On my last vacation, I decided to try Go To My PC as a way to keep on top of my email churn. It is not uncommon for me to have over 1,400 emails on my return from a week’s vacation. I ran www.GoToMyPC.com through its paces and actually liked the product. The problem was I could not rationalize spending $10 a month when I only needed several week’s access a year.
After research, I found that there was a way for me to access my PC at home when I travel that’s free! It’s called Windows Live Mesh. I already used Live Mesh to sync files on my laptop and other computers, but did not realize that Live Mesh also allows me to access my home computer while traveling.
Here’s how you set it up.
- Get Windows Live Mesh here: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-live/essentials-home?SignedIn=1 You’ll get it as part of the Windows Live Essentials.
- Install Live Essentials on your desktop and your laptop.
- Following the instructions in Mesh, sync the two computers as you desire. For me, I simply sync one folder and sync my favorites in Internet Explorer.
- When you travel turn on remote access which is on the top of the page on the left on the computer you want to access remotely.
- When you travel access over the Internet your Live Mesh account and click to access your previously set up computer.
That’s it, you’ll log in as if you are in a remote desktop setting. Have full access to all programs on your home PC. You’ll just need to make sure that your home PC is on, that’s all.
Easy, simple to set up, and best of all it’s free!