What's the best way to remotely access my home desktop without paying for software?
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CuriousPineapple23
I'm in a bit of a pickle trying to find a way to securely access my home desktop from my laptop when I'm not on the same network. My desktop is just on my regular Wi-Fi and isn't linked to any organization, plus my employer is okay with remote work as long as I can connect back to my home computer. However, the remote access solutions I've looked into are either too costly or involve server-based setups, which I want to avoid. Ideally, I'd like to find a solution that allows direct communication between my devices and fulfills all security needs without requiring paid licenses or convoluted setups. Also, I need a reliable way to turn my desktop back on if it shuts down or goes to sleep—any suggestions on that would be great too!
Answers
Check out the GL.iNet Comet with the Fingerbot accessory. It’s super useful for remote actions like powering devices on and off, plus it integrates smoothly with Tailscale if you want a simple VPN setup.
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You might want to consider getting a router that supports VPN. Brands like Unifi tend to be user-friendly and relatively affordable. Once you set up a VPN, you can access your desktop using RDP, keeping everything secure. For the remote power-on issue, consider using a UPS and keeping it powered on instead of shutting it off completely.
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SkepticalObserver: True, the Comet is really handy! I found the Tailscale integration pretty straightforward, so it might be worth checking out.