Hi,
We have recently taken IT Support in-house after always having outsourced our IT helpdesk.
I'm after recommendations for Windows 10/11 remote control software that meets these needs:
- Cheap! No real budget for this.
- Screen Sharing with Admin Elevation (At the moment use Teams, but can't get past UAC when taking control)
- Directly connect when on the internet (At the moment use RDP, but requires the device is connected to our VPN which causes problems both in connecting and when troubleshooting issues).
There only needs to be one person that connects, and around 80 devices that require connecting to.
Thanks for any advise,
Steve
I will jump in as well and say that you should give Action1 a try, I have been using them for a couple years now. You get Inventory management, patch deployment, and remote connection.
It really does do a great job.
I would recommend splashtop or Teamviewer.
Under 100 free over at Action1.com. I've been using Action1 as my RMM since January and have had great success with remote access to my users (with Admin), deploying Windows updates (and more) and pushing applications. There are a lot of other features but that's been my focus. I suggest you check it out.
AnyDesk and n-Able RMM are possibly the two most popular choices of large organizations. I would personally steer clear of TeamViewer, as a fairly recent vulnerability makes them one of the least trustworthy options for your organizations' security as far as I am concerned.
Brand Representative for Splashtop
Please give Splashtop On Demand Support a free test drive. Splashtop supports all the features you listed and more. It’s cost effective… support unlimited attended and unattended devices at $399 per technician per year. First time Spiceworks subscriber can get 15% off. Splashtop is well known for customer satisfaction…NPS is the highest in the industry (based on TrustRadius, G2 and others). Thanks
We use ConnectWise on prem, but the cloud version is also a great option
Seckora Consulting is an IT service provider.
Check out Team viewer. One license right now is ~$39.00 a month. Resellers like myself get a discount on that. Annual payment required. Can install Host version on any computer and that user can remote in and fix your companies computers, servers.
We've a similar number of end users and we use N'Able take control - Does all that you want and is easy for users to connect
Uses either a code or a link to login
Not massively expensive either
Splashtop is great! We use it all the time, and you can pair it with ticket services like FreshService/ FreshDesk as an external plug in- when the budget allows.
ScreenConnect (Connectwise Control) was fantastic before and after Connectwise added the 'Backstage' connection option it's gotten even better. If you know a bit of Powershell Backstage is extremely useful.
It tends to be one of more expensive solutions but for a single tech it should be cheapish.
LaserValley Technologies is an IT service provider.
We use ConnectWise but I have run into the odd instance where a user's machine is so locked down they cannot connect to a session. Other than that, great. Supports use of a Android phone to connect, although I bet most do these days.
My company recently got set up on Connectwise Control and Automate, It's not cheap compared to other offerings, it is a lot to get set up initially (at least it was for our 2 man IT team) ,but its totally worth it for the automation capabilities, so if you do it right it works like a charm.
And hands down beats the previous implementation we had for remote support which was a conjunction of RDP and Window's built in remote assist tools, which is great if you're only needing it for helping a user requesting assistance, useless for unattended access and patching. (Funny how long "temporary" solutions last, we had spun that up to hold us over while we shopped around, 2 years later we finally got Management to see the light and sign off on the purchase.)
We used to use AnyDesk which was great value for it's price.
We got too big and so started using Desktop Central which has a lot more features.
Another vote for Anydesk.
Easy to install, really user friendly and it just works.
Another for AnyDesk here, it’s very cost effective and feature rich. Handy for non support issues too, we used it to present a distributed PowerPoint on several screens dotted around a large hall for a staff conference. It even sent the video animations over remote in an acceptable manner.
We use it to remote student computers so it supports Windows and MacOS along with android and iOS.
When you login to the AnyDesk admin page you can generate packages with public urls for end users to direct download from. You can easily brand it and configure restrictions from this area too.
The app just seems easier and cheaper to live with compared to teamviewer.
We use it with both a preconfigured password and a request access prompt sent to the end user to allow the techy in. Works great for us.
Deployments are easy too, you simply generate an msi installer and deploy via whatever you have, AD, PDQ, SCCM etc…
LogMeIn is pretty good never had issues with it here.
At a previous employer, we used TeamViewer and Apple Remote Desktop. I found NOMachine works well too, free, and platform agnostic...
Don't use teamviewer. I have experienced, in person someone driving my computer by hacking my account. I had a strong password and MFA enabled. I didn't get an email approving that person's device and no MFA code came across. The mouse was moving around and the person was trying to install Emotet! They excluded the c:\ in the antivirus program. Jerks! So I can never trust them again.
For cheap, I would look at AnyDesk, or Splashtop. We use TeamViewer, but it's not really "cheap" anymore.
LogMeIn is a really good product, however it is NOT cheap. (We are currently using it but are looking to replace.)
we use teamviewer to support several hundred pc's. no issues here. does everything we need.
Since you're using Windows 10/11 Windows Quick Assist may do the job for you.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/client-management/quick-assist
We use Splashtop. Easy to use and affordable.
I've used ConnectWise/Screen Connect in the past and am currently using LogMeIn. I prefer Screen Connect waaaaaay more than LogMeIn.
I work for a non-profit, so I do my best to work with free solutions whenever possible. Personally, I would just use Quick Assist (assuming Microsoft gets their ish together and give us back a way to install the darn thing without the end user needing admin rights, sheesh).
Or another alternative would be to continue using Teams, but send out a policy that tells your workstations to route all elevation prompts to the interactive desktop (instead of the elevated Admin one), that way you can actually interact with the prompt instead of getting a black screen.
