Windows Home Server: Remote Access

Thanks to the Windows Home Server remote access features, you can access the home server as well as well as most connected PCs in your home network using a simple & effective web interface at no cost (unlike the paid service LogMeIn.com). Remote access consists of the three related features:

* Windows Home Server shared folders: The contents of any folders that are shared from Windows Home Server, such as Music, Photos, Public, Software, and Videos, as well as any other folders you’ve shared, are accessible via the web interface. There’s even a Windows Live Search box to help you find exactly what you want.

* Connected PCs: PCs that are connected to Windows Home Server can be remotely controlled, similar to the way you can control a Windows client or server using Remote Desktop. Obviously, the experience can be fair to middling depending on your connection speed, but it’s still great to be able to do this with desktop machines when you’re on the road.

* Windows Home Server Console: You can also access the Windows Home Server Console when you’re online but off the home network. The management experience is identical to when you’re connected locally, aside from potential speed issues and the fact that the console appears within the browser and not via the traditional console window.

In addition to all this great functionality, Microsoft has made it really easy to configure and use. By default, remote access is disabled, so you need to utilize the Remote Access link in the Settings dialog to turn it on and then configure it. Enabling remove access can be either dead simple or utterly painful, depending on what kind of router you’re using on your home network. The trick is to use a modern, Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) router: Windows Home Server will automatically configure it for remote access, and all will be well. If you don’t have such a device, you need to manually configure your router using fairly technical instructions in the Windows Home Server help files.

Once you have remote access up and running, Microsoft (or the PC maker from whom you purchased the server) will give you a free custom URL address like “something.homeserver.com” where something is replaced by whatever name you prefer. Then you can access your home server resources from the web using a standard web address.

In summary, while Windows 7 is an excellent solution for standalone PCs, you must look to additional tools if you want to manage multiple PCs on your home network from a central location. Microsoft offers such a solution in Windows Home Server, which is typically obtained with new home server hardware but can also be purchased separately.