There are generally three methods of remote access; VPN (Virtual Private Network), Web-based remote access, and Port forwarding. I’ll explain the pros and cons of each:
A VPN is a secure tunnel from your home PC to your company’s network. VPN access is the most secure and traditional method of accessing your work computers remotely, but It can also be the most expensive and complex method since it requires a dedicated hardware device called a firewall. Although a VPN provides you with the most secure method of remote access, file transfers from your home computer to your office network across the VPN is slower – so this may not be a good option if you frequently upload files to your office network.
Web-based remote access is the most popular form of remote access today. This method gives you the most flexibility since you will be able to access your office computers from any internet connected computer. It’s also a secure method since the traffic from your home PC to your office is encrypted, but most online remote access providers charge you a monthly or annual fee for accessing their software. Leverage IT provides remote access to clients who we provide support for free of charge. This may be true for your IT provider so be sure to check.
Port forwarding is the easiest method of remote access, but is also the least secure method. If