Mobilize Your Office

If you’ve ever been away from your office desktop computer and had to have something that was on it (files, programs, etc.) then you know how frustrating it can be. Maybe you’ve left an important presentation behind, or forgot to fill out your time sheet. Maybe you needed to send out an invoice, but you were on vacation. All of those things have happened to me, but thanks to some innovative software and the power of the Internet we don’t have to worry about leaving our office behind.

There are two major players in the “remote access” world: GoToMyPC and LogMeIn. GoToMyPC is a larger company, but as such they charge more. Also, GoToMyPC doesn’t have a free option. I prefer LogMeIn mainly because it is free, but also because if I want to upgrade features it’s a minimal cost. I use LogMeIn on a regular basis to keep my home and office computers always available to me - and it’s been reliable.

Once you sign up for a LogMeIn account you can add computers - both Mac and Windows PCs. This is great because my home computer is a Mac and my office computer runs Windows XP. When you add a computer to your LogMeIn account it will install the appropriate software on your computer. Once the software is installed you’ll be able to access the computer from anywhere in the world that you have an Internet connection and a web browser (like Firefox, Safari, or Internet Explorer). I even log into my office computer using my iPhone!

Personally, I use the free account which means I don’t have access to advance features like remote printing and drag-and-drop file sharing. If I want a file from my office computer I just log on to the computer and email it to myself. If you upgrade to the Pro account you’ll be able to share files between computers without the need to email.

If most of your day is spent in front of your computer, using remote access software like LogMeIn will give you the freedom to get away from your desk. Take a vacation and check in to the office using any computer with a web browser. Go relax by the pool and bring your laptop to work on your office computer. Remote access software opens up a whole world of freedom for small business owners. Add your cellphone and a Skype account and you can take your office anywhere!

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