WINDOWS REMOTE ASSISTANCE - CONNECT TO ANOTHER COMPUTER
In this section I will show you how to set up and use Windows 7 Remote
Assistance, a Windows 7 program that allows you to remotely control
another Windows 7
computer and therefore help someone with their computer problems
remotely. It also allows the other way around. Someone else can help
you, if they are the helper
and you are the one with the computer problems.
There are similar, and much better, programs on the internet (such as
CrossLoop and
Team Viewer)
but these tend to have a monthly or yearly subscription fee because
they come with extra features and also have remote helpers to guide/help
you through your computer problems. So Windows 7 Remote Assistance is
basically a cheaper
(free) alternative. Don't let this put you off though because at the end
of the day it gets the job done.
To begin using Windows 7 Remote Assistance go to the START Menu and type
Remote A into the SEARCH Edit Box. This will then give a link to the
Windows 7 Remote Assistance program. Simply click on its SEARCH entry listing (link) to continue.
Fig 1.0 Click on the WINDOWS REMOTE ASSISTANCE link to continue
When the Windows Remote Assistance window appears you will have two
options to choose from - INVITE SOMEONE YOU TRUST TO HELP YOU and HELP
SOMEONE WHO HAS INVITED
YOU - Click on the first option if you need help from someone else or
click on the second option if you want to help someone else.
In this section I will first show you how to get help from someone else
and then show you how to help someone else. So begin by clicking on the
INVITE SOMEONE YOU
TRUST TO HELP YOU option (link). Doing so will then give you invitations
options (Fig 1.2 below).
Fig 1.1 Click on the INVITE SOMEONE YOU TRUST TO HELP YOU option (link) to continue
Fig 1.2 Click on the USE EMAIL TO SEND INVITATION option (link) to continue
An invitation is an encrypted "Connection File", in the format of a
.msrc file, that basically contains the necessary credentials about the
computer and user account
needing the help. It is needed by the helper's computer (the computer of
the person helping you). Ignore these technicals though! All you need
to do is specify the
method (option) in which the "Connection File" will be sent to your
helper.
SAVE THIS INVITATION AS A FILE - This option allows you to send
the invitation file ("Connection File") using a web-based e-mail account
such as a Hotmail, Yahoo
or GMail e-mail account. You will need to login to that e-mail account
in order to send the invitation file ("Connection File") as an
attachment.
USE E-MAIL TO SEND AN INVITATION - The same as above, but this
option uses an e-mail client (e-mail program) such as Windows Live Mail
2011 to create the attachment
automatically.
EASY CONNECT - This option is for those with an Easy Connect
compatible router and Windows 7. It allows you to connect two computers
without the need to send an
invitation file ("Connection File"). The beauty of this method is that
after the initial connection, which requires a password, any subsequent
connections do not
need a password. You just click on the helper's contact name to
establish a connection.
For this example I am using Windows Live Mail 2011 to send the
invitation file ("Connection File") as an e-mail attachment, to a helper
called Danny. All you need
to do with this option is fill in the TO edit box with the e-mail
address of your helper (i.e. Danny's e-mail address) and then click on
the SEND button to actually
send the e-mail with its predefined e-mail message and the invitation
file ("Connection File").
Fig 1.3 Fill in the TO edit box with the e-mail address of your helper and then SEND this e-mail
When the e-mail has been sent a window will appear with a password on
it, ready for the connection between the two computers to take place.
This invitation password
is only good for up to six hours, so it is important that the helper
gets the e-mail. Normally you would give them a quick phone call and
tell them about the
invitation e-mail, as well as give/send them the invitation password, or
you would of prearranged this meeting (invitation) and do everything
live (do everything
now, at this moment).
Fig 1.4 Tell your helper this Easy Connect password
At this point, assuming the helper has the invitation e-mail and
invitation password, they would then open their Windows Remote
Assistance program and follow the
steps needed to help you (see "Help Someone Else" below).
With a connection established between your computer and the helper's
computer, all the helper will see initially is a black desktop screen
representing your desktop.
However, also at this point, they will not have full access to your
computer. They will need to ask your permission via the REQUEST CONTROL
button located in the
top-left corner of their Windows Remote Assistance window - In the same
position where you see the faded out wording: STOP SHARING on your
Windows Remote Assistance
window.
Fig 1.5 The Helper can now see your desktop, but does not have full control of it.
