Jonathan