TeamViewer

TeamViewer is a remote access software that allows you to share your screen with someone else. With this program, you can control the cursor of your computer as if you were sitting in front of it, and see everything they do on their screen. It also provides a chat window, so you can communicate with them, as well as a file transfer function to send documents or pictures across. TeamViewer most often used for help-desk support, remote technical support, or to allow someone to remote into a computer that is having issues. It's also useful for giving a client access to your PC so you can demonstrate what you're talking about.

How to download TeamViewer

To get started with TeamViewer, the first step is to download it from the official site. Simply click one of the ‘Download’ buttons to start downloading the installer. You will be redirected to another page and the download will begin shortly after.

How to install TeamViewer

After downloading the installer, open it and run it. The first time you run it, you’ll be asked to enter the ID and password for the TeamViewer account you want to use. The program will attempt to connect to a host on port 32347; this will work in most cases, but if you’re having trouble, you can change the port on your TeamViewer host. For example, if you’re connecting from a public computer, change it to a random port like 32348 or 32349.

Once you’ve entered your information, you’ll be prompted to enter the information for the person you’re connecting to. If you’re the one setting up the host, this will be your information. You can change the name of the host and the icon, too.

The next screen is the most important: it’s where you set the security level. The default setting is “High security”, and if you’re connecting to a computer that’s on the same network as yours, this is the best option to use. If you’re connecting to someone you don’t trust, or you’re connecting to a computer over the internet, keep it on “High security”. Setting it to “No security” is never a good idea unless you’re absolutely sure you can trust the other user, as it allows anyone with the program to connect to your computer.

If the above security setting is not enough for you, there is another option. You can place a “key” file on your PC. This file is usually named “key.dat” and it is placed in the folder C:\Program Files (x86)\TeamViewer\VersionNumber. You can use this file to make TeamViewer run in “High security” mode even when you are connecting to someone over the internet.

How to use TeamViewer

Setting up TeamViewer is really simple. Once you have downloaded the software, you’ll just need to install it and then sign up for an account. Once you have an account, you can download the software onto your computer, and then onto the device you wish to access.

To connect to the other device, you’ll need to know the TeamViewer ID and password of the device you wish to connect to. You’ll also need to know what operating system the device is running (as there are different versions available for Windows, Mac, and Linux).

Once you’ve entered all this information, you can click “Connect” and you’ll see a window appear on your screen with the name and ID of the person you’re connecting to. This is where you’ll enter your password, and then you’re connected to their computer.

Review

TeamViewer is a very simple program to use. It’s extremely easy to get started with, and they have a very easy to follow setup wizard that walks you through the process. If you’re using it for help-desk support, they have a built-in ticketing system that allows you to set up multiple users, and even assign them to different queues. Their support team is very good as well.

TeamViewer is also a very secure program. It uses 256-bit AES encryption, the highest level of encryption available. This means that it’s virtually impossible for someone to intercept the data being sent between your PC and the server.

TeamViewer is a great remote access program, but there are a couple things that are annoying about it. First, the program itself is a little buggy. It doesn’t happen very often, but every once in a while the program will crash, and that’s annoying. The other thing I don’t like about TeamViewer is the support.

Whenever I have a problem with the program, I have to contact their support team, and that’s kind of annoying. Their support team is very nice, but they’re located in Europe, so I don’t get a response to my questions for a few hours at a time. This can be very frustrating if you need to get in touch with them immediately.

There’s not a lot to complain about with TeamViewer. There are a few things that would be nice to have, but for the most part it’s very easy-to-use and simple to get setup. The one thing I would like to see is the ability to customize the toolbar on the remote screen. Right now you can’t make your own toolbar with custom buttons, instead you have to use the default toolbar that TeamViewer has created for you.

I also wish that TeamViewer included a few more features, like being able to capture the screen of the remote computer. In the free version, you can only capture the screen of your own computer. If you want to be able to capture the remote screen, you have to upgrade to the business edition.

Overall, the only real complaint I have with TeamViewer is that it doesn’t come with more features. It’s a very good remote access program, and the fact that they offer it for free is even better. You can’t really beat that.