Go to My PC is really 'Remote Desktop' (free)

Wow. $19.95 a month... Wish I would have thought of that.

GTMPC is using an already installed feature in Windows called Remot Desktop. 'rdesktop' in Linux. It is super easy to set up on a home network and only a few extra steps for internet access.

Main benefit for me is that we have a desktop system that acts as the home server. Has 1000GB of storage (2 500GB SATA RAID 0) and we hold all pics and common files there. One real estate program that is updated daily had 7GB of pictures alone. Nice to not have to duplicate those massive databases on all PCs.

I'll cut and paste a few tutorials here. This one is for a network (Not internet)
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/mobility/getstarted/remoteintro.mspx
Get started using Remote Desktop with Windows XP Professional

Updated: July 25, 2006
Imagine that you recently started a small business and are trying to build your client base—salespeople out on the road every day, working on getting new business. You don't want your salespeople to be left without documents they need while meeting with important clients. You can empower your employees to have important data at their fingertips, at all times.

Remote Desktop, included with Windows XP Professional, enables you to connect to your computer across the Internet from virtually any computer, Pocket PC, or Smartphone. Once connected, Remote Desktop gives you mouse and keyboard control over your computer while showing you everything that's happening on the screen. With Remote Desktop, you can leave your computer at the office without losing access to your files, applications, and e-mail. Your sales force will be able to access the latest pricing sheet from on the road by using Remote Desktop in Windows XP Professional.
On This Page

<table style="margin-top: 7px; margin-bottom: 12px;" class="onThisPageContainer" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr valign="top"><td></td><td class="onThisPage">To use Remote Desktop</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td></td><td class="onThisPage">Connect your remote computer to the host computer</td></tr></tbody></table>To use Remote Desktop

With Remote Desktop, you can connect to your work computer from home and access all of your programs, files, and network resources as though you were actually sitting in front of your computer at work.

You need three things to create a remote location:
<table class="numberedList" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">1.
</td><td>Microsoft Windows XP Professional must be installed on the computer containing the files and programs that you want to access from a remote computer. The computer must also be part of a corporate network in which Remote Desktop connections are permitted. This computer is known as the host.
</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">2.
</td><td>The remote computer must be running Windows 95 or later. This computer must also have the Remote Desktop Connection client software installed. The remote computer is known as the client.
</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">3.
</td><td>Both computers must be connected to the Internet through a VPN connection.
Note: If you're not connecting to the host computer through a VPN, you'll need to use the actual IP address of the host computer instead of the computer name.
</td></tr></tbody></table>To set up the Remote Desktop, start with the host computer, which in this example is your work computer.
<table class="numberedList" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">1.
</td><td>Verify that you are signed in as the administrator.
</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">2.
</td><td>Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click Performance and Maintenance.


</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">3.
</td><td>Click System.


</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">4.
</td><td>Click the Remote tab, select the Allow users to connect remotely to this computer check box, and then click OK.


</td></tr></tbody></table>Next, make sure you have Windows Firewall set up to allow exceptions.
<table class="numberedList" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">1.
</td><td>In the Control Panel, click Security Center.


</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">2.
</td><td>Under Manage security settings for, click Windows Firewall.


</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">3.
</td><td>Make sure the Don't allow exceptions check box is not selected.


</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">4.
</td><td>Click the Exceptions tab, and verify that the Remote Desktop check box is selected.


</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">5.
</td><td>Click OK, and then close the Windows Security Center window.
Your host computer is now set up to allow remote access.

You will need the name of the host computer.
</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">6.
</td><td>In Control Panel, click Performance and Maintenance, click System, and then click the Computer Name tab.


</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">7.
</td><td>Write down the full computer name, and then click OK.
</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">8.
</td><td>Close Control Panel.
</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">9.
</td><td>Leave this computer running, locked, and connected to the corporate network with Internet access.
</td></tr></tbody></table>Top of page
Connect your remote computer to the host computer

To connect your home computer, which is the client (or remote) computer to your work (or host) computer, follow these steps:
<table class="numberedList" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">1.
</td><td>On your home computer, click Start, point to All Programs, and then point to Accessories.
</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">2.
</td><td>In the Accessories menu, point to Communications, and then click Remote Desktop Connection.
</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">3.
</td><td>In the Computer box, type the computer name of your host computer, which you wrote down earlier.


</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">4.
</td><td>Click Connect.
</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">5.
</td><td>When the Log On to Windows dialog box appears, type your user name, password, and domain (if required), and then click OK.



The Remote Desktop window opens, and you see the desktop settings, files, and programs that are on your host computer, which in this example is your work computer. Your host computer remains locked, and nobody can access it without a password. In addition, no one will be able to see the work you are doing remotely.
</td></tr></tbody></table>To end your Remote Desktop session:
<table class="numberedList" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">1.
</td><td>Click Start, and then click Log Off at the bottom of the Start menu.
</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">2.
</td><td>When prompted, click Log Off.


