Logmein.com Ups and Downs

I have been using Logmein.com for about three weeks now to access my PC. As a quick overview, logmein.com allows you to remotely access your PC from any computer with an internet connection using a web browser. You install a local service on the PC that you are logging into which talks to the logmein server, thereby resolving your IP address even if you have a floating IP on a home internet connection like DSL.

This isn't anything new, and GoToMyPC.com seems to be the most heavily marketed player at this point. However, logmein.com offers a free option with limited functionality. Basically, you can login and use your PC but you can not transfer files or print locally.

You can register multiple PCs in your one website account, thereby simplifying your remote access needs.

Overall I have to say I am very impressed. Typically I have used Windows remote desktop to connect to my PC in conjunction with a VPN connection. Remote desktop is great but I hate dealing with the slow speed of the VPN, and the VPN drop outs.

With logmein, when I first login the screen resolution is sized to fit the browser and it maintains the remote PC's aspect ratio. This can be very handy for quick access to do something and then log back out. A complaint I have always had about remote desktop is that the screen will resize if you are logging in from a PC that uses smaller screen resolution than the remote PC. This can be a slow and sometimes messy process.

On the flip side, my beloved shortcut keys don't work through Logmein, while they do work with remote desktop. Honestly though, this is the main shortcoming that I have found so far. Overall, I'm a fan, and I think I will continue to be a user.