remote assistance from behind router , how????

[Jim S.]

hi guys and gals.

i want to connect to anybody for remote assistance.
i am behind a router so are most of my clients.
i tried the windows messenger remote assistance, i tried msn messenger
remote assistance, but no can do. i do have windows xp pro installed on my
laptop witch i would like to use to troubleshoot my clients computers, which
may run xp home, or xp pro.
i made sure the firewall is off, on all machines and also stoped the
antivirus (just in case).
after researching i know that my problem is because i am connecting from a
private IP instead of a public IP, my clients are not that computer savvy,
so too much to do on their end would not be a good solution, so how can i do
a remote assistance with the least hassle from my client end (and to me if
possible) without having to buy new software and subscriptions.
please help am going nuts in here.

thanks a lot guys, i know u can help.
Jim

 

[Shenan Stanley]

hi guys and gals.

i want to connect to anybody for remote assistance.
i am behind a router so are most of my clients.
i tried the windows messenger remote assistance, i tried msn
messenger remote assistance, but no can do. i do have windows xp
pro installed on my laptop witch i would like to use to
troubleshoot my clients computers, which may run xp home, or xp pro.
i made sure the firewall is off, on all machines and also stoped the
antivirus (just in case).
after researching i know that my problem is because i am connecting
from a private IP instead of a public IP, my clients are not that
computer savvy, so too much to do on their end would not be a good
solution, so how can i do a remote assistance with the least hassle
from my client end (and to me if possible) without having to buy
new software and subscriptions. please help am going nuts in here.

thanks a lot guys, i know u can help.

The last link below is what you need.. However you will notice the problem
is NOT yours.. The fact that you are behind a NAT router has little to do
with you not being able to remotely assist them. The fact they are behind a
router and their routers (the only item with a public IP address) is not
configured to forward 3389 traffic to their machine *is* the issue AFTER you
get the remote invitation.

In other words - the solution to the problem is two-fold. They must fix
their router (or give you remote access to it to do so) and you must edit
their invitation to point to their public IP.

Overview of Remote Assistance in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/300546

Using Remote Assistance to Get Help When You Need It
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/learnmore/remoteassist/intro.mspx

HOW TO: Obtain Remote Assistance Using Windows Messenger in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306556/

Start a Remote Assistance Session from Windows Messenger
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/learnmore/remoteassist/viaim.mspx

HOW TO: Provide Remote Assistance In Response to Windows Messenger
Invitation in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306800/

HOW TO: Obtain Remote Assistance by Sending an E-mail Message in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306757/

HOW TO: Provide Remote Assistance in Response to an E-mail Invitation in
Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306791/

Start a Remote Assistance Session by Sending a File
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/learnmore/remoteassist/viafile.mspx

Step-by-Step Guide to Remote Assistance
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/maintain/rmassist.mspx

Provide Remote Assistance When Using a NAT Device
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/learnmore/tips/jackson1.mspx

 

[Jim S.]

All what is said is nice fine and dandy, but the problem is i can not change
their router , and even if i want to i do not have access to, so i want to
use the remote assistance without having to change their router settings.

so in other words, i need to receive remote assistance using either windows
messenger (better) or msn messenger , from behing private IP (behind
router) from my side and the client side.
please help , i need to do this.
thanks
Jim

 

[Shenan Stanley]

All what is said is nice fine and dandy, but the problem is i can
not change their router , and even if i want to i do not have
access to, so i want to use the remote assistance without having to
change their router settings.
so in other words, i need to receive remote assistance using
either windows messenger (better) or msn messenger , from behing
private IP (behind router) from my side and the client side.
please help , i need to do this.

If the client is behind a router and that router (NAT device) is not
forwarding the port request to a specific computer - Windows remote desktop
is not going to work for you. Somehow the router on their end has to know
to allow requests on 3389 through to which-ever machine you are trying to
access - and there is no way your client (RDC) is going to tell the router
that.

In other words - in order to use remote desktop (Windows), you will need
them to configure their router with the proper forwarding settings OR they
will need to configure it to allow remote management with a password and
allow YOU to remotely configure their router. Without that port
forwarding - Windows Remote Desktop through a NAT router is just going to
stop at the NAT/router device and go no where.

Another article - telling you the same thing - but in more detail..
http://techrepublic.com.com/5100-6263-5195001-1.html

Even warns you:
"If the user isn’t very knowledgeable about computers, the necessary
tweaking might be over their heads and you might find yourself having to
provide remote assistance in person after all."

 

[Jim S.]

ok, so in other words, it won't happen, now here is the question:
i did a test, i took my laptop to a hot spot and i tried to receive a remote
assistance invitation using windows messenger and msn messenger, (from my
home behind a router)
now, when my wife (at home) tried to ask for assistance , i could not do a
thing, (it wouldn't work) BUT, when i tried to ask for remote assistance it
worked, (even though i had a private IP) so how did it work?????

further more, if Remote assistance won't work, any OTHER solution that will
work for my situation????
thanks
Jim

 

[Shenan Stanley]

ok, so in other words, it won't happen, now here is the question:
i did a test, i took my laptop to a hot spot and i tried to receive
a remote assistance invitation using windows messenger and msn
messenger, (from my home behind a router)
now, when my wife (at home) tried to ask for assistance , i could
not do a thing, (it wouldn't work) BUT, when i tried to ask for
remote assistance it worked, (even though i had a private IP) so
how did it work?????
further more, if Remote assistance won't work, any OTHER solution
that will work for my situation????

The "hot-spot" may have configured their equipment (it may be more
sophisticated equipment than a home router) to pass thru traffic
differently - however - this hot-spot may have also given you a public IP
address. Not every "hot spot" (as you call it) gives out private addresses.
Some may give actual public addresses.

