Windows 2000 Quick Fixes

Allow remote use of your computer

In some situations it’s handy to be able to use your computer remotely. For example, you might need to work at home but still have access to your computer as if you were in the office. Or maybe your home computer has a direct Internet connection through DSL or other means and you want to be able to connect to it and use it from the office. Large downloads are another great reason for using Telnet: you can connect to your office computer through your dial-up connection, initiate an FTP session to download files to your office computer, and then copy them to Zip disks or other removable media when you get to the office. Whatever the case, you have a couple of different options for using the computer remotely (or allowing others to do so).

First, you could install a third-party remote control program such as Symantec’s pcAnywhere on the computer and use it as if you were sitting in front of it. These products are great if you need full access to the system and all the features provided through the Windows interface. In cases where you only need the ability to run a command console, however, Telnet is a no-cost solution.

Tip

There are many good remote control programs now available. Covering their installation and use falls outside the scope of this book.

Set up a Telnet server

The Telnet service enables you to connect to a remote computer and use a command console session on it. You can issue commands as if you were working with the console locally. ...