Remote Desktop: the server to show the screen

[dandreye]

Hi All,

A W8.1 machine locks its screen and displays welcome/login page once I log into it using Remote Desktop. Is there a way to prevent that, so that its operator can see everything I'm doing there?

Thanks in advance!

[theterminator93]

Not using the built-in Remote Desktop software.

You'd need to use the Remote Assistance application instead, or go with a third party remote access tool like ScreenConnect or Splashtop.

[dr_st]

You'd need to use the Remote Assistance application instead, or go with a third party remote access tool like ScreenConnect or Splashtop.

Other possible solutions are TeamViewer or a VNC server.

[dandreye]

theterminator93:
dr_st:

Thanks for your replies. Tbh I was hoping to tweak my favourite tool RD somehow but alas. I'd occasionally use a Skype call but that way the remote operator would have to do all the typing and mouse clicking, which slows the process down.

I had been happily using TeamViewer for years until one day soon after the pandemic start they claimed I'm using it for business and cut my access. That "business" was just helping my aging parent with the laptop (neither of us has ever been involved in any business whatsoever). I do realize they probably had to free up resources for those who pay but doing it in such a ridiculous way was something I couldn't handle despite still being grateful for several years of their perfect free service. They could've just said that the free usage period is up. Anyway...

Remote Assistant I tried once and found that one-time password generation or rather its delivery somewhat inconvenient. VNC is what we'd occasionally use at work and perhaps it'll do here too. I'll have yet to try ScreenConnect and Splashtop meanwhile.

[dr_st]

I had been happily using TeamViewer for years until one day soon after the pandemic start they claimed I'm using it for business and cut my access. That "business" was just helping my aging parent with the laptop (neither of us has ever been involved in any business whatsoever).

Happened to me too a few months ago. There is an appeal process. I appealed and they restored my personal access. I don't know if it had been a false positive due to me accidentally accessing the account from my corporate network, or because of the sheer number of PCs registered to the account (my personal systems and my parents' computers). Maybe it was just a "fishing" attempt to see if they can get some free users to convert to a premium account, but so far it's working again.

VNC is what we'd occasionally use at work and perhaps it'll do here too. I'll have yet to try ScreenConnect and Splashtop meanwhile.

I found VNC generally offering somewhat better performance than TeamViewer, possibly because it is a direct connection. The downside, of course, is being a direct connection - you are responsible for opening and forwarding ports on your router. Also, the VNC protocol by default is not encrypted and not secure. One either has to use an SSH tunnel or use an implementation that provides its own security.

[dandreye]

There is an appeal process. I appealed and they restored my personal access.

Yeah they offered me to appeal it too. I replied explaining the situation but they just reiterated it. Perhaps I'm getting sentimental ))

The downside, of course, is being a direct connection - you are responsible for opening and forwarding ports on your router.

That's also the upside though: no need in / dependency on the "3rd party" server, which can become unavailable at any time for any reason like the above. All I had to do was open tcp3389 for RDP and map it to a desired PC, so I suppose VNC is similar in kind. I didn't realize VNC is insecure though: was somehow led to believe they all are secure nowadays.