</td></tr></tbody></table>

 

Set Up Remote Desktop Web Connection with Windows XP

Published: July 28, 2003
By Tony Northrup, Windows XP Expert Zone Community Columnist
<table class="sideContainer" style="margin-left: 15px;" align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="165"><tbody><tr><td><table dir="ltr" class="containerHeader" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="165"><tbody><tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right"></td></tr></tbody></table>Related Links

<table style="margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: -2px;" class="relatedLinksContainer" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr valign="top"><td class="rlBullet">•</td><td class="relatedLink">Ask questions or discuss this topic in the Windows XP Expert Zone Newsgroups</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="rlBullet">•</td><td class="relatedLink">Windows XP Working Remotely Newsgroup</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="rlBullet">•</td><td class="relatedLink">Remote Desktop Web Connection Overview</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="rlBullet">•</td><td class="relatedLink">About Remote Desktop Web Connection</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="rlBullet">•</td><td class="relatedLink">Microsoft Update </td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="rlBullet">•</td><td class="relatedLink">How to Manually Open Ports in Internet Connection Firewall in Windows XP</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="rlBullet">•</td><td class="relatedLink">Expert Zone Column: Remote Desktop Web Connection</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="rlBullet">•</td><td class="relatedLink">Dynamic DNS Resources</td></tr></tbody></table>
<table dir="ltr" class="containerFooter" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="165"><tbody><tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right"></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>Editor's Note: Past articles by members of the online community are archived for your use. The information may become outdated as technology changes. For the most current information, please search the Web site or post a question in the newsgroups.
You don't have to carry a laptop to have your computer available wherever you go, because Windows XP Professional includes Remote Desktop. Remote Desktop gives you complete control over your computer from across a network and over the Internet. However, Remote Desktop requires software to be installed on the system you're connecting from. Unfortunately, it's often impossible to install the software on a system, such as when you're at an Internet café, a friend's house, or using a client's computer.
The solution is to use Remote Desktop Web Connection, which loads the Remote Desktop client within a browser. The Remote Desktop Web Connection is a perfect solution for connecting to your home or office PC when you can't install the Remote Desktop client software on a computer. By pointing a browser that supports ActiveX controls at a host computer running Windows XP Professional, you can access your remote desktop over the Internet.
Get Your Host Computer Ready

The Remote Desktop feature is only available in Windows XP Professional. It's not included with Windows XP Home Edition. For more information about how Remote Desktop Web Connection works, see About Remote Desktop Web Connection.
The first step in enabling Remote Desktop Web Connection is to install the necessary software on the host computer. Remote Desktop Web Connection is an optional World Wide Web Service component of Internet Information Services (IIS), which is included by default in Windows XP Professional. IIS responds to requests from a Web browser. Have your Windows XP Professional CD handy, and follow these steps:
<table class="numberedList" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">1.
</td><td>Open Control Panel click Add or Remove Programs, and then click Add/Remove Windows Components.
</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">2.
</td><td>Click Internet Information Services, and then click Details.
</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">3.
</td><td>In the Subcomponents of Internet Information Services list, click World Wide Web Service, and then click Details.
</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">4.
</td><td>In the Subcomponents of World Wide Web Service list, select the Remote Desktop Web Connection check box, and then click OK.
</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">5.
</td><td>In the Windows Components Wizard, click Next. Click Finish when the wizard has completed.
</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">6.
</td><td>Click the Start button and click Run. Type Net Stop w3svc, and click OK. This temporarily stops the World Wide Web service to keep your system safe while you update it with security patches.
</td></tr></tbody></table>Enabling IIS without installing the appropriate security patches can make your system vulnerable to intruders. For more information, read Microsoft Security Bulletin MS01-018 and Security and Privacy for Home Users.
To check for updates:
<table class="numberedList" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">1.
</td><td>Click Start, point to All Programs, click Microsoft Update, and then click Scan for updates. Follow the prompts to install all critical updates. If prompted, restart your computer.
</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">2.
</td><td>Click Start, and then click Run. Type Net Start w3svc, and click OK. This starts the World Wide Web service.
</td></tr></tbody></table>I highly recommend using Automatic Updates, especially after installing Internet Information Services.
Top of page
Configure Internet Information Services

