If your computer is on the fritz, there is always hope that it can be fixed. Fixing it can be difficult if you live far away from your computer repair technician in New Jersey, or if you don’t have individual transportation. There is, however, a solution to this problem. Any technician you intend to use will probably have it. It can help save 30 minutes of driving to a 30 second fix job. It is called remote computer support, and this is how it works.
General Information
Remote desktop sharing programs are designed to help people, without requiring them to leave their home. Generally, the person with the computer problem contacts the computer support team of their choice. It is important to note that this entire process requires an Internet connection. The New Jersey support team responds and suggests they attempt a remote computer support session. When the customer agrees, they download a small program that allows the support team’s program to access the customer’s computer. When the program is run on the customer’s computer, the technicians connect to that computer in such a way that they have control of it. It is a bit of a scary notion, but these computer repair companies are highly trained and strive to be trustworthy on a person and professional level.
Once the NJ technician has control of the customer’s machine, they can troubleshoot the computer to find out what the problem is. When they have found the problem, they can alert the owner and let them decide if they want it to be fixed, or wait for another date or another company to fix it. When the problem is found, the New Jersey support team can also recommend solutions the owner can try on their own, and alert the owner if the problem is something that absolutely must be fixed in person.
If the owner gives permission, the NJ technicians will proceed to repair the computer with the built it tools and settings that the computer has, and additional solutions they can provide over the internet. In theory, a remote computer support session can fix just about any problem that isn’t physical. Physical problems require physical inspection, which can’t be done over a network. Remote computer support can help fix viruses, bad drivers, registry errors, sluggish computer and much more.
If the owner decides that they don’t want help, either for financial or scheduling reasons, they can terminate the connection to the technician’s computer. It is important to note that, once the connection has been terminated, the support team can’t access your computer again, ever. Unless you go through the same process you did the first time, they can’t gain access to your computer.
Detailed Information
The process of remote computer support is completed by using the network model of client/server and a system called VNC (Virtual Network Computing). The VNC desktop sharing system uses a protocol called Remote Frame Buffer; this protocol allows one machine to control the other. The Remote Frame Buffer protocol forwards all the keyboard strokes and mouse moments from computer 1 to computer 2, while also relaying the screen from computer 2 to computer 1, so the operator can see what is being accomplished.
The VNC system can work on virtually any operating system, and has a range of uses. Virtual Network Computing can be used to connect to multiple computers at once, or just one-to-one connections. Not only can this be used for remote support from computer repair technicians, but is can also be used for personal file access remotely. Different VNC type of programs can be modified to suit a particular operating system or service particular needs. The ability to transfer files is not included in the base level VNC operation.
Just to be clear, the program on the machine which is sharing its screen is the VNC server. The client takes control of the server computer. The program or browser window that views, interacts with, and controls the server is the VNC client. The server remains passive while the client computer becomes active. The Remote Frame Buffer Protocol is a simple operation, which works off of a graphic primitive that is sent to the client from the server, like a digital pantograph. (“Put a rectangle of pixel data at the specified X, Y position”) and peripheral input signals from client to server.
On a binary level, it gets very complicated, but overall it is a simple action that can help in a myriad of ways. Operating a VNC program across platforms, like Mac to Windows, can be tricky, but it is possible.
The next time you get stuck in a bind, and can’t fix it on your own, contact your local New Jersey computer repair. They might just be able to fix it without either of you having to leave your seats.
by David Molnar
