Help Is Just an Internet Connection Away Calling for Help and Making the Connection Joseph Moran
Calling for Help
When a technical problem arises and you need a helping hand, RA offers you two main ways to get it. The first is to issue a request via the Windows Messenger service (Windows Live Messenger in Vista), and the other is to do it through e-mail.
One of the benefits to using RA through Windows Messenger is that a successful connection requires only one party to have a UPnP router, since Remote Assistance benefits from the already-established Messenger connection. On the other hand, both you and your helper must be logged into Windows Messenger, which requires that each of you have an active Windows Live ID (or an older Microsoft/.NET Passport) account.
To issue an RA request in XP, click Start, then Help and Support, next Invite a friend to connect to your computer with Remote Assistance, then Invite someone to help you. From there the Use Windows Messenger box will let you highlight the contact you want (assuming they are online), or sign onto the service if you haven't already done so. Once you select a contact and click Invite this person, they'll immediately be notified that you are requesting assistance.
An alternate method is to issue your request from directly within Windows Messenger — just right-click your contact and select Ask for Remote Assistance. In Vista, you can ask for help directly from Windows Live Messenger by right-clicking the contact name, then choosing Start an activity, and then Request Remote Assistance.
When the person you want help from isn't online, you can still issue a request via e-mail for them to receive and respond to later (this will require both parties to have UPnP routers). To issue an e-mail invitation in XP, after selecting Invite someone to help you enter an e-mail address and click Invite this person.
A short wizard will prompt you to provide your name and a brief message, define an invitation expiration period (the setting we modified earlier only applies to Messenger-based invitations), and specify a password the recipient will use to respond to the assistance invitation. Creating a password is extremely important, since the invitation will be out of your control once it has been sent.
For the same reason, you should double-check the e-mail address you enter. After you enter all the information and click Send Invitation, Windows will use your installed e-mail application to send an e-mail with the invitation along for the ride as an attachment. Be sure to inform your helper of the password you chose, either via a separate e-mail or by phone — for security reasons, it's not included as part of the invitation.
If you use Web-based e-mail instead of an e-mail program, you can still send out a Remote Assistance invitation by choosing the Save invitation as a file option located just under where you enter an e-mail address. This will allow you create an invitation file (RAInvitation.msrcincident) that you can e-mail via the method of your choice.
In fact, you may need to go this route if you use a non-Microsoft e-mail program like Mozilla Thunderbird, because the Remote Assistance e-mail option may not work properly with non-Microsoft mail clients.
To issue an e-mail Remote Assistance invitation in Vista, click Start, All Programs, Maintenance, Windows Remote Assistance, and then click Invite someone you trust to help you. This will give you options similar to XP described above, and you will be able to either automatically send an invitation through e-mail or create a file attachment to send manually.
Making the Connection
Your helper can respond to your invitation either by clicking Accept in Messenger or opening the attachment if it came through e-mail. Shortly thereafter, you'll see a dialog box informing you that someone's trying to connect to your computer and asking if you want to allow it.
Within a few moments of clicking "yes," the connection should be established and your helper will be able to see your Windows desktop as if they were standing over your shoulder. On your end, a small control panel will appear that will allow you to communicate with your helper via text or voice (the latter in XP only).
A Remote Assistance connection always starts out in View Only mode, which as the name implies means your system can be seen, but not touched. Your helper can click a button to request control your system, but it won't be granted until you again confirm that you want to allow it. If you do, you'll be able to watch as your helper controls your system, and immediately retake control at any time by hitting the ESC key.
When you want to end the Remote Assistance connection entirely, just click the Disconnect button (your system may appear to freeze for a moment but should become responsive again within a few seconds). If you need to conduct another help session later, you can re-use an e-mail invitation as long as it hasn't expired.
Joe Moran is a regular contributor to PracticallyNetworked.
