WinTotal over a VPN?

[reliantappraisals]

Have you ever called alamode tech support? they know about their program, thats it. Im sure there are a few masterminds over there.
Ive connected remotely to my wintotal database's just using server 2003 regular websharing features. It will even install the program remotely just like a regular network install.

It can work, wintotal is networkable.
reguardless of how big or distant, its still just a network.

The data transfer of wintotal is minimal. Its a predetermained form that never changes with text feild imput. the largest transfer is with photos.
im sure you have uploaded a PDF at the very least. it doesnt take long.

 

[Tim Morton]

I am a few days late on this thred but if someone is still reading it.... Anyway...

The VPN thing does not work with any practical reliability. HOWEVER, I am running Terminal Services/Remote Desktop for 3 appraisers that remote into the server as well as 3 stations in the office.

If you would like to hear more about what we do and how we do it, I will post again but it may be rather lenghthy...

 

[Gregory Beck]

I tried it 2 years ago had it all set up but it was soooooo slow my appraisers couldn't deal with it now I make the appraisers buy there own program This keeps them committed.

 

[Tim Morton]

Depending on your connection speed (we have 10mb download and 1.56mb upload) the Remote Desktop solution works out really well with good speed... But I agree, the VPN thing SUCKS BAD!

 

[David Beasley]

I would consult a local networking business, I may save you money to get it done quickly and correctly rather than have problems and be irritated.

Another option there is is a Citrix type server.
its alot like remote desktop but more users can connect at the same time. your other appraisers would log into their citrix account(on your server) and would have access to whatever you specifically want them to.

Citrix is solid, no doubt. My wife uses Citrix to log in to work from home and tele-commutes some days as a result (she has the cool fob that changes numbers every few minutes as a security measure). And of course, GoToMyPC is Citrix for the masses, which also works. It's what I use to transfer files and do menial computer/WinTotal tasks at home when a trip to the office isn't warranted. It's like PC Anywhere *should* have been from the beginning.

 

[slener]

I got it to work!

Hello!!!!!

I am a computer consultant, and just recently finished a project with a local appraisal company, by giving them the ability to work from home. They have a central server, with a VPN router, running Windows Server 2003 with Terminal Server licensing. I had them get a 15mb cable connection from Time Warner(for the server), and the employees that connect to it have Time Warner cable as well. Some had DSL from the local phone company, but DSL can't cut it anymore when you can get a super-fast connection from the cable company.

They are running the Athena Generation of WinTotal. The only thing that doesn't work is the deliver report option, because the PDF X-Change program that comes with it is not compatible with 2003 Server. I have them printing to PDF using the Full version of Adobe Acrobat, and then emailing through Outlook Express on their Terminal Window.

When they attach pictures to their appraisals, I have them transfer the pictures over to a shared folder on the server, then attach them. Trying to map drives under the Remote Desktop client is too slow. Getting them to the server first using the Microsoft Network over the VPN connection is much more efficient.

Lighthouse users????? Well, Lighthouse won't work on Server 2003, but I created a virtual PC through VMWare of Windows 2000 Professional, installed Lighthouse on that and works great! You need to get the PDF converter for Lighthouse, by creating the PDF file from WinTotal, then converting the PDF in Lighthouse. Unfortunately, integration with WinTotal and Lighthouse will not work due to incompatibility issues with a server class operating system.

It runs fine!!!!! sometimes a wee bit slow, but they were able to ditch their office at over $500.00/month rent, and close to $1000.00 in utility bills... Now they can work from home, and write part of their house off on their taxes.

It's a beautiful thing man.

 

[reliantappraisals]

cool
told you guys it just took a little effort, they may not AVERTISE it because they dont want to have to support a feature that has SOOOO many variables.

Slener should make a PDF and sell it for a few bucks to wintotal users so they can do it themselves.

 

[William Rightsell]

Never Got it to Work.

