Which LMI product(s) do I need?

indy-pc

indy-pc

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With the news that LMI free is going away, I'm trying to figure out which products I would need to pay for in order to accomplish what I need as well as look a little ahead to what my plans are later on.

Current
I am a one-man mobile tech that offers pickup/delivery or on-site service. Right now, I only have the LMI free. When I log into my account on the website, I have a list of 7 systems. I have a 9-5 job and one of the systems on the list is my PC that I keep all of my financials and business documents on, so I absolutely need to have remote access to this system. I have 1 system that belongs to a small business that I provide bi-monthly service for remotely. Another system is an older residential client who calls me fairly frequently for this question or that and I like to remote in rather than drive over. If it takes more than a few minutes, I may or may not bill her for my time. The other systems are all family that I help out from time to time when I'm not busy, but that's pretty rare.

In order to install LMI, I use a modified MSI file (Lalo from Podnutz video) to automate the install as well as link it to my account when I log into the LMI website. I leave this file on a flash drive and run it on any system I want to add to my list. I will occasionally do this to a system sitting on my bench so I can work on it from my 9-5 during lunch or down-time. If I do that, I always uninstall LMI before I give the system back to my client.

Based on this information, what LMI product do I need?

Near-future
I am looking at the possibility of offering remote services as a monthly fee for existing clients. The details of this aren't important as far as this thread is concerned, but the important thing is that I would like to be able to install LMI on a client's system remotely so that I don't have to drive over to run the .msi from my flash drive. The file is too big to send as an email attachment and I haven't been able to upload it to my website and execute it for some reason.

Is there an easier way to setup my LMI info on another system remotely?

Concerns
I really just don't quite know how the other LMI products work. I tried to call their sales line, but I don't have time to sit on hold during their "extended wait times" due to everyone else freaking out about the loss of LMI free. Here's what I think I understand and where my worries are along with that.
  • As a one-man shop, I only need to have one remote session going at a time. Upgrading to LMI Pro with the 2 licences seems like it would be half wasted, but I can deal with that.
  • I'm worried that upgrading to the LMI Pro 2 would mean that I would only have 2 computers listed and I would need a bigger package to add more systems to my list.
  • I've heard that people will often get Pro and Central together. It sounds like having Central allows you to have up to 100 computers listed (smallest package) and you can move your Pro licenses around to work on systems at the time. Is that the case or would I need a Pro license for each system on my Central list?
  • I seem to remember a product called LMI Ignition. I don't remember what was different about it, but I can't seem to find it on their website. Does it still exist and, if it does, how does that work?

Thanks in advance for your responses.
 
My setup is pretty much the same as yours. Mobile, LMI Free, Connect.exe Lalo style. I tend to just DropBox the LMI exe and email the link.

Are you dead set on going with LogMeIn, I looked at pricing and it's way too expensive for what I need. Currently I'm evaluating TechInLine which is only $30 a month.
 
I'm not dead set on anything, but as I only have a week to decide what I want to do, I figured that I would start with the vendor that I've been using for the past 2+ years. I don't have a lot of time to research other options right now. If I can spend $50 for a year of LMI Pro and that is all I need for now, then I'm ok with doing that and then looking into something else along the way. If I need to drop $300 for LMI Central + $50 for LMI Pro, I may need to look elsewhere, but I want to know my options first.
 
What about ScreenConnect? You are one man. So you could use a single session license. $325 one shot deal. Updates for a year, and after that if you still want updates it is a reduced price.

You can host it yourself. Completely rebrand it. Have as many unattended sessions as needed. With the correct google chrome extension. It is a single click for users initiate connection. You can email a code, or clients can pick from a list of available remote sessions.

I personally love it. If you are not "married" to LMI. Give the trial a shot. Free for 30 days and it got me hooked after using it almost instantly. I once had a LMI Rescue license when I did more business. It usually took a couple months to see a ROI because of how pricey it was. With ScreenConnect. I have made a ROI in three days.

As far as I know LMI Ignition was a $29.99 app for tablet or phone that allowed you to connect to you LMI Free computers. It is still offered, but at a reduced rate given you need LMI Pro to use it if I understand correctly.
 
