Getting Remote Assistance to be more reliable?

[Boe]

Hello,

I have several clients using Windows XP SP2. I've checked their systems.
They are using Windows firewall but remote assistance, remote assistance -
windows messenger and voice and remote desktop are all checked.

However I can't get in on half of them. Even if they turn off their
additional firewalls such as McAffee or BlackIce. Any guess on why their
computers won't let me in when they initiate a remote assistance request -
my computer just stays at connecting until it eventually times out.

 

[NoStop]

Hello,

I have several clients using Windows XP SP2. I've checked their systems.
They are using Windows firewall but remote assistance, remote assistance -
windows messenger and voice and remote desktop are all checked.

However I can't get in on half of them. Even if they turn off their
additional firewalls such as McAffee or BlackIce. Any guess on why their
computers won't let me in when they initiate a remote assistance request -
my computer just stays at connecting until it eventually times out.

Have you checked whether they have a NAT router blocking your access?

 

[Boe]

They do have NAT routers/cable modems. These may be the issue. I'd like to
be able to specify a port or do something so this could reliably work.

 

[NoStop]

They do have NAT routers/cable modems. These may be the issue. I'd like
to be able to specify a port or do something so this could reliably work.

They will have to open port 3389 in their router and forward that port to
the computer in question. To make things reliable, so that it can always
work, you should have them set up that computer with a static ip address so
that it doesn't change.

 

[Boe]

Thanks - I can always get gotoassist or gotomypc to work using DHCP
addresses NATed through their ISP. Is there a way to make remote assist use
port 80? If I change it on the remote PC to use port 80, is there anything
I need to change on the PC that they are sending the request to?

 

[NoStop]

Thanks - I can always get gotoassist or gotomypc to work using DHCP
addresses NATed through their ISP. Is there a way to make remote assist
use
port 80? If I change it on the remote PC to use port 80, is there
anything I need to change on the PC that they are sending the request to?

I don't know. Why would you want to use that port? Simply because it is
open? Wouldn't that cause the computer to be constantly hit by script
kiddies who are always trying to hack into web servers?