Techinline Official Blog

Tips & Tricks: Using Techinline’s Yellow Information Panel to Restart as a System Service

Serge Soroka — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 10:54:10 +0000

We’ve received several recent cases with Techinline users questioning why they’re unable to control certain applications on the Client’s computer or view UAC (User Account Control) dialog prompts that appear on the remote computer during the session. Apparently this behavior seems to cause some confusion and may appear to some as a product limitation that cannot be lifted. We would like to take the time to further describe situations that may result in the limitations mentioned above, as well as explain Techinline’s Restart as a Service feature which may be used to obtain elevated privileges during the remote session.

First of all, it should be mentioned that Techinline always attempts to start the Client application with admin rights so that the Expert does not face any restrictions during the remote session and will be able to fully view and control the Client’s computer. In some cases, the remote user may start the application without admin rights, which will result in certain limitations described below. In such cases, a yellow information panel will be displayed on the Expert’s interface containing the option to Restart as a Service.

The yellow information panel will contain one of two icons and messages depending on the conditions described below, and will require the following actions to complete the Restart as a Service operation:

UAC Yellow Information Panel (Crossed-out UAC icon):

This panel is displayed to the Expert in the following situations: Client Operating System version is Vista or later, UAC setting is enabled, and one of the following 2 conditions is true:
Condition 1. Client is not an administrator.
Condition 2. Client is an administrator but selected “No” on the UAC dialog upon starting the Techinline application.

Limitations during the Techinline Remote Control/View operations in the support session:

Expert is unable to view or control UAC dialogs that appear on the Client’s computer.
Expert is unable to control applications that are running with elevated (administrator) privileges on the Client’s computer.
Expert is unable to perform operations on the Client’s computer that require elevated (administrator) privileges.
Expert cannot logon as another Windows user.
Expert is unable to Reboot the Client’s computer into Safe Mode.

How to resolve:
Use the Restart the Client as Windows system service link located on the yellow information panel to restart the Client application as a service. Depending on the Condition outlined above, do one of the following:
Condition 1.
a) Provide the administrator credentials for the remote computer OR transfer the administrator login prompt to the Client.
b) Instruct the Client to click “Yes” on the ensuing UAC dialog.
Condition 2.
Instruct the Client to click “Yes” on the ensuing UAC dialog.

Admin Yellow Information Panel (green shield with key):

This panel is displayed in one of the following two situations:
1. Client Operating system version is Vista or later and UAC setting on the Client’s computer is disabled.
2. Client Operating System does not have the User Account Control setting (Windows XP, Windows 2003, and other earlier Windows OS versions) and the Client is not an administrator.

Limitations during the Techinline Remote Control/View operations in the support session:

Expert cannot logon as another Windows user
Expert is unable to Reboot the Client’s computer into Safe Mode
Expert may not be able to perform certain operations on the Client’s computer that require administrator privileges

How to resolve:
Use the Restart the Client as Windows system service link located on the yellow information panel to restart the Client application as a service and do the following:
Provide the administrator credentials for the remote computer OR transfer the administrator login prompt to the Client.

We hope that the above table will help users understand why they may encounter certain limitations during the session and effectively use our Restart as a Service feature to take full control of the Client’s computer. However, please do not hesitate to contact our Support team with any feedback or for any additional information.

Analyzing the 6 Most Important Features in a Remote Desktop Application (Part 6): Support of the User Account Control on Latest Windows Operating Systems

Serge Soroka — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 17:12:36 +0000

This feature is absolutely essential in the “post-Windows XP” era. Almost any operation on a Windows 8, Windows 7, and Vista machine requires administrator privileges and User Account Control permissions, and the technician would be absolutely stuck without being able to view and control the remote client’s User Account Control dialogs. Without the tech’s ability to control these dialogs remotely, the client would otherwise be required to sit in front of their computer during a support session and manually grant permission to each operation that triggers a User Account Control prompt. This would not only be inconvenient for users on both ends of the remote session, but also significantly delay the support assignment and its resolution.

Although this analysis is by no means an exhaustive summary of features that one would like to see in a remote support application, getting by without the described 6 features will certainly prove tough, if not impossible, for an IT pro looking to deliver an effective level of technical support to their clients.

