The desire to access your home or office computer from wherever you find yourself isn’t something born of the Internet age. Programs like pcAnywhere were used to great effect when the communications infrastructure consisted of slow analogue modems used over conventional phone lines. Symantec's pcAnywhere is still around; it’s now on version 12 and positioned as an enterprise tool. Fortunately, there is no shortage of excellent solutions designed for the consumer and home/small business. Even better, some of them are free.

Remote control and remote access aren’t the same thing. If all you need from the remote computer is a file or even thousands of files, then remote access in some form is what you want. However, if you are at home and needing to work with the data and applications on your office computer as though you were actually sitting in front of it, remote control software is the answer. Let’s look at a few of the best solutions in that category.

GoToMyPC is probably the best-known remote control application. It is an Internet service that requires that a small application be downloaded and then installed on the host computer, the one that will be controlled remotely. This needs to be done just once. Setup is automatic and takes two minutes. Once this is completed, and suitable high-security passwords have been chosen, you need to remember to make sure that you leave your PC on and connected to the Internet.

Then, using the computer and browser of your choice, navigate to www.gotomypc.com, provide the two passwords, click connect and your PC desktop will appear in front of you. Regardless of where you are physically, you can start working on your PC as if you were sitting in front of it.

GoToMyPC is easy to use, reliable and highly-secure. It has no conflicts with firewalls or any other kind of network security you may have at home, on your office network, or anywhere else you are likely to use it. It has no significant drawbacks other than cost. It costs $19.95 per month with no commitment or $179.40 per year on an annual contract. All costs are in U.S. dollars. You only pay for the computer you wish to access. There is no charge and no limit on the number of computers or wireless devices that can access and control this target computer.

You can use any web browser (running on a Windows, Mac, or Linux system) or Pocket PC, Microsoft Windows Mobile or Windows CE wireless device to control your host computer in real time, without needing to install any software or modify any settings. You are able to use your computer over the Internet as though you were seated in front of it even though you may be in an Internet café in a foreign country.

GoToMyPC provides most of the features you are likely to want and a few you may not have thought of. You are able to view your desktop in true 24-bit color. With remote printing, you can print documents on the target computer to whatever printer you have available locally. For example, you’re just seconds away from a hard copy of an important PageMaker file even if the computer you are using doesn’t have an installation of this Adobe application.

GoToMyPC lets you synchronize folders between your computer and the remote computer. You can use drag and drop if you like. There’s sound, too, so you can listen to music, voice mail, and all other sounds from your remote PC. There is automatic muting on the host PC, assuring you that no one in your office can hear your sensitive voicemail as you listen to it.

Although GoToMyPC is excellent, it is not without competition...

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