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Just my feedback

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MaxBlitzer, User (Posts: 68)

Apr 18, 2018 7:44:26 pm EDT

I've been using Remote Utilities for a couple of years here and there. Unfortunately, I just don't see improvements and get annoyed by some little things. Here is my feedback:

1. I can't have Viewer open all the time because I get too many "... is Online" pop ups. All connections are on broadband cable with no known network issues. Happens to different users. Popped up 3 times in the few minutes I've been drafting this message so far. (Probably over 10 popups during the rest of this drafting).

2. The Last IP doesn't show the last IP that the user used, or were NAT'd behind. My best guess is that its one of your relay servers, but I don't know why you'd have a column dedicated to that when the last seen IP of the user would be more more useful. Really confused me one time when I didn't realize the numbers were bogus. But add some more clients located in different locations and show the same IP for iWeb in Montreal. We're all in BC, Canada. After writing this, I checked the viewer again and the Last IP changed again for the computer that is going on/offline over and over. This time, the IP is registered to CariNet out of San Diego. For 4 online users in the same town as me, there are 3 different Last IP's. The two that are the same are from two offices on the same road, so at least they are together. Since this is the last IP of your relay servers and not of the actual client, it clear the user is getting bounced around on different relays. It would be good if you posted your server locations, as last time I experienced serious lag I looked into going self hosted, and the pings to your relay were like 28ms or something (I thought you had a relay in Seattle, but I must be mistaken). Now they are 80-90+ms for all 3 relay servers. So now I think I should look into self-hosted to avoid this relay bounce.

3. For one Win10 machine, logging into it is SOOOOO slow. So many times I would get failed logins because the time between typing the password and the character registering in the windows 10 login box would be in SECONDS. No change after at least 3 version updates. You just can't work on lag that I haven't experienced since 1998.

4. The default screen size/ratio needs to be changed more often then not. With TV, I never have to mess with scaling, I just maximize the window or I snap to half screen. No needing to scroll vertical or horizontal bars by default except with Remote Utilities.

5. If I don't experience really laggy logins, I still experience laggy mouse movements. Was so frustrated when I had to use it today. I don't think that PC had a password set, so I don't know if that had the really laggy login and might just be same as issue 3 above.

6. In previous versions, remote access broke by Windows updates, I believe. Requiring re-installation and manual intervention and lost headless access. But I'm guessing that was a hard lesson learned and will be prevented from happening again by installing the software in the appropriate places from now on.

I haven't paid RU any money so I don't feel like I'm owed support or anything. Just that these issues have prevented me from investing in a RU license and commit to it. Rather than sink some hours into troubleshooting these issues (besides other conflicts, like computer availability for testing, frequently changed login passwords, changed users, powered off PC, etc), I just fallback to existing resources I have available (openvpn, neorouter, VNC, TV, [censored] , etc) and wait on new versions to try.

I saw in one of the other forums that you have identified some server bugs and that a new release is imminent. I look forward to trying that new version and hopefully resolving the lag issues.

Conrad, Support (Posts: 2979)

Apr 19, 2018 7:35:11 am EDT

Hello Max,

Thank you for your feedback.

I can't have Viewer open all the time because I get too many "... is Online" pop ups. All connections are on broadband cable with no known network issues. Happens to different users. Popped up 3 times in the few minutes I've been drafting this message so far. (Probably over 10 popups during the rest of this drafting).

Make sure that you have version 6.8.0.1 installed on both ends (Viewer and Host). What you describe looks like an older issue (v 6.6 etc.).

The Last IP doesn't show the last IP that the user used, or were NAT'd behind. My best guess is that its one of your relay servers, but I don't know why you'd have a column dedicated to that when the last seen IP of the user would be more more useful.

Your guess is right. Actually this column was more intended for direct connection, rather than for Internet-ID connection. Still we already have this suggestion on our wish list and will soon make the IP address information to traverse through the server to the Viewer from Host and vice versa.

So now I think I should look into self-hosted to avoid this relay bounce.

This is a good idea. However reliable our public service is, your own self-hosted server will always win simply because you fully control its configuration (for your custom needs, such as ports etc.) and also because it may be located close to you which will significantly reduce the distance and number of hops the IP packets should travel.

For one Win10 machine, logging into it is SOOOOO slow. So many times I would get failed logins because the time between typing the password and the character registering in the windows 10 login box would be in SECONDS. No change after at least 3 version updates. You just can't work on lag that I haven't experienced since 1998.

Please, refer to the KB articles under the "performance" tag for help:
https://www.remoteutilities.com/support/kb/tag-performance/

The default screen size/ratio needs to be changed more often then not. With TV, I never have to mess with scaling, I just maximize the window or I snap to half screen. No needing to scroll vertical or horizontal bars by default except with Remote Utilities.

When you first connect to a remote computer the default value is "Normal", not "Stretched". However, if you change that value for a specific connection in your address book or on the fly during a session, the program will remember this setting for that specific connection/remote PC.

Also, you can set default connection properties that will be used for all newly created connections. In the Modes section you can set the View mode to your liking. Learn more about default connection properties on this page.

If I don't experience really laggy logins, I still experience laggy mouse movements. Was so frustrated when I had to use it today. I don't think that PC had a password set, so I don't know if that had the really laggy login and might just be same as issue 3 above.

Please, refer to what I said about performance and using the self-hosted server. Also, for the last couple of weeks we have implemented some fixes to our server software as well that should reduce the number of such issues. Finally, the upcoming version 6.9 is going to be more optimized in this respect so it should be faster both during the initial connection (authorization) and subsequent remote session (data transfer).

6. In previous versions, remote access broke by Windows updates, I believe. Requiring re-installation and manual intervention and lost headless access. But I'm guessing that was a hard lesson learned and will be prevented from happening again by installing the software in the appropriate places from now on.

This used to be a problem a few updates ago.

We are going to release version 6.9 very soon so stay tuned. Given some serious updates in this version we are going to run open beta testing first available for everyone.

Don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions.

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