See previous post (Part 5): Session Usage Reports

Analyzing the 6 Most Important Features in a Remote Desktop Application (Part 5): Session Usage Reports

Serge Soroka — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 12:58:48 +0000

The main purpose and value of a reporting tool is evident – the technician is able to create, organize, and manage a summary of the total time spent supporting clients and tasks that were performed during each individual session. They’re able to search the report by session title or client’s name, and sort the report based on a date range or client’s IP address. This information may then be used for billing purposes to charge clients for the provided services. The tech is able to maintain notes for each individual session or client and refer to their logs at a later point to determine whether any other actions may be required on the client’s computer.

See continuation of post (Part 6): Support of the User Account Control on Latest Windows Operating Systems

See previous post (Part 4): Log Off/ Log On or Switch Remote User

Analyzing the 6 Most Important Features in a Remote Desktop Application (Part 4): Log Off/ Log On or Switch Remote User

Serge Soroka — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 16:33:28 +0000

The ability to Log On as a different user on a remote computer is very handy for support situations that require a technician to work on machines with multiple Windows User accounts. Such a scenario can be encountered on shared computers within a corporate environment where multiple users are able to work only under their individual Windows account. The tech is able to install software or updates for each individual (current) user by taking advantage of the Log Off/Log On feature to maintain a running remote session. Otherwise, they would be required to start a new session under each Windows user, which would significantly delay and complicate the job at hand.

This feature may also prove to be useful if the tech needs to perform numerous operations that require admin rights, which is often required during a support assignment. The tech is able to initially connect to a limited user account and then switch to the administrator account afterwards in order to seamlessly perform administrative tasks, such as installing software or changing settings that affect other users.

It should also be noted that a Log Off operation terminates all currently running processes, which may also be useful during a tech support assignment when the computer is infected or functioning poorly.

See continuation of post (Part 5): Session Usage Reports

See previous post (Part 3): Unattended Access to a Remote Computer

Analyzing the 6 Most Important Features in a Remote Desktop Application (Part 3): Unattended Access to a Remote Computer

Serge Soroka — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 15:17:23 +0000

A technician will very often be called upon to connect to a Client’s computer without anyone being physically present at the remote end. This may be required if the client’s computer is only available during non-business hours, or if the technician has a contract to perform periodic maintenance checks on clients’ machines. This increased convenience and flexibility is made possible by an unattended access function. This functionality may also come in handy if the technician has to support specific clients on a regular basis. Rather than having to constantly disrupt the client to grant control of their computer and repeatedly walk them through the connection process, the tech is able to configure a “permanent” unattended connection to the client’s computer. This provides them with “single-click” access to the client’s computer at any time of the day and helps streamline the entire support process. This connection approach also ensures that the tech is able to provide remote assistance at any time they choose and not worry about the client being present at the remote end.

See continuation of post (Part 4): Log Off/Log On or Switch Remote User

See previous post (Part 2): Remote Reboot & Auto-Reconnect

Analyzing the 6 Most Important Features in a Remote Desktop Application (Part 2): Remote Reboot & Auto Reconnect (Including Safe-Mode)

Serge Soroka — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 11:44:21 +0000

Ask any IT pro about the importance of rebooting a remote computer and you’ll most certainly hear that this is an absolutely essential task. The primary purpose of a reboot is to bring the computer to a relatively clean state; caches get cleared, memory gets flushed, and you are given the opportunity to start anew. This “clean-sheet” is often required if a computer’s performance is shaky or requiring repair, which makes the auto-reboot function an absolute must-have during a technical support session.

Furthermore, technicians often install software patches and updates that usually require a reboot afterwards. Without a remote reboot feature, such tasks would otherwise require a termination of the support session and a new session to be started following each reboot.

In many instances, a computer may be seriously infected to a point where it can function only in safe-mode. This starting point for the technician can be easily reached by rebooting the remote computer into safe-mode and running anti-virus software to cure infected files.

See continuation of post (Part 3): Unattended Access to a Remote Computer

See previous post (Part 1): File & Clipboard Transfer

Analyzing the 6 Most Important Features in a Remote Desktop Application (Part 1): File & Clipboard Transfer

Serge Soroka — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 12:15:49 +0000

In our ongoing development efforts to expand Techinline’s feature-set and functionality, we’ve been inspired to discuss the 6 most essential features that any remote desktop application should deliver. This analysis is first and foremost based on feedback and suggestions made by Techinline’s users over the years, and therefore should reflect a standard IT professional’s own “must-have” list for choosing a remote desktop application.

