How to configure Remote Assistance Step By Step Guide

The days of traveling to each client system to troubleshoot problems are over. Microsoft's native Windows XP assistance tool is all that is required. Follow these steps to configure and enable Windows XP's Remote Assistance.

Sending a remote assistance request

Windows XP's Remote Assistance feature enables users to call for help. The application proves particularly helpful when clients in remote locations require support.

Before an administrator can render assistance, the end user must send a Remote Assistance request to the administrator.
Clients should follow these steps to send a Remote Assistance request:

• Click Start.
• Click Help and Support.

Select the Invite A Friend To Connect To Your Computer With Remote Assistance link (found beneath the Ask For Assistance heading). The Remote Assistance menu appears.

Click the Invite Someone To Help You link.

Three options appear; users seeking help can either send an invitation through Windows Messenger or Microsoft Outlook or save invitation .

Click on save invitation as a file (Advance)

You should enter your name and set the invitation's expiration period and click Continue.

You should specify a location for the remote assistance file and click Save.

Windows will save the remote connection file (named RAInvitation.msrcincident by default) to the location the end user species;

you will then have to forward it to the administrator or support technician.

login from your e-mail account

Aattach invitation and send mail

Administrator should login from his e-mail account

Open the mail contaning invation

Now download the invitation

Once the remote assistance invitation is downloaded, administrators can follow these steps to render assistance:

• To accept the Remote Assistance invitation, the administrator should double-click the attachment. Before doing so, it's a good idea for the administrator to confirm the user, in fact, sent the request. When doing so, the administrator can learn the password the client entered for the remote assistance request.
• Upon double-clicking the attachment, the administrator will have to supply the password and click OK

The client will receive a dialog box stating that the administrator wishes to connect to the user's desktop. The client must click Yes to enable the connection.

Now administrator can provide text base help

• If the administrator wishes to take control of the user's system, the administrator can click the Take Control icon that appears at the top of the Remote Assistance window.
• Once the administrator or support technician has clicked Take Control, the end user will see a dialog box stating that the user providing the assistance would like to share control of the computer to help solve the problem. The user must click Yes to permit the support tech with access. When the remote user clicks Yes, the staff member providing support will receive a confirmation message stating the helper is now in control of the user's desktop. To surrender desktop control, the administrator need only press the Esc key; the end user can terminate the administrator's control at any time by Pressing the Esc key (or disconnecting the session using the Disconnect button from the Remote Assistance menu).

Having the ability to view or actually control a remote user's desktop drastically simplifies troubleshooting and repair operations. All the end user must do is send the Remote Assistance request to an administrator. The administrator or support tech needs only to connect to the remote system and perform diagnostic actions and repairs. The user and support tech can exchange chat messages with one another using the provided window.

Confirming proper firewall configuration

Occasionally Remote Assistance connections fail to connect. A typical culprit, ironically, is Windows' own firewall. Note that the Windows Firewall (installed by default with Windows XP Service Pack 2) must be properly configured to enable connectivity.
Follow these steps to confirm Windows Firewall isn't blocking Remote Assistance connections:

1. Click Start.
2. Click Control Panel.
3. Click Windows Firewall.
4. Select the Exceptions tab.
5. Ensure the Remote Assistance box is checked.