Waaaaaaaay too complicated to get it to work over a true VPN. The poster above says he got it to work, but it sounds like a lot of trouble and compromises to do it. I spent days on it, and even called a "geek squad" type company to come set it up. They knew less about it than I did!! I sent the tech home after 10 minutes when it was apparent that he was clueless about VPN's and admitted to me that he had never actually even set one up! And they wanted $110/hour for all this "knowledge". Get real. And A-La-Mode was no help either. Thier standard answer was "We do not support it over a VPN".

I was able to use GoToMyPC to access the worksation, and that worked ok, but was still way too slow and to use it means that I must keep a workstation up and running here at home for my remote associate who wanted to access it. No room for that and I didnt want to be responsible for it.

Sooooo...I decided to go the "simple" route. We each now have a copy of Wintotal installed locally, and they are not networked. Each runs as a standalone copy. We can easily transfer report files via email/web, etc. Orders which are faxed to me are scanned and forwarded to him when needed. (I will probably set up a computer based fax so I wont have to scan these anymore - just forward them). Then we get together about 2 or 3 times/week for lunch and trade "hard copy" files. Prior to that tho, he emails me the completed wintotal report format (not pdf). That way I can send the report off as as soon as it is done, and I can convert it to any format necessary for delivery. He holds the actual hard copy file for a week or so, so that he can answer any questions or make corrections, etc prior to giving me the workfile back.

I also installed GoToMyPC on his computer so that I can access his workstation if/when needed. I may do the same on my PC so that he can access mine if necessary.

We have only been out of the office and working from home for a week now, but so far things are working pretty smoothly. We have a few more logistical kinks to iron out, but so far so good.

Thanks to all who participated in this thread with ideas/help. The long and short of it is that it is just too complicated to get to work with any degree of speed and efficiency, as well as a nightmare to maintain for a fellow like me with just enough PC knowledge to be dangerous!!!

Maybe in a few more years.....

todd

 

[slener]

That's why I'm ready to offer my services to anybody who wants to do it over a VPN, and have only "ONE" layer in their network, not multiple layers like you do bro........

Although I understand that's it comfortable for you to have it that way, we all like to have our things in one location(with a good backup of course), and that's what I have succeeded in doing.... I have eliminated all layers that a novice person would otherwise have to be concerned about.

I've been in the IT industry for over ten years, and the setup I did for the Appraisal company I did have never thanked me enough for providing the ability to not have to worry about anything, and be able to work in the comfort of their own home.

Please visit my site at http://www.appraiseathome.net , and maybe you'll be convinced that this is the way to go in this mobile driven world.

 

[Michael Chu]

That's why I'm ready to offer my services to anybody who wants to do it over a VPN, and have only "ONE" layer in their network, not multiple layers like you do bro........

Although I understand that's it comfortable for you to have it that way, we all like to have our things in one location(with a good backup of course), and that's what I have succeeded in doing.... I have eliminated all layers that a novice person would otherwise have to be concerned about.

I've been in the IT industry for over ten years, and the setup I did for the Appraisal company I did have never thanked me enough for providing the ability to not have to worry about anything, and be able to work in the comfort of their own home.

Please visit my site at http://www.appraiseathome.net , and maybe you'll be convinced that this is the way to go in this mobile driven world.

My bold for emphasis. I do not mean to diminish your successful implementation of a VPN, however, the "all layers" comment you made requires a response.
I don't like blanket statements, and in general, most appraisers do not. For someone to claim that they have removed all layers that may be of concern to novice users is in fact, a blanket statement, not supportable.

Maybe, you have a different definition of a 'novice'. But in general, even the most uneducated novice knows that there are software licensing laws and penalties associated with breaking the terms of agreement.

I would suggest to you, prior to advertising or soliciting on this forum, to straighten out your so called solution with the software vendor(s) and their respective licensing policies.

Another concern that comes to mind, is whether you have disclosed this license sharing scheme with your customers? Are you not inadvertently putting them in harms way?

Your long experience in the IT industry qualifies you to be an expert in matters of software licensing, and you should present a better solution for appraisal offices.

PS. It works! But it also goes down, 100% with the server. Imagine ten people, at home, waiting in their jammies for the techie to fix the dead server in the office that got struck by lightning, burned, etc.
OTOH, Mr. Rightsell will just need to hop to the next available PC to finish the report.