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You can host the entire program yourself. You can host it on your website or host it from your shop even. It is a pretty simple process. Bascially your clients could use the URL remote.indy-pc.com or whatever you URL is.
http://help.screenconnect.com/GettingStartedGuide.ashx

Edit: Sorry I was a bit misleading. You can host it on a VPS if you have one for you webhosting. An always on Windows desktop at your shop, a linux server at your shop.
The if you do it from your shop it is best to have a static IP from your ISP. You can use a dynamic IP, you just need to use dydns or similar.
 
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I just took a quick glace, so maybe I'm seeing it wrong, but it looks like for SC you need someone on both ends of the connection for a remote session. Is that true? That wouldn't be so bad for a remote repair where the client is sitting at their keyboard. But, I need the ability to start a remote connection without someone being on the other end to join it. Can that be done somehow with SC?
 
indy-pc said:
I just took a quick glace, so maybe I'm seeing it wrong, but it looks like for SC you need someone on both ends of the connection for a remote session. Is that true? That wouldn't be so bad for a remote repair where the client is sitting at their keyboard. But, I need the ability to start a remote connection without someone being on the other end to join it. Can that be done somehow with SC?
Click to expand...

Yes, just like TV or LMI. You need to install the unattended access program on the client then it shows up in a list always ready for you to connect.
 
Yes this can be done. They are called access connections. Basically an exe or msi file you install on the clients PC and they can be accessed at any time. No limitation of how many you can have installed as ScreenConnect is sold on a concurrent connection basis. This means for $325 you can connect to one computer at a time.
 
I'm working on trying out ScreenConnect to see if it will accomplish what I need. I've installed it and I have all of the admin panel status items green now. My first question is how can I access the admin panel from an off-site device?

I need to be able to remotely access my system while I am at my 9-5. I've installed the generated .msi on my system so that I can have unattended access, but how do I get to the panel so that I can connect to it?
 
If you installed it on your always on Windows PC. You need to forward the port 8040 on your router to.

Then if you have a dynamic ip issued by your ISP. http://help.screenconnect.com/HOWTO-0002.ashx

If you have a static IP log in to you webhosting account. Create a subdomain, something like remote.indy-pc.com point that to yourexternalip:8040

Once one of those is working. Access your admin panel on the machine you want unattended from remote.indy-pc.com or your DDNS name you chose. Then download and install the unattended installer. Install it. Once installed check you connections from the admin panel on a different pc. You shoukd be able to pop in to the session.

If you are having issues. You can always call or email. They are pretty quick to get back with emails.
http://www.screenconnect.com/Contact

Also they have an extensive knowledgebase. Pretty much anything you can think of is in there if you search.
http://help.screenconnect.com

I am glad to help you, but there may be chunks of time when I am not on here. I may miss a post for a few hhours. If need be I have a demo install setup and you can try that one. Just PM me for URL and credentials.
 
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I finally was able to get SC up and running. The problem was that my 9-5 employer has port 8040 locked out and I didn't realize it. I talked to SC tech support and we were able to get it sorted out by setting the ports to 80 and 443 instead of 8040 and 8041.

So far, I'm pretty impressed with SC. I'm working on getting it customized and branded. If I can get it the way I want it, I think I may have found me new remote software. And, it's not a monthly/yearly subscription, either!
 
indy-pc said:
I finally was able to get SC up and running. The problem was that my 9-5 employer has port 8040 locked out and I didn't realize it. I talked to SC tech support and we were able to get it sorted out by setting the ports to 80 and 443 instead of 8040 and 8041.

So far, I'm pretty impressed with SC. I'm working on getting it customized and branded. If I can get it the way I want it, I think I may have found me new remote software. And, it's not a monthly/yearly subscription, either!
Click to expand...

I am glad! I was extremely impressed with it. I told you they are glad to help in anyway they can. I love that they have a direct number to call.

For customizing look here
Basic Stuff
http://help.screenconnect.com/INFO-0022.ashx
Client Application
http://help.screenconnect.com/INFO-0018.ashx
 
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