By default, IIS is identified on your computer by the TCP port number 80. The steps in this section change the TCP port number and make it much more difficult for a potential attacker to communicate with your computer. The steps in this section are optional, but if you do follow them, you'll dramatically improve the security of your system. If you are already using your computer as a Web server, you should leave the TCP port number at the default setting of 80.
<table class="numberedList" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">1.
</td><td>Open Control Panel, click Performance and Maintenance, and then click Administrative Tools. Double-click Internet Information Services.
</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">2.
</td><td>In the ISS snap-in, expand your computer name, expand Web Sites, right-click Default Web Site, and then click Properties.
</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">3.
</td><td>On the Web Site tab, change the value for TCP Port. Enter a number between 1000 and 65535 that you can remember easily, such as the month and day of a birthday or anniversary. You'll need to know the TCP Port when you connect to the computer in the future.
</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">4.
</td><td>Click OK, and close the Internet Information Services snap-in.
</td></tr></tbody></table>Top of page
Configure Remote Desktop

To connect using Remote Desktop, you must have a user account with a password. If you don't yet have a password on your account, create a password by opening Control Panel, and clicking User Accounts. Click your account, click Create a password, and follow the prompts. After you have a password, follow these steps to enable Remote Desktop:
<table class="numberedList" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">1.
</td><td>Right-click My Computer, and click Properties.
</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">2.
</td><td>On the Remote tab, click the Allow users to connect remotely to this computer check box, as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Enabling remote desktop

</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">3.
</td><td>Click Select Remote Users, and then click Add.
</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">4.
</td><td>In the Select Users dialog box, type the name of the user and then click OK. Click OK again to return to the System Properties dialog box, and then click OK to close it.
</td></tr></tbody></table>Top of page
Configure Your Router

If you use a router to connect to the Internet, you probably need to configure it to allow the Remote Desktop connection to your computer. For more information on routers and firewalls, see my Internet Firewalls column. You need to forward two ports to your Windows XP Professional-based computer: TCP port 3389, which Remote Desktop requires, and the port you specified in the TCP Port field in Internet Information Services (or TCP port 80 if you did not change the default). If you use Internet Connection Firewall (and you should!), see How to Manually Open Ports in Internet Connection Firewall in Windows XP for instructions on allowing traffic by TCP port.
Top of page
Connect to Your Desktop

Computers are identified on the Internet using a unique IP address. To connect to your home computer from the Internet, you'll need to know your home IP address. Visit one of these sites from your home computer to learn your IP address: What Is My IP, What Is My IP.com, or Atlantic PC Solutions. Your IP address may change occasionally, so always check your IP address before you plan to connect. When you're ready to connect to your host computer, follow these steps:
<table class="numberedList" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">1.
</td><td>Open Internet Explorer, and enter the URL http://[I]ipaddress:port[/I]/tsweb/. For example, if your IP address is 192.168.1.120, and you chose the TCP Port 1374, you would enter the URL http://192.168.1.120:1374/tsweb/.
</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">2.
</td><td>If you're prompted to install the Remote Desktop ActiveX control, click Yes.
</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">3.
</td><td>On the Remote Desktop Web Connection page, shown in Figure 2, click Connect. You don't need to fill in the Server field. If you leave the Size field set to Full-screen, the remote desktop will take over your local desktop.

Figure 2: Remote Desktop Web Connection page

</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="listNumber" align="right" nowrap="nowrap">4.
</td><td>Enter your user name and password at the Windows logon prompt, as shown in Figure 3, and then click OK. You'll see your desktop, complete with any windows that were left open the last time you used the computer.

Figure 3: The Remote Desktop Web Connection logon screen

</td></tr></tbody></table>When you're done, disconnect by closing the browser, or clicking the X at the top of the screen in full-screen mode. Be sure to close all browser windows. Your user name and password aren't stored, so you don't have to worry about someone else accessing your system.
If you're Internet-savvy and plan to connect to your home computer regularly, you can get a domain name to save yourself the trouble of writing down your IP address every time you plan to connect to your computer. You're already familiar with domain names; they're the ".com" names Web sites use to identify themselves. For example, the domain name for this Web site is Microsoft.com. If you have your own domain name, you can enter that into a browser to connect to your home computer, instead of the unfriendly IP address. For information on getting your own domain name and associating it with your home computer, visit the Dynamic DNS Providers List.
If you have Windows XP Professional and an always-on Internet connection, you can securely access your applications and data from work, an Internet café, or any place that has a compatible Web browser. Getting Remote Desktop Web Connection set up takes more than one click, but it's definitely easier than lugging your computer everywhere.

 

were you having troubles accessing it at home over via the internet?

I suppose that's why the pay services have blossomed... It's fool proof as they configure it for you. I'm using it between my 3 home systems with no troubles though I haven't tried it over the internet yet.

 

Actually. My point here was that G2MPC is really just a snappy version of 'Remote Desktop" which is included in Windows already. No need to pay for anything or use any 3rd party stuff.

 

OK. Even better.
This via PM from an old friend