Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

Maflynn · Feb 25, 2009, 04:31 PM

I frequently need to access my work computer and in the past I've used VNC, but the downside of VNC is that I need a VPN connection, at times that's not feasible.

I've been playing with both, since both offer free trials. Gotomypc seems to offer a little more polished interface and the speed of the product is faster, a lot less latency and interacting is noticeably faster then logmein. The downside is that its more expensive, I'd be paying 10 bucks a month for the joy of using it.

Logmein provides a free version, it even offers a mac client, so I can control my MBP from work where as I cannot control my mac with gotomypc.

Given that free is better then $$ logmein is better but accessing my work computer from safari is sloooowww. I need to boot up windows via vmware and use IE since both gotomypc and logmein offer an activex plugin instead of a java version.

any thoughts or users of either application?

Spheric Harlot · Feb 25, 2009, 04:51 PM

Are you saying that VNC doesn't work without a VPN, or are you saying that you need to use a VPN, and VNC won't work properly over VPN?

Because either one is just incorrect, AFAIK.

I have no VPN, and use the free no-ip.com service, and their free client, running on the Mac mini at home, to connect to my home machine via VNC from various machines.

Maflynn · Feb 25, 2009, 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot

Are you saying that VNC doesn't work without a VPN, or are you saying that you need to use a VPN, and VNC won't work properly over VPN?

yes but only trying to access my work computer. My company has things pretty well locked down and there's no way to make a VNC connection w/o a VPN connection (which requires access to the specific VPN software and a provided securid card)

goMac · Feb 25, 2009, 05:00 PM

They both work ok, Apple's software is a bit better, especially if you are using Apple Remote Desktop, which lets you ship files back and forth.

If your company is so locked down, why do you think they'll condone you VNC'ing in?

kylef · Feb 25, 2009, 05:05 PM

I use LogMeIn all the time with mac and PC. The speed is noticeably slower than if you were at the machine - but if you change the colour scheme to black and white it makes it so much faster. Even just reducing the colour to display less makes a vast improvement.

Nonetheless, LMI is so handy, and for free you can't beat it.

Maflynn · Feb 25, 2009, 06:26 PM

Originally Posted by goMac

If your company is so locked down, why do you think they'll condone you VNC'ing in?

Because they supplied the VNC software

At times however due to outages, or I don't have my securid card, I need access and a means to access my computer. The VPN connection provides me with other abilities (direct server access via citrix) that I won't get with logmein/gotomypc but I can access my workstation through that access a server. Not idea but if the VPN is down, that happens from time to time, or I don't have my securid card handy those products are really handy.

shifuimam · Feb 25, 2009, 06:40 PM

Try Teamviewer. It's free for non-commercial use, has clients for OS X and Windows, and relies only on ports 80 (HTTP) and 443 (SSL), so it'll work through any firewall or proxy. I used it all the time between my home and work machines at my last job, since RDP (and everything else imaginable) was blocked.

You also might be able to use other VNC software over your VPN. Otherwise, maybe you can customize some of the options on the provided software.

VNC more or less sends images across the connection, which is why (unlike with Windows Remote Desktop) audio doesn't carry over. Some VNC clients, like the TightVNC client app, allow you to change color depth, compression rates, and screen size so that you can speed up a VNC connection. You'll notice a drastic difference between 24-bit color and good old 16 or 256 colors. It'll also help to down the display size by about 75% - the resolution doesn't change; it just makes the entire VNC image smaller, which speeds up the connection.

And, FWIW, if you ever find yourself wanting to VNC into a Mac, try Vine VNC Server. It's open source and light years better than Apple's remote desktop connection (which is nothing but preconfigured VNC) - I found out the hard way that Apple's VNC server doesn't even allow things like lower color depth and screen size, whereas using a third-party server like Vine lets you optimize the VNC service for low-bandwidth connections.

Maflynn · Feb 25, 2009, 08:40 PM

thanks, I'll check it out.

