Remote Desktop on client sites

[oversteer]

Instead of lugging a laptop around I'd quite like to use Remote Desktop to connect to my machine at home for webmail or to use certain apps - do most places allow this or is it usually restricted?

With some combination of custom ports / SSH tunnel / VNC web server I can get around most firewalls, but would imagine some IT depts could get a bit snotty about me doing so.

[gadgetman]

I'm currently doing it periodically using a tethered iphone. I have to disable the client LAN connection temporarily for it to work though.

[jmo21]

do most places allow this or is it usually restricted?

Some do, some don't - in my experience, it would mostly be the latter.

[RichardCranium]

On the public sector sites I have worked on, the desktop has usually been locked down so you cannot install anything. And if you did, you'd fall foul of the agreement they made me sign on day one about not installing ANY software on their desktops.

[TykeMerc]

A great many have restrictions and rightly so.

If you were caught even attempting to circumvent firewalls at most of the places I've worked you would be lucky to get away with only being frogmarched off site instantly without a signed timesheet.

[VectraMan]

Why do you need to connect to your home PC to use webmail? If it's because your client won't let you access webmail, then that probably tells you what you need to know about their attitude to this sort of thing.

[jim2406]

cant you just get a fancy mobile phone?

[Cliphead]

A great many have restrictions and rightly so.

If you were caught even attempting to circumvent firewalls at most of the places I've worked you would be lucky to get away with only being frogmarched off site instantly without a signed timesheet.

WHS +1, I've seen it happen more than once.

[oversteer]

Why do you need to connect to your home PC to use webmail? If it's because your client won't let you access webmail, then that probably tells you what you need to know about their attitude to this sort of thing.

It's because my 'business' email is downloaded to my machine at home rather than accessible webmail. I've got a bit stuck this week, with a locked machine and no RDP. The client is happy for me to use webmail. I can do RDP with my iPhone, but it's a bit of a pain. Might see what i can rig up with Google Mail..

[gadgetman]

Do you mean directly from the phone ie. with an iphone app? If so then I agree.

The way I am using it is with the iphone as a modem and the standard Windows RDP client. Works fine, with a 500k connection speed.

I can do RDP with my iPhone, but it's a bit of a pain..