The reason for them not having full control of your computer at this
point, and by default, is because in this "Limited Mode" of Windows
Remote Assistance it is
assumed you only want the helper to see your desktop whereby they will
then tell you what to do over the phone (or via skype) for example. When
the helper clicks
on their REQUEST CONTROL button you are sent a message requester (below)
whereby you need to click on its YES button in order to give full
control of your computer
to the helper's computer.
Fig 1.6 The helper's computer is requesting full control of your computer
After clicking on the YES button the helper can then actually move your
mouse around, click and double click on folders and files, open
programs, run system commands
and so on, just as though they were sitting in front of your computer;
trying to fix its problems.
When the helper has finished, and hopefully fix your computer problems,
either you or they can exit (close) this "repair session" by clicking on
the Windows Remote
Assistance red eXit (close) button. That will terminate the connection
between the two computers.
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HELP SOMEONE TO FIX THEIR COMPUTER
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Now that you know how to get remote help from someone else, with you
being the one with computer problems, in this next example I will show
you how things work from
the helper's point of view; by showing you how to be the helper.
Begin by starting Windows Remote Assistance (as explained/exampled in
Fig 1.0 above), but this time click on the HELP SOMEONE WHO HAS INVITED
ME option (link) when
it comes to choosing whether or not to be the helper or the one with the
computer problems.
Fig 5.0 Click on the HELP SOMEONE WHO HAS INVITED ME option (link) to be the helper
After clicking on the HELP SOMEONE WHO HAS INVITED ME option (link) the
invitation file (Connection File), that was sent by the person with the
computer problems,
needs to be opened. The window that follows allows you to choose from
two options, although only one of them might be available. The choices
are:
USE AN INVITATION FILE - This option allows you to use the
invitation file (Connection File) that was sent via e-mail attachment,
by the person with the
computer problems, in order to make a connection between the two
computers.
EASY CONNECT - This option might not be available for a number of
reasons, with the main reason being your router does not support the
EASY CONNECT Protocol.
Ignore the technicals. These option will either be available or not
(inactive/faded out).
Sticking with the above example; Click on the USE AN INVITATION FILE
option (link) to bring up the OPEN file requester (Fig 5.2 below) and
then locate and open the
.msrc invitation file (Connection File), called Invitation.msrcIncident,
sent to you via e-mail attachment. You should of saved that e-mail
(file) attachment to
your DESKTOP or DOWNLOADS folder, for example, beforehand.
Fig 5.1 Click on the USE AN INVITATION FILE option (link) to bring up the OPEN file requester
Fig 5.2 Locate, Select and then OPEN the .msrc invitation file (Connection File) called Invitation.msrcIncident
When you click on the OPEN button, of the OPEN file requester, a Enter
Your Password window then appears whereby you need to insert the
password given to you by
the person with computer problems into the PASSWORD edit box. When you
have done that click on the window's OK button to continue.
Fig 5.3 Enter the password given to you by the person with computer problems
Once the correct password has been entered, and you have clicked on the
OK button, you will then have limited access to the computer with
problems (as described
earlier, above). To gain full access (full control) you need to click on
the REQUEST CONTROL button located in the top-left corner of the
Windows Remote Assistance
window (below). The user of the problem computer will then have to agree
to full control by clicking on the YES button of the message requester
that appears (as
exampled in Fig 1.6 above).
Fig 5.4 Click on the REQUEST CONTROL button to request full control of the problem computer
With full control of the problem computer; you, the helper, can now go
about looking for problems, diagnosing problems and hopefully fixing
problems.
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SOME WINDOWS REMOTE ASSISTANCE SETTINGS
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As said at the beginning of the section, Windows Remote Assistance isn't
full of features and settings/options. However, that doesn't mean you
cannot make things
better. For example. If you click on the SETTINGS button, to bring up
the settings window, you can improve your experience with the problem
computer by using a
higher or lower level of broadband bandwidth - Turn off/on the desktop
background imagery, disable/enable windows drag and increase/decrease
colour depth (colour
resolution).
Fig 6.0 Move (drag) the slider down to LOW for a faster, more responsive experience
Fig 6.1 Move (drag) the slider up to HIGH for a slighter slower, but more visual experience
Look around the Windows Remote Assistance window and investigate things
such as the CHAT feature and SETTINGS options. These are pretty bog
standard but tweaking
the broadband bandwidth settings for example can make a difference in
performance.
