Using Remote Assistance to Get Help When You Need It
Remote Assistance provides a way for you to get the help you need when you run into problems with your computer. If you're an experienced user, you can even be the one to use Remote Assistance to directly help your friends and family members.
There are three ways to use Remote Assistance, described in the articles in this section. The fastest is via instant messaging using Windows Messenger, described in the first article to the right. You can also initiate Remote Assistance sessions via e–mail, as described in the second article. If you use a Web–based e–mail service, such as MSN Hotmail.
How it Works
Remote assistance uses Terminal Services technology, allowing a helper to assist you via a remote Terminal Services session. As shown in Figure 1 below, Remote Assistance uses a simple, secure process in establishing a connection between you and a helper. The request is encrypted in a public key and sent using XML.
To use Remote Assistance, you will need:
- Two computers running Microsoft Windows XP Professional or Windows XP Home Edition. The computer receiving assistance and the computer providing assistance must both run Windows XP.
- Both computers must be connected via a network or the Internet.
- Windows Messenger must be installed on both computers.
Using Remote Assistance
Using Remote Assistance via Windows Messenger. This section shows how a home user initiates Remote Assistance via Windows Messenger to a trusted friend.
Using Remote Assistance via saving a file. This section shows how to initiate a Remote Assistance invitation by saving the request as a file. This allows you to use Remote Assistance via Web-based e-mail such as Hotmail or other similar services.
Using Remote Assistance via e-mail. This section explains initiating Remote Assistance via e-mail to a corporate Helpdesk. Home users can also follow this procedure to send a Remote Assistance request via e-mail.
Offering Remote Assistance to a user. This section explains how to initiate a request to perform Remote Assistance on a user's computer in a corporate IT environment.
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