GoToMyPC is a web-based service from Citrix that enables you to easily access and control your home or office computer. To start using GoToMyPC, simply create an account on the Citrix website and install a small application onto the computer you need to access remotely (the “host”). You will then be able to access and control the host from any Internet-connected computer running the gamut of operating systems from Windows 95 to Vista, as well as Windows CE, Windows Mobile for Pocket PC Phone Edition, Mac OS, Linux, or Solaris (see the GoToMyPC website for details of which versions or editions of each operating system are supported). Note that while the client can be running virtually any operating system, the host must be running Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows Vista. If you are looking for a way to remotely access a Mac or a Linux computer, you’ll need to look for a solution other than GoToMyPC.
To remotely access the computer on which you’ve installed the GoToMyPC application, you simply need to enter your email address and password on the GoToMyPC website (www.gotomypc.com). A small session-specific Viewer automatically loads via the client’s browser and displays the screen information from the remote computer.
Because GoToMyPC is a web-based service that, unlike VPN remote-access solutions, does not require that an application be installed on the client, it can be used from any location, even public-access terminals where you might not be able to install software. Another advantage of GoToMyPC is its ability to work through most firewalls. If you have ever attempted to use a VPN product in a hotel or an airport, you may well have found it difficult to establish a connection because the local firewall is blocking the protocols needed by the client-side application. With GoToMyPC, this is not a problem. It works through just about any firewall. That said, if you have a personal firewall installed on the host, you’ll need to configure it in order for GoToMyPC to work. But this is extremely easy to do and you'll find the instructions on the GoToMyPC website.
GoToMyPC supports multiple operating systems, so, of course, it supports multiple browsers, too. GoToMyPC works with Internet Explorer, Netscape, Firefox, and Safari. This means virtually any computer can be used as a client.
