4 Ways to Access Your Files Remotely
By Chad A. Johnson · March 30, 2009
So, you are like many real estate agents in that you have more than one computer. Usually that entails a desktop computer at the office and a laptop for home and the field. Shortly after adding that second computer, a completely new technology problem arises:
How do you access all of your important files from each computer?
Luckily, software and hardware companies have created numerous ways to solve this problem. The right solution for you will depend on how much data you have, how consistently you have internet access and what your budget is.
Here are 4 ways to access your files remotely:
Microsoft SyncToy
Synctoy 2.0 is a free download from Microsoft. This small program allows you to synchronize files between folders and computers. Use this program to sync your data from a computer to another computer or an external storage device like a USB flash drive.
I used this program for over a year with great success. I created a network drive on my laptop and used Synctoy to transfer files over my network.
Strengths
- No internet connection necessary
- No data limit
- Free
Weaknesses
- Microsoft offers no support
- Syncing can take time
- Corrupted files can cause syncing to fail
Microsoft Live Sync
Previously called Microsoft FolderShare, Microsoft Live Sync is a free online folder synchronization service. Files are transferred from your computer to your Live Sync account. Those files can then be synced with another computer, accessed via a browser or shared with others.
Strengths
- Free
- Access your files from any internet connected computer
- Share files with others
Weaknesses
- Data limited to 2GB
- Requires an internet connection to access files
GoToMyPC
GoToMyPC is a paid service that provides remote access to your computer from any internet connected computer. Not only does the service provide access to your data, programs can be run remotely, as well.
Strengths
- Secure remote access to your data and programs
- No need to sync files
Weaknesses
- $20 a month fee
- Requires internet connection
- Computer with the data must be on
Seagate FreeAgent Go
Portable external hard drives have come a long way. Using laptop-size drives, these small devices provide storage capacities of up to 500GB.
While many manufacturers make portable drives, the Seagate FreeAgent Go is my favorite. They are the only company to offer a desktop dock and carrying case as an optional upgrade.
Simply configure the Seagate Sync software and your files are transferred to the external drive. Encryption is also available for added protection in case of theft or loss.
The Seagate FreeAgent Go is the solution that I use to have all of my files, photos, music and videos with me at all times.
Strengths
- No internet connect required
- Huge storage capacities
- Access files from any computer with a USB port
Weaknesses
- Drives cost $100-$150 plus $30 for the desktop dock and carrying case
- Syncing files can take time
When deciding on a solution for your real estate business, think about what files you need and where you will be accessing them. Some solutions require internet connections, so working at an open house is probably out of question. Other solutions can’t handle large volumes of data and are best suited for limited data needs.
Are you using a different solution to access files remotely? Share it with us.
Comments
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I have been using an online tool called LogMeIn.com they have a free version and you can put up to 5 machines in an account. I log into my account and choose which machine. I have a password for the account and then a seperate password for the machines, so you can allow others to access some and not all.
The paid versions allow you to print to your local printer froma remote machine and to invire others in.
Has served me well over the years.
LogMeIn is a great system. Thank you for sharing. I have used it to provide long distance technical support for family members, but it would also work well for remote access to your computer.
My mom uses GoToMyPC right now to transfer property management documents from San Francisco to Lake Tahoe.
I am going to see if I can setup Microsoft SyncToy to save her that $20 a month!
…And I will be looking into that external SeaGate for myself! They don’t offer a 1 terabyte drive?
Brendan,
SyncToy could be a good way for your mom to save a few bucks. If she has under 2GB of data, Live Sync make be ever better. You could set up the sync and she wouldn’t need to do much more.
The biggest FreeAgent Go is the 500GB. As 2.5″ drive capacity goes up, they will surely add larger drives. I have 170GB of music 100GB of photos and tons of documents on mine and still have plenty of room with the 500GB drive.
FYI… I order the drive on sale directly from Seagate. They threw in shipping and the dock and carrying case for free. I great deal.
I like logmein beacause it is easy to use, but free version is rather poor.
Last week I found an article about programs like logmein where author said it is not secure (http://remote-access-software.net/security/cybercriminals-love-web-based-remote-access.html). I Now I am more attentive when I log in.
I prefer using SSH for remote connection into my machines. No matter what platform I’m working on there is a good SFTP client available. Windows – WinSCP or FileZilla, Mac – CyberDuck, Linux – built in to Nautilus (gnome’s filemanager), but if you must have a seperate client Filezilla works there as well.
Jade,
Thank you for sharing this article. Security is a topic that should be well thought through. Luckily, the author gave some great ways to lower your chances of having an issue with security.
The same thing goes for flash drives and external hard drives. If they contain sensitive data, be sure to encrypt the files.
Add your site to My Favourites, looking forward for new articles.
I use a free service called Drop Box (www.GetDropBox.com). One of the biggest upsides is that the files reside on each physical machine so you can access and use files offline and syncs when you connect to the net.
It’s the easiest tool by far to sync up files between multiple computers on multiple platforms. It’s sooooo easy that my mom is using it
.
It does have a 2GB for the free version.
Enjoy ALL!
I agree with what you’ve said here, our team has another kink to the chain. What do you do when you have not only multiple computers, but multiple people sharing the same files? Here’s how we’ve managed:
Microsoft Office Live Workspace – great for Microsoft documents such as Word or Excel.
Google Docs – great when you want to collaborate on a document together or work in the “cloud”
Online File Folder – through GoDaddy…it is more of a system for uploading and backing up files to, but we use it often when we are out of the office and need to pull a file that is stored on a computer at the office
I’ve been using LogMeIn for a little over a year now. The recent addition of LogMeIn Ignition for the iPhone has saved my bacon a few times. Well worth the $30 I spent for it.
-Jeff
Carl,
The addition of multiple team members adds a whole new level of complexity to the situation. The system that you have devised seems quite efficient.
There definitely is a need for good small business collaboration tools. Most that I have seen are priced for enterprise usage, not small business teams.
Here is a Microsoft service that I just ran across called Windows Live SkyDrive. It gives you 25GB of online storage for free. Sharing of files is also an option.
http://skydrive.live.com/
I’ve struggled with this for about a year now – I have a team of myself and several realtors, and three additional people who perform data entry. I am the only one on the team who is fairly technical, so once we have something set up it takes a lot of my time training and supporting them.
At times I feel more like tech support than a Realtor! I wouldn’t say I’ve given up entirely, but I went back to basics and now have file sharing set up on Yahoo Groups (a system everyone on the team understands) and I carry my portable hard drive with me everywhere.