TeamViewer 9 Review – How to Have a Long-Distance Relationship with Your PC

excellent
key review info
application features
  • PC remote control
  • (8 more, see all...)

Remote access is one of the most efficient ways of getting ahold of important files from a computer from work when you're are at home, instead of going through the trouble of making a long trip to the office or asking a colleague to turn on the PC.

Such tools bring additional perks to the table, like the ability to teach someone how to use a PC by taking over command from another machine that doesn't necessarily exist in the local network, as well as to organize meetings and presentations between multiple hosts.

Long story short, TeamViewer can make all of this happen. It's hard to believe there would be long-term PC users who have not already heard of this software utility, regardless of whether they have actually tinkered with it or not. What sets it apart from other similar apps is its straightforwardness to connect two computers and give command to the users right afterward, while reserving advanced customization settings for experts.

Understanding and setting up TeamViewer

In order to work with this program, it is necessary to install it on the machines to get access to and from. Therefore, the installation procedure requires some configuration. It consists of two parts: the server (accessed by the client) and the client side (accesses the server). It is possible to opt for a basic installer to set up all components, run setup only for accessing the current computer remotely (unattended), or skip the entire setup stage and directly run TeamViewer just once (does not allow unattended access setup).

Allow remote control or operate another PC remotely

As far as the interface goes, the application tries to keep it as simple and concise as possible. There are two main areas: for permitting remote control to the current workstation and for remotely controlling another machine. Each PC with TeamViewer gets a unique ID and password that are randomly generated by the app.

To facilitate a link between the two machines, the client must obtain and insert the ID and password of the host. Permissions can be restricted. For instance, instead of granting full access to a client PC, users may only let them view and display commands, ask for confirmation for each action, or apply custom settings. An important aspect worth mentioning is that the custom settings must be configured prior to selecting this module (they cannot be changed during a session).

They can be set to allow or deny users or ask for confirmation when it comes to connecting to the server and viewing the screen, controlling the PC, transferring files, establishing a VPN connection, locking the local keyboard and mouse, operating the local TeamViewer, printing on the remote printer, as well as reversing the client and host roles.

Set up a server PC for unattended access

Creating a connection from a server workstation for unattended access (without additional assistance from other people at the end of the line) is a bit different from the previously described steps. Apart from specifying the name and password for the local computer, it is possible to add the machine to a list of contacts to find out when it's turned on and thus quickly start a session. However, this step requires a TeamViewer account. At the end of the wizard, the utility shows the unique ID of the local host, which will be used by other workstations (along with the previously set password) to remotely connect to it.

Freely navigate a remote PC, execute commands, and configure settings

Once connected, TeamViewer shows the other computer in a large window that resembles a virtualization tool, allowing users to navigate it and perform actions while having complete control over their own workstation. Several options and configuration parameters are accessible in the upper part of the screen. As previously mentioned, it is possible to swap the client and server computers. Users may also send the Ctrl+Alt+Del command, lock, log off, or reboot the computer (finalizes the TeamViewer session unless Wake-on-LAN is activated), send the keyboard shortcuts to the remote PC instead of the local one, disable remote input, and show a black screen.

As far as the viewing mode is concerned, users may optimize speed and quality or customize settings pertaining to the colors, quality, fast video streaming, GUI animations, and application compatibility. The server PC's window can be switched to full screen mode, while another monitor can become active (if there are multiple monitors plugged in). In addition, it is possible to remove the wallpaper and show the mouse cursor, enable or disable computer sounds, as well as chat with the other person via a built-in instant messenger and establish a video or phone connection. File transfers can be made in two modes: dropping files in a box or transferring data while viewing the local and remote PC.

Extra functions and simple file transfers

Additional tools are available. It is possible to invite another person to join a meeting via email (requires a TeamViewer account), remotely print files (requires the TeamViewer print driver), take screenshots of the full screen and copy them to the Clipboard or save them to file, record a video session and save it to file, establish a VPN connection, as well as update TeamViewer on the remote machine. Connection details can be examined to find out the session time, traffic, display properties, and so on.

Instead of opting for remote control, users may select the file transfer option if they are planning to just view, copy, move, edit, and delete files from a remote computer without performing any other actions (file transfer full access or with confirmation request). The software utility pops up a simple window that resembles a basic file manager, where the drives and directories of the local and remote PC can be seamlessly explored, and files can be moved via drag-and-drop support.

Host and join meetings with multiple participants

When it comes to meetings and presentations that involve more parties, users may resort to another separate function of TeamViewer, which is different than remote control. It is possible to either start an instant meeting or join an existing one by specifying its ID and the local PC's name. The host PC's desktop acts like a whiteboard, but the participants also have some permissions enabled, like the possibility to indicate important items to draw attention.

A list with the name of people who have joined is displayed. The participants can only send messages and files to each other, establish audio and video connections, and handle whiteboard tools, while the host may also edit names and manage permissions in regard to the audio, video, chat, and file sharing actions. The whiteboard has only basic functions: control mode, pen, highlighter, eraser, rectangle and ellipse drawings, text insertion, and speech balloons.

In order to schedule a meeting, invite participants, and create a list of contacts, it is necessary to log in with a TeamViewer account.

Other configuration settings for TeamViewer

It is possible to change the display name and remove TeamViewer's entry from the Windows autostart sequence, use a proxy, activate Wake-on-LAN to be able to turn on a remote computer without assistance, always accept incoming LAN connections without confirmation, assign the local PC to a TeamViewer account to remotely monitor and manage it, modify the personal password for unattended access and pick the key strength for one-time access (random), allow Windows logon, as well as create a whitelist or blacklist with IDs and partners.

Remote control sessions and meetings can be automatically recorded, and the speaker device and volume level for the voice and microphone can be tweaked, while the custom invitations to send to other participants via email can be personalized. It is also possible to enable logs to check them later for any errors or important events. These are just part of the customization settings provided by this software application.


The Good

The tool worked smoothly when establishing a remote connection between a PC with Windows 7 Professional and another with Windows 8.1 Pro during our tests. It also works for older OS editions, including Windows XP, 32- and 64-bit architecture types. There is also a special edition made for Windows 8, which adopts the flat look.

It supports keyboard shortcuts to send to the remote PC, along with multiple languages, monitors, and platforms (Android, iOS, Linux, OS X, Windows, Windows Phone, Windows RT). A portable edition is available separately.

The app is simple enough to be handled by beginners and it also contains advanced settings for those more experienced. Notable features include support for VPN, Wake-on-LAN, Windows logon, voice and video calls, chat messages, meetings with a whiteboard, remote control restrictions, email invitations, and logging. By signing up with a TeamViewer account for free, users may unlock additional features, like the ability to add a remote PC to a contacts list for quick access.

It is free for non-commercial use. Help documentation is available.

The Bad

By default, the tool automatically runs at Windows startup before asking users for permission beforehand or at least informing them. Therefore, it contributes to the OS delay time at boot, although users may not notice this.

RAM consumption is significant, but this is normal for this type of application.

The Truth

TeamViewer keeps getting better and better with each major release. Thanks to its surprisingly rich and actually useful set of options designed to improve remote access control, TeamViewer is probably the best app of its kind at the moment and few can say otherwise.

user interface 5
features 5
ease of use 3
pricing / value 5


final rating 5
Editor's review
excellent
 

TeamViewer (15 Images)

Remotely access another PC with TeamViewer
Select the type of installationCustomize additional settings at setupThe welcome screenSelect between Remote Control and Meeting
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