There are some software packages that do this for you by initially making a
request (to a third party software package that your end-users would need to
install) on ports that are more standard and such traffic is normally
routed/allowed on. Then the connection is made.

In other words - you will either have to explain to your end-users how to
install this software package and configure it OR you will have to explain
to them how to configure their router. Not to mention that most of the
packages that allow you to circumvent the NAT devices/routers in this way
are *not* free.

 

[Guest]

Hi Jim,

I experienced the same issues you were having in trying to use RA when both
the novice and the expert are behind routers. "Johnathan Kay" (Messenger
expert found in the Windows Messenger newsgroup) provided the following
solution for me that worked. If you enable "UPnP" on both the novice and
expert router, you can connect via Windows Messenger or MSN Messenger by
having the novice send you a request for remote assistance. If you use this
method, you do NOT have to forward any ports in the router.

Another solution I found was for either the novice or the expert to remove
the router from the network and connect the modem directly to the computer
and the remote assistance worked perfectly. Again, if you use this method,
you do NOT have to forward any ports in the router...I didn't have to to get
it to work.

P.S. I also did NOT have to disable either the hardware or software firewall
to get this to work.

Good Luck.

Darrell

Darrell

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I experienced the same issues you were having in trying to use RA
when both the novice and the expert are behind routers. "Johnathan
Kay" (Messenger expert found in the Windows Messenger newsgroup)
provided the following solution for me that worked. If you enable
"UPnP" on both the novice and expert router, you can connect via
Windows Messenger or MSN Messenger by having the novice send you a
request for remote assistance. If you use this method, you do NOT
have to forward any ports in the router.

Another solution I found was for either the novice or the expert to
remove the router from the network and connect the modem directly
to the computer and the remote assistance worked perfectly. Again,
if you use this method, you do NOT have to forward any ports in the
router...I didn't have to to get it to work.

P.S. I also did NOT have to disable either the hardware or software
firewall to get this to work.

If they are going to change one setting on the router - it is just as easy
to forward the port at that point, IMHO.

The connecting of the system to the Internet is a good idea - as long as
they have their software firewall active and antivirus software updated.
Also - it may be necessary in some cases to have them disconnect their
cabel/dsl modem from the power source for a few minutes and connect it back
during the disconnection of the router and connection of the PC - as some of
them are particular about MAC Addresses. Also - in some cases - the MAC
Address is given by the customer at sign-up and doing said swap would
require at least one phone call.

As for not having to change the Windows Firewall (if that is what they are
using - and they may not be since many third party resellers now come with
Norton Internet Security or McAfee or Trend Micro installed and "configured"
instead) happened because by default Remote Assistance is allowed through
the Windows Firewall.

 

[Guest]

If they are going to change one setting on the router - it is just as easy
to forward the port at that point, IMHO.

I tried forwarding port 3389 on both the novice and expert router...It did
Not work for me. Both routers were Linksys (WRT54GS and WRTP54G) by the way.


But give it a try, it may work for you.

 

[Ken Zhao [MSFT]]

Hello Jim,

Thank you for using newsgroup!

I'd like to thanks all guys for your kindly information and suggestions.
Jim, you may try the suggestions. Based on my knowledge, the following
connection scenarios are supported in Remote Assistance:

Windows Messenger
Save Invitation as a File and Send Invitation as an E-mail Methods
Internet Connection Firewall (ICF)
Other Firewalls
UPnP-Compliant NAT
NAT
Proxy Server

301529: Supported connection scenarios for Remote Assistance
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/301529/

Hope that helps!

Thanks & Regards,

Ken Zhao

Microsoft Online Partner Support
Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security

=====================================================
When responding to posts, please "Reply to Group" via your newsreader so
that others may learn and benefit from your issue.
=====================================================
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.





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| From: "Jim S." <[email protected]>
| Newsgroups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.work_remotely
| Subject: remote assistance from behind router , how????
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|
| hi guys and gals.
|
| i want to connect to anybody for remote assistance.
| i am behind a router so are most of my clients.
| i tried the windows messenger remote assistance, i tried msn messenger
| remote assistance, but no can do. i do have windows xp pro installed on
my
| laptop witch i would like to use to troubleshoot my clients computers,
which
| may run xp home, or xp pro.
| i made sure the firewall is off, on all machines and also stoped the
| antivirus (just in case).
| after researching i know that my problem is because i am connecting from
a
| private IP instead of a public IP, my clients are not that computer
savvy,
| so too much to do on their end would not be a good solution, so how can i
do
| a remote assistance with the least hassle from my client end (and to me
if
| possible) without having to buy new software and subscriptions.
| please help am going nuts in here.
|
| thanks a lot guys, i know u can help.
| Jim
|
|
|

 

[Jim S.]

i tried the UPnP but it did not work.
i connected using my friend wireless router, and my IP was a private one,
and i tried to connect back home, when i asked for remote assistance it
worked (even both I and the the computer at home, were behind a router and
both had private IP) but when i tried to do the reverse, basically do an
invitation from home to me, never worked. so why did that happen?

help guys, i have a feeling that RA is designed only for people without a
router. and for LANs.

 

[Jim S.]

when u mentioned UPnP u mean the setting in the networking (control
panel/add remove../windows components/networking...)
not on the router right?

 

[Shenan Stanley]

when u mentioned UPnP u mean the setting in the networking (control
panel/add remove../windows components/networking...)
not on the router right?

No.. On the router..

"If you enable "UPnP" on both the novice and expert router, you can connect
via Windows Messenger or MSN Messenger by having the novice send you a
request for remote assistance. If you use this
method, you do NOT have to forward any ports in the router."