Control remote computers without leaving your desk
NetOp 5.4 for Windows, a remote control utility for Windows-based systems from CrossTec, can run on LANs and WANs. NetOp lets you control hosts remotely using IPX, TCP/IP, NetBIOS, direct cable connections, and serial modem links. The software consists of two components: Host and Guest. The Host component waits for connection requests and lets remote users access your system. The Guest component establishes a connection to the Host.
Installation and Use
To test NetOp, I installed the software on two home-built dual Pentium
systems (a Micronics-based NT server and an American Megatrends MegaRUM NT workstation) and a Windows 95 host (an Acer America Pentium system). I accepted all the default options and had no problems using the software.
To use NetOp, users must first launch the Host component on their
workstations and program the software to listen for an inbound call. A remote user running the Guest component can then connect to the Host. For my test, the Win95 machine ran the Guest component and NT server ran the Host component. I used the Start menu on the NT server to launch the NetOp Event Viewer and check for error messages, as Screen 1 shows.
Special Features
NetOp includes several features that enhance its remote control
capabilities. With the program's Chat feature, Guest and Host users can
communicate in realtime, which is especially helpful if one is providing the
other with technical support. NetOp has built-in file-transfer capabilities so
that you can retrieve files from the Host and send files (e.g., a configuration
file update) as necessary. Using NetOp's phone book, you can store the names of
systems you commonly access to save time when you connect to those systems in
the future.
NetOp also offers security features. You can set default and individual
Guest session access privileges and require users to enter passwords to log on
to the system. Initiating chat sessions, sending and receiving files, letting
the Guest user use the keyboard and mouse, and booting the Host are several
access privileges you can set. If you are concerned about security over a serial
connection, you can implement a callback plan using fixed or roving telephone
numbers.
The Glitch
NetOp's Guest component can run as many as 10 simultaneous sessions (e.g.,
connection, chat, or user sessions) between your local system and a remote
system. When I had an active connection to my NT server, I easily connected
remotely to my NT workstation. However, when I ran two connection sessions
concurrently, I found NetOp cum-
bersome. To navigate through the remote
systems' screens, I had to use the scroll bars to access icons and the Start
menu. The software has a Screen Scaling feature to help alleviate this problem,
but I couldn't activate it. For me, the easiest way to use the software was to
maximize the client screen when I ran multiple sessions simultaneously. That
way, I didn't have to frequently use the scroll bar.
Pricing
As a remote control program, NetOp contains features and functions similar
to those in Artisoft's CoSession Remote 32, Symantec's pcANYWHERE, and
Microsoft's System Management Server (SMS). However, NetOp costs almost twice as
much as CoSession Remote/32. CrossTec prices NetOp by component: Each Guest and
Host requires one license. One major difference between NetOp and CoSession
Remote/32 that might make the added cost worthwhile is that with NetOp, your
Guest can be another Windows client (it doesn't need to be your NT server). In
addition, NetOp is a great troubleshooting tool.
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