I also think I was unclear in my posts. I can and do use VNC software to access my work desktop when I am connected to my my company's network via VPN. The software, including the VPN, securid card and the vnc client were all supplied by my company. At times for various reasons I'm not connected to the company network via VPN but still need to access my desktop. Hence the need and use of logmein/gotomypc

I hope that clears up some misconceptions my posts seemed to have generated

turtle777 · Feb 26, 2009, 12:03 AM

Logmein FTW.

I have given up on VNC. Too fickle. So many parts that can break down. DNS updater, Apple VNC service, port issues etc.

Logmein never let me down.

-t

mattyb · Feb 26, 2009, 07:12 PM

+1 LogMeIn

Paco500 · Feb 26, 2009, 11:39 PM

I used log me in pretty regularly. Speed is not great, but was more than fine for my needs.

Eriamjh · Feb 27, 2009, 07:53 AM

Used logmein once so a guy in Australia (I'm in the US) could configure/verify the security cameras I was setting up and trying to access over the internet using port forwarding and a router.

He blew through everything and determined the DSL modem could not do port forwarding. Amazing when tech support actually knows that they are doing!

Ricco · Mar 13, 2009, 11:53 AM

Hi, I`m hesitating what to choose: LogMeIn, Gotomypc or VNC.

Logmein and Gotomypc are web-based and that means my data can be stolen http://remote-access-software.net/se...te-access.html .
VNC (ultravnc, tightvnc) regulary have bugs like this http://www.uvnc.com/download/1054/
This drives me nuts

Eug · Mar 13, 2009, 11:55 AM

Logmein here. However, I don't use the Mac client. It gives me severe problems, so much so that if I install the client I can't actually use Logmein.

I just use the Java interface, which is slower.

Mind you maybe it's time to check again. I've tried several times over the past year to install the client, with the same results. However, I haven't checked in the last couple of months.

Maflynn · Mar 13, 2009, 12:43 PM

I just started using logmein's iphone app and found that to be pretty good.

Mind you controlling a desktop from an iPhone isn't an ideal solution but in a pinch, when I'm not near a computer but there's a problem that arises, this has proved to be a useful tool.

turtle777 · Mar 13, 2009, 02:11 PM

I just can't justify $ 30 for it.

However, the reviews are stellar, most people say it' worth the money.

-t

Maflynn · Mar 13, 2009, 02:33 PM

Originally Posted by turtle777

I just can't justify $ 30 for it.

However, the reviews are stellar, most people say it' worth the money.

-t

Agreed, its very pricey for an iPhone app, but I had iTMS gift cards that I used towards the purchase price and that made it quite reasonable.

kylef · Mar 13, 2009, 04:06 PM

Originally Posted by Ricco

Hi, I`m hesitating what to choose: LogMeIn, Gotomypc or VNC.

Logmein and Gotomypc are web-based and that means my data can be stolen http://remote-access-software.net/se...te-access.html .
VNC (ultravnc, tightvnc) regulary have bugs like this http://www.uvnc.com/download/1054/
This drives me nuts

I don't know about the latter two, but LogMeIn definitely has encryption seeing as it is web based.

seanc · 05:35 PM

I use LogMeIn on a daily basis, I have it installed on about 50 servers.
If the internet connection where the remote computer is, is under load, LogMeIn will become considerably slower.
I find the Safari plugin works fine for me, I think the Firefox one will be OK now too, but in the early stages of Firefox 3, I found the browser would hang when I was using LogMeIn so switched to Safari.

The main advantage is that it connects without having to change firewall rules, the web page also gives you an instant link to connect to all of the computers you have installed it on, rather than having to remember IP addresses or host names.

I believe LogMeIn to be quite secure, because to access anything, they need my LogMeIn account name and password and then the username and password for that domain/PC.

LogMeIn free doesn't do remote files or printing - it may do sound, I'm puzzled because on some servers/PCs when I connect, it gives me sound options at the top. I use FTP for transferring files.

besson3c · Mar 13, 2009, 05:44 PM

http://www.nomachine.com/download-client-macosx.php

NOMachine is a much faster client than VNC, if this is of any use to you. I don't need remote GUI access very often, but the few times I have DynDNS + NOMachine has worked well. I believe the NX client uses port 22 (SSH)