What is Reddit's opinion of
Remotely?
From 3.5 billion Reddit comments
12 reviews of this app found across Reddit:
The use case many people have for TeamViewer is that they can help non technical friends/relatives with their computer problems over the phone. The most important feature is for those non technical people to be able to allow remote control as easily as possible. i.e. just download and run an executable, tell me the code it displays and be done with it. It's unreasonable to have them set up a VNC server on their computer by themselves, including opening ports, telling you their IP address, making sure the VNC session is actually encrypted, and this is all ignoring some convenience features (file transfer, audio, multiple monitors, etc.) that solutions like TeamViewer have.
That said I'm planning to set up a Remotely instance one day which will hopefully prove good enough for my basic tech support needs to fully ditch TeamViewer.
A little more background on this:
When you download the instant support client, it adds your organization's relay code to the file name. This relay code can be found on the Organization tab, and it can be used by to query the web API to get branding info.
However, since these are "generic" versions that I've compiled in advance on my build server, they have no way of knowing what server it should contact to get the branding info.
For the scripts, I'm able to inject the server URL right when they're downloaded. I can get the server URL based on the download request, and replacing text in the file is easy. But I can't do that with an EXE. They would need to be recompiled.
I've thought about hosting this as a service, where I'd recompile clients on demand like TeamViewer does. But it would get costly. And I'd need both Windows and Mac servers. And it kind of defeats the purpose of self-hosting.
So if you're fine with using systemd and .NET on the host machine instead of Docker, you can follow this tutorial to have GitHub Actions build a customized server: https://remotely.one/Tutorials
Same issue I am getting. Trying to contact them from their website (https://remotely.one/Contact) and getting an error. Not sure how else to get ahold of someone as I haven’t been able to login for a few days now.
Hi, just do the same steps as you did while install remotely fort the first time. Exactly same steps. Include GitHub repo fork steps and command, you have to create new personal access token in github.
Database and configure file of Remotely stay untouched after installation :)
Readme on GitHub: https://github.com/lucent-sea/Remotely#installation-instructions
Video tutorial: https://remotely.one/tutorials
Hi, just do the same steps as you did while install remotely fort the first time. Exactly same steps. Include GitHub repo fork steps and command, you have to create new personal access token in github.
Database and configure file of Remotely stay untouched after installation :)
Readme on GitHub: https://github.com/lucent-sea/Remotely#installation-instructions
Video tutorial: https://remotely.one/tutorials
I would recommend Remotely (GitHub). However, keep in mind that the developer recently stepped down.
The ups and downs of the offered solutions based on OPs request.
MeshCentral is great, open source, and free...but does not (that I've seen) have a mechanism for the end user to allow or disallow you at any time beyond removing the agent.
Guacamole is the same as Mesh Central as far as I know. These are RMM (Remote Machine Management) tools, and not really remote support tools in the sense that Remote Support would be an end user giving you access each time they need help, and access ending when it's no longer needed.
SimpleDesk, Bomgar are Remote tools, closed source, commercial, and are excellent Remote Support where the end user can end your access, and access is over until they allow you next time. They can be setup for unattended access if desired. They have associated costs, and based on who you are, it can be pretty expensive.
Remotely.one is a great open source, self-hostable, tool, and runs on Windows and Linux, but currently has no MacOS option for client side control. It just needs a browser on the support admin side.
VNC - great tool, but IMO, a pain to get setup, and non super secure without a VPN to use for connection.
Zerotier, or Nebula, are overlay networks, where you could setup your client (friend and family) machines and then use VNC (still not a fan), Remote Desktop, NoMachine (peer to peer), but again, these very on how much control the end user has over your access to their systems at any given time.
So, your choice comes down to cost, and how much trust your end users have in you not to access their systems without their knowledge or consent.
Just my 2 cents, take it for what it's worth, which is only about a fourth of a penny these days.
As a few others have suggested:
- Guacamole if you're needing RDP/VNC/SSH access into a bunch of devices on the same network as the Guac server.
- Remotely for more of a TeamViewer-replacement. You can install the agent on devices anywhere and reach them from the Remotely interface.
I use both, for different things, and they're both awesome.
Agreed, the generic name has made it hard to find info and guides online. I tried searching on YouTube using the project website URL remotely.one and remotely_app and found a video but it's difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff with the name fitting the way many people are now working 'remotely' from home. I like the name, it's just a shame it makes searching online so difficult.
I am just now looking at Remotely.one per your suggestion. I do self hosted Jitsi and have found it to be rock solid for screen and window sharing between Windows and Linux. Jitsi lacks unattended connections but beats the heck out of TeamViewer. Best part about Jitsi is optional end to end encryption and the ability to share screens in both directions at the same time.