VNC Connect, also known as Real VNC (hereafter called VNC), is a good, simple-to-use remote software application that will satisfy many Insightful Accountant readers based on the significantly lower cost. In addition, it offers a free plan for personal (home) use and inexpensive subscription plans for business (professional) use.
Image Source: VNC Connect @ RealVNC
VNC offers multi-platform support, robust security, and resilience when securely accessing and managing any device from anywhere. With support for every major operating system, its solution helps you simply remote access.
If computer support is a vital part of your business model, from troubleshooting and diagnosing issues to resolving problems, deploying updates or performing routine maintenance, VNC Connect makes it easier for your IT Support personnel to perform these tasks.
VNC Connect provides performance that removes device access frustrations for support technicians. High-speed streaming and adjustable parameters assure you can deliver efficient customer support sessions. And productivity tools built into VNC Connect will boost the quality of that customer support.
VNC Connect is not as simplistic in terms of connectivity as a few of the solutions we have covered. For example, it does not offer a single session invitation option to get a remote client started.
Instead, like a few of the other remote solutions we have examined, VNC Connect is a two-app product. It needs the VNC Viewer to be installed on every computer from which remote control will take place. It also requires the VNC Server to be installed on every remote computer to be controlled.
Image source: VNC Connect @ RealVNC
When a remote user has downloaded the app, entered the one-time session code provided by the Tech and accepted the privacy warning, their screen will be shared and automatically appear on the Tech’s local computer (shown below).
Image source: VNC Connect @ RealVNC
By the way, the session code is unique to each session, so a new code must be issued every time a new session is initiated with any remote user.
At the top of the Tech’s session window is the VNC toolbar (shown below).
Image source: VNC Connect @ RealVNC
The toolbar contains features like Scale Automatically, Send Ctrl+Alt+Del (to the end user’s computer), File Transfer, Chat, Permission Elevation, Reboot Remote Computer, Session Information, Properties and Session Termination.
Clicking the File Transfer feature on the toolbar opens the Remote file browser (shown below) on your computer so you can navigate using the folder tree to find and download or upload any file. While the end user cannot see this process while being accomplished, the chat feature advises them that you are in the process of transferring files.
Image source: VNC Connect @ RealVNC
File transfer is a bit more complicated than many other products in the series we have looked at. VNC had no drag-n-drop functionality available as of the time of our review.
VNC Connect features enterprise-grade security that protects your systems from external threats, while a suite of admin tools gives you complete control of access across all devices. To safeguard against unsolicited access, all incoming connections must be authorized.
To ensure total privacy, remote sessions are end-to-end encrypted at 128-bit AES (standard). While users can optionally upgrade to 256-bit AES, that level of encryption is included by default with every other remote software we have looked at in our series.
VNC offers a mobile app for both Apple and Android. You can find these in the iOS and Google Play Stores. Its mobile apps are friendly, clean interfaces that let you perform many tasks by swiping left or right on the top row.
While the iOS version of VNC has been available for a substantially longer period, the relatively recent Android version seems to be meeting the needs of users of those devices.
Because VNC offers a free plan for personal (home) use, I suspect it will catch the attention of several of our readers. But I also suggest to the rest of you that you give VNC a review on your own.
While it may not offer all the bells and whistles at every product level, it does include many capabilities for a reasonably inexpensive price tag.
You should therefore check out the VNC Connect website and consider a 14-day free trial while you are there.
Footnotes and Disclosures:
Portions of this feature, including graphical artwork contained therein, have been used or adapted from content source materials appearing on the VNC Connect website or within their other media materials. VNC Connect, RealVNC, VNC and RFB are registered trademarks of RealVNC Ltd. RealVNC Ltd. is a privately held company based in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom. Any referenced source materials appearing within this Insightful Accountant feature were adapted and are furnished solely for educational purposes.
Any other trade names used within this article, including any other vendor (app/software) discussed herein, may in fact refer to products registered, trademarked or otherwise held by their respective owners. They are referenced solely for informational and educational purposes.
This is an editorial feature, not sponsored content. No vendor within this article has paid Insightful Accountant or the author any form of remuneration to be included within this feature. The article is provided solely for informational and educational purposes.
The publication of this article, nor the inclusion of this product within any related series, does not represent an endorsement by either the author or Insightful Accountant.
Note: Registered Trademark ® symbols have been eliminated from the articles within this publication for purposes of brevity due to the frequency or abundance with which they would otherwise appear or be repeated. Every attempt is made to credit such trademarked products within our respective article footnotes and disclosures.
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