You can find the policy under Endpoint Protection in Intune Device config policies. There is a corresponding Group Policy as well if that's your jam, but you're looking for "Route elevation prompts to user's interactive desktop." Enable that bad boy and voila, perfectly usable remote help option using the subscriptions you already pay too much for ;)
In our office, I use Atera for this. It's an affordable per-tech cost ($120/month), with unlimited machines. It's technically an RMM too, so you'll get other features too, like the ability to run scripts and automation and such.
Brand Representative for Pulseway
Since you have the ability to utilize RDP with a VPN, why not log into one computer in this manner and then RDP from that one to all of the others. No license fee and nothing to learn.
Beyond Trust Secure Remote Access Far from cheap but I've used it for some years now, both on prem and the cloud version. Also supported it as a Service for a customer, really good feature set and great for multiple agents, more suited to a bigger organisation IMO.
The package to obtain it also gives you access to other products too, but might be overkill.
I like atera.com been using it for over a year. Also, uses splashtop for remote access, but gives you a ton more features.
I use Splashtop and haven't had any major issues with it. It has been easy for my end users to download and run when they need support and I can log in as Admin on their device.
I will jump in as well and say that you should give Action1 a try, I have been using them for a couple years now. You get Inventory management, patch deployment, and remote connection.
It really does do a great job.
HD IT Solutions is an IT service provider.
Given your budget I will also recommend Action1 RMM (Free if you have less than 100 devices), AnyDesk or Windows Quick assist.
RMM tools give you a lot of control over your machines and I couldn't do my job well without one these days. I strongly encourage you to look at one. One of the biggest benefits ( not already mentioned) is the ability to run scripts on remote machines. Once you can run scripts (Powershell & Bat) you can do anything you need. It might take some work to write the script\s, but once written you are golden.
I was in the same boat, using Teams to help people but it was terrible trying to use it for anything other than a quick session. I looked for something cheap as well and found Zoho Assist. its $100 a year for a license. It works well for us, but we are pretty small. You only get 4-5 machines to use unattended access, but you can do attended access for helpdesk stuff. Works great for what we need it for.
I'm surprised not to see Dameware, anywhere on this list. For an internal support tool and some of its other products for more of an MSP support tool. Having used any desk and teamviewer as well, I love Dameware and it will always hold a special role in good solid secure remote support also great for the price.
Since you're using Windows 10/11 Windows Quick Assist may do the job for you.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/client-management/quick-assist
The problem with quick assist now is that the app has been moved from being native in the OS to being in the App Store. It needs admin rights to install now :(
https://apps.microsoft.com/store/detail/quick-assist/9P7BP5VNWKX5?hl=en-us&gl=US
I recently test drove Zoho Assist and found it to work really well. I've used Teamviewer in the past and never had issues with it. If budget is an issue, chivo243 may have your best answer with Nomachine. I'm taking a look at that now myself.
We use Action1 RMM 100 free, $2 anything after the 100 devices, per device, good for remote management, including patch and software deployment
We're currently using Dameware Mini Remote control and are very happy with it.
The license costs only $212 per technician and allows deploying the remote control service on ∞ devices.
Thank you all for all the suggestions.
I'm currently testing out Action1, as 'free' (for our under 100 devices) sounded like a great price for us.
So far it is proving to be pretty good, very easy to deploy. I set up a connector and within minutes almost all of our devices had the agent on and were reporting in the portal, with both attended and unattended remote control available.
Impressed with the other features, and have been using the remote tools more that remote control in my testing so far. I used it to uninstall, in around 20 minutes, our out-going support companies agent they had left installed on every device.
Looking at the software management and been testing deploying a few MSI and EXE applications, and works well. Looking at the updates features too and wondering whether it may be a replacement for our WSUS and have this managed in the cloud rather than on-prem?
There are some features missing that I believe should be in any RMM but most of them are mentioned in the Roadmap section on their website, so should only get better over time.
Thanks again for all the recommendations.
Since you have the ability to utilize RDP with a VPN, why not log into one computer in this manner and then RDP from that one to all of the others. No license fee and nothing to learn.
The main issue I have with relying on having a VPN connection when supporting is some troubleshooting tasks, software/driver upgrades or software installs will drop the VPN and my session. There are also times you need to reboot then straight jump back on to carry on troubleshooting/fixing.
In these cases I have to contact the user and get them to log back in, reconnect the VPN, so I can then reconnect back via RDP.
This as a solution also doesn't allow the user to 'screen-share' so I can see the issue, then for me to take control and resolve the issue with admin permissions.
Or another alternative would be to continue using Teams, but send out a policy that tells your workstations to route all elevation prompts to the interactive desktop (instead of the elevated Admin one), that way you can actually interact with the prompt instead of getting a black screen.
You can find the policy under Endpoint Protection in Intune Device config policies. There is a corresponding Group Policy as well if that's your jam, but you're looking for "Route elevation prompts to user's interactive desktop." Enable that bad boy and voila, perfectly usable remote help option using the subscriptions you already pay too much for ;)
Thanks, I never knew that was even an option I will try that as it would still be so useful to be able to elevate directly in Teams sessions!!
I will definitely second the recommendations for DameWare Mini Remote Controller. Very lightweight in terms of resource usage. It's licensed per admin using it, not per device/agent it's connecting to.
Brand Representative for GoTo (formerly LogMeIn)
Thanks for the mentions Spicy Joseph, Contego, and BeforeTax,
Hey OP -
A few months ago LogMeIn relaunched as GoTo (formerly LogMeIn) and I wanted to share about a remote support tool your team may want to look into. In case you may still be considering your options, check out our newly released GoTo Resolve, which is an all-in-one IT management suite that allows technicians the ability to begin remote sessions right from the console. We worked closely with IT pros to develop this solution and new features are being added rapidly and you can view all current and projected capabilities, pricing, and plans here.
If you’d like to check out more, here's a link with details about our solution. Hope this is helpful! Feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
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