File & Clipboard Transfer

This is an absolute must-have, as a technician often needs to install applications or replace a corrupted or outdated configuration file on the remote client’s computer. A clipboard sharing feature is essential for tasks such as copying scripts or commands to the remote computer or an error message from the client’s computer.

In the absence of file/clipboard sharing capability, the tech would have to rely on 3^rd party tools or email communication, which can significantly disrupt or delay the support session and incident resolution. Having built-in file and clipboard sharing capability is critical for being able to deliver an effective level of technical support to a remote client.

See continuation of post (Part 2): Remote Reboot & Auto Reconnect (Including Safe-Mode)

Techinline Service Disrupted by Major GoDaddy Outage

Serge Soroka — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 10:32:17 +0000

Update on September 12th: Following investigation, GoDaddy has officially stated that the service outage was caused by a series of internal network events that corrupted router data tables. It was earlier believed that this disruption was caused by a Denial of Service attack (DDoS).

As you may already know, a significant share of Techinline users on both the Client’s and Expert’s ends were unable to start the Techinline application or access our homepage for a span of several hours yesterday afternoon. This down-time was caused by a massive DDoS attack on Techinline’s domain registrar, GoDaddy.

GoDaddy, one of world’s the largest domain registrars and hosting providers, was hit by an apparent DDoS attack from Anonymous, which resulted in millions of websites including Techinline being taken down. The attack effected GoDaddy’s DNS (Domain Name System) servers, which direct browsers to the correct IP address after a domain name is requested. Since Techinline uses GoDaddy’s DNS, this outage effected a number of our customers who were unable to access the Techinline service or homepage for an extended period of time.

The technical reason for the failure was caused by the inaccessibility of GoDaddy’s DNS servers — specifically CNS1.SECURESERVER.NET, CNS2.SECURESERVER.NET, and CNS3.SECURESERVER.NET which were failing to resolve.

According to GoDaddy, the outage started at around 1:30 PM (EST) and services for the bulk of effected users were restored only by 5:30 PM (EST).

Based on our statistics and estimates, roughly 20% of Techinline users were effected by this outage. We understand the negative implications of this unexpected disruption and have already developed a backup strategy which will help us effectively address similar issues in the future. Specifically, we’ve implemented a reserve (backup) domain which will be used whenever the operation of our primary DNS is disrupted in any way. This will ensure that the problem experienced yesterday does not repeat in the future.

We apologize for any inconvenience caused, and thank you for your understanding and valued business with Techinline. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any feedback or suggestions that you may have regarding yesterday’s outage, or any other matter.

Advantages of Cloud Over In-House Remote Desktop Products

Serge Soroka — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 10:45:12 +0000

When choosing a remote control software package for your business, the following important decision must be made: should you use in-house, self-hosted remote desktop tools, or should you resort to a SaaS tool. SaaS is an acronym that stands for “Software as a Service,” and is used to describe browser-based or “cloud computing” tools. In general, SaaS and browser or cloud based tools have several distinct advantages over hosting your remote support services in-house.

What is Cloud-based software?
In order to understand the advantages of cloud computing, you should first know a little about this type of software. Cloud computing is a term broadly used to describe a data network that allows users to access data and other services remotely from a variety of locations. Remote control is just one type of cloud computing software that can be implemented in a business environment.

What is remote control software?
Remote control software is a technology that allows business owners, employers, employees, and other stakeholders to securely access company data or computers remotely from almost any location. Remote support services–of which there are a variety–can help lower business costs by reducing travel and operating costs, as well as provide security in the case of an emergency. The software allows employees such as IT help desk technicians assist clients all over the world in real time without ever having to leave their desks.

Cloud vs In-House Remote Desktop Tools

Most SaaS remote desktop applications can be purchased on a subscription basis and are very easy to operate due to their browser-based connection process. Such tools can meet the needs of small companies, as well large corporations.

Some examples of self-hosted remote desktop products are Ultra VNC, Radmin, and Bomgar. These tools require far more configuration and IT knowledge. Furthermore, they tend to be much more expensive and cater mainly to the budgets of larger companies.

Why is SaaS the best option for remote control technology?
Software as a Service-based tools have many advantages over in-house remote support services. In general, SaaS is easier to set up, use, and pay for than self-hosted remote control software. Here are some specific examples of the advantages presented by SaaS tools over in-house remote desktop software:

In general, SaaS tools are much more intuitive and require less IT knowledge to operate and configure.
SaaS remote desktop products can be purchased on a subscription basis, instead of the much more substantial “lifetime” cost of hosting your own software in-house. This means lower costs up front for your company to start using remote control software. It also means that should you for any reason decide you no longer wish to use this remote desktop software, you can simply choose not to renew your subscription, instead of simply being out the full cost of an “in-house hosted” software. Furthermore, in-house remote desktop software may also require additional and recurring maintenance and hosting costs.
With SaaS browser based technology, you also receive product support directly from the remote desktop vendor. Such 3^rd party support is often unavailable on products that are hosted in-house.
Cloud-based computing is secure– it protects client information without all of the liability being held on the company. While you may initially think that having physical servers inside of your office might be the safest route for remote connectivity, this is not necessarily true. Remote control software is protected by multiple layers of encryption similar to that of online banking transactions, so cloud-based computing is, in fact, very secure and reliable. Also, all you need to access the cloud is the internet– which means that virtually any device that has an internet connection can be used to initiate a remote connection. If you incur a power outage at your company or experience an unexpected server interruption, your self-hosted remote control access would inevitably go down as well, which could be very costly for the company’s business operations and bottom-line.
Because SaaS services are browser-based, computers and data can be accessed and used at the speed of the connection being used. This ease of operation also includes any updates or additions to the program that may need to be made further down the line. Another advantage that comes from the browser-based nature of cloud computing is flexibility. Your remote computers are accessible from essentially any device that can access the internet.

In the end, it is up to you to decide which option best reflects your company’s requirements and environment. However as you can see, there are many distinct advantages to choosing SaaS technology over self-hosted applications for your remote support services.

Use Techinline’s Desktop App to Bypass Plug-in Installation

Daria Ermakova — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 16:12:33 +0000

The feedback that we periodically receive suggests that Clients often find it cumbersome and confusing to follow instructions for installing a browser plug-in to start a Techinline session. In such situations, we recommend using Techinline’s Client Desktop Application as an easy way to bypass the plug-in installation and obtain a Client ID.

Clearly, if one is in the business of providing tech support, chances are that they often don’t have the most computer-advanced user at the other end, and even straightforward instructions such as clicking on a yellow bar or a large “Install” button at the bottom of the browser page may prove to be a nightmare or nearly unbearable task. It should be noted that Techinline follows standard procedures for its plug-in installation put forth by each browser (Chrome, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox) itself, and therefore loading a Techinline plug-in is no different than any other web-based application such as Adobe Flash Player. We have made an effort to simplify things as much as possible for Clients by posting visual step-by-step plug-in installation instructions on our Support Request Page (fixme.it) for every supported browser type and version. However, some still tend to get confused by this seemingly straightforward process.

Those who are still unaware will be delighted to learn that Techinline actually offers an alternative, non-browser based method of starting a Techinline session which should prove to be an ideal workaround for dealing with such clients and getting them to the Client ID.

Method 1 (Use the link)

First of all, you can simply direct the Client to the following URL to run the Client Desktop Application: http://c.fixme.it

You can email this link or paste it on your own website and direct Clients to the Desktop Application as soon as they encounter difficulty in completing the plug-in installation.

Method 2 (Use the Large, Green Button)

We have also recently added a large, green “Run Desktop Application” button to the Support Request Page which is displayed to the Client along with our plug-in installation instructions. The Client may use this button to avoid the plug-in installation and run the Desktop Application instead. If your Client is stuck at the plug-in installation page, simply tell them to look for and click on a “large green button” to run Techinline.

Other Advantages of the Desktop Application

Another clear advantage of using the Desktop Application is that the remote session is conducted independently of any browser. This implies that you are able to close or restart all browsers on the remote computer while maintaining an active Techinline session. Therefore, this connection method may also be called upon if the support session will involve working with the Client’s browser or installing certain web applications that may require a browser restart. The Desktop Application will ensure that the session is not disrupted in such situations.

The Client may also resort to the Desktop Application if they are unable to open or use a web browser, or if the choice of available browsers on their machine is limited.

Expert Desktop Application

Techinline also offers an Expert Desktop Application which can be used as an alternative to the browser-based connection method on the Expert’s end: http://e.fixme.it

We hope that this post proves to be useful in addressing situations where a Client is unable to use our “primary” web-based connection method for any reason whatsoever.