OFFICE EXPRESS HELP ASSISTANT

Professional Software for Professionals

 

Remote Assistance

SUMMARY

Remote Assistance is a technology in Windows XP which enables Windows XP users to help each other over the Internet. With this tool, one user, called the "Expert," can view the desktop of another user, the "Novice." With the Novice's permission, the Expert can even share control of the Novice's computer to resolve issues remotely.

With Remote Assistance, a Help Desk can assist users on the network, which is known as the Offer Remote Assistance feature. 

MORE INFORMATION

Requirements for Remote Assistance

  • Both the Novice's and Expert's computer must by running a version of Windows XP or Windows Server 2003.
  • The Novice's and Expert's computer must be connected to a common network. The Internet can serve as this common network. For additional information about possible network configurations, see the article below. view
  • In Windows XP Home Edition, the Novice must be using an Owner account.
  • The Novice must be able to transfer a file to the Expert. This can be done automatically through the Help and Support Center by using Microsoft Outlook Express or Windows Messenger. Therefore, the user must have set up Outlook Express or Windows Messenger. The Novice can also save the file and send it to Expert by using any other means of transferring a file.
Note: This article describes Remote Assistance situations in which the Novice initiates the Remote Assistance session by sending an invitation to the Expert. On computers that are in the same domain, the Expert can offer Remote Assistance to the Novice, thereby bypassing the need for the Novice to send the invitation to the Expert.

Windows Messenger

Users of the Windows Messenger service can invite a contact to help them by using Remote Assistance. Using Windows Messenger is the preferred method of sending a Remote Assistance invitation for the following reasons:
  • Windows Messenger works in real time which allows the Novice to know if the Expert is online.
  • Windows Messenger provides additional ways for the Novice and Expert computers to find each other over the Internet. This is used when computers are not on the same network or are attempting to connect over the Internet through a firewall or NAT machine. For additional information, see the article below.

When using Windows Messenger service there is no need to open Help and Support Center. You can also send the invitation by opening Windows Messenger, and then following these steps:

  1. On the Tools menu, click Send an Invitation.
  2. Click To Start Remote Assistance.
  3. Click the desired contact for Remote Assistance.
The selected contact receives a message requesting a Remote Assistance session and the Expert can click Accept or Decline.

A Remote Assistance session may also be initiated in Windows Messenger by right-clicking on a contact, clicking Invite, and then clicking To Start Remote Assistance.

Email

Remote Assistance can help the Novice compose an email to send to the Expert. The email contains an attachment with the invitation. When the Expert opens the attachment, they are prompted for a password, providing that the Novice specified a password, and the process continues as explained in the "Sending a Remote Assistance Invitation" section.

Remote Assistance uses the e-mail client that is specified in the Programs tab of Internet Options. If an e-mail client has not yet been configured, Remote Assistance attempts to help the Novice configure it. To change the e-mail client that Remote Assistance uses, in Control Panel, double-click Internet Options, and on the Programs tab, change the e-mail setting to the e-mail client of your choice.

Remote Assistance uses Simple Mail Advanced Programming Interface (Simple MAPI) to help the Novice compose an email. Some e-mail clients to not support Simple MAPI and do not appear as an option in the Internet Options Control Panel program.

Save invitation as a file

If the Novice's e-mail client does not support Simple MAPI, or if the Novice wants to use another means by which to transport the invitation file to the Expert, the Novice can choose to save the invitation as a file.

This option allows the Novice to save the same file that would be created and attached to an email automatically to be saved to their local drive or to a network share. The Novice can then attach this file to an e-mail message by using an e-mail client that does not support Simple MAPI, or the file can be transferred on a network share, a floppy disk, and so forth. When the Expert receives the file, they can double-click it to open the invitation and start the Remote Assistance session.

 

Supported Connection Scenarios for Remote Assistance

SUMMARY

This article describes the supported connection scenarios for Remote Assistance.

MORE INFORMATION

In Remote Assistance, a novice can connect to an expert by using the following methods:
  • Windows Messenger
  • Send Invitation as an E-mail
  • Save Invitation as a File
The tables in this section describe which connection scenarios work.

NOTE: Both the Save Invitation as a File method and the Send Invitation as an E-mail method use the same technology so they are listed in the same table.

Windows Messenger

Windows XP Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) Windows Millennium Edition (Me) ICS Non-Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) Network Address Translation (NAT) Device UPnP NAT Device
Novice Yes Yes Yes Yes
Expert Yes Yes Yes Yes
Novice and Expert Yes Yes No Yes

Save Invitation as a File and Send Invitation as an E-mail Methods

 Windows XP ICS   Windows Me ICS   Non-UPnP NAT Device   UPnP NAT Device 
Novice Yes Yes No Yes
Expert Yes Yes Yes Yes
Novice and Expert Yes Yes No Yes

Internet Connection Firewall (ICF)

Windows XP ICF is designed to allow novice or expert requests to work. Remote Assistance works if either the novice or the expert is behind ICF.

Other Firewalls

The Remote Assistance connection is dependant on how the firewall is configured. When Windows Messenger is used, both the novice and expert are making outbound connections on port 3389. Most firewalls are configured to allow all outbound traffic but to restrict incoming traffic. In this case, if either the novice or the client is behind a firewall, Remote Assistance works as expected. If both the novice and the expert are behind firewalls, the connection depends on the inbound configuration of the firewall. In these situations, it is recommended that you use Windows Messenger to establish the Remote Assistance session. When either the Save Invitation as a File or Send Invitation as an E-mail method is used, the expert makes an outbound connection to the novice. The novice must be able to receive an inbound connection on port 3389; this port is the listening port that Remote Assistance uses. Most firewalls are configured to block incoming connections to this port; therefore, you must configure the firewall to open this port when you use Remote Assistance. These connections usually fail in scenarios where the novice is behind a firewall. In these cases, if the firewall cannot be opened, it is recommended that you use the Windows Messenger method when you use Remote Assistance.

UPnP-Compliant NAT

Remote Assistance is designed to work with UPnP NAT devices. Presently, Windows XP is the only NAT device that is UPnP-compliant. This technology allows a Windows XP client behind the NAT to request that incoming traffic to port 3389 be mapped to the client that is requesting Remote Assistance. Remote Assistance works as expected when the novice is behind a UPnP NAT.

NAT

When either the Save Invitation as a File or the Send Invitation as an E-mail method is used, Remote Assistance works as expected if the expert is behind a NAT device. When Windows Messenger is used, Remote Assistance works if either the novice or the expert is behind a NAT, but not if the novice and the expert are both behind a NAT.

Proxy Server

In some cases, Remote Assistance works when the expert is behind a proxy server. The expert's computer may need to have Proxy Client software installed. Proxy Client software is provided by the manufacturer of the proxy server. Contact your network administrator for more information. Remote Assistance does not work if the novice is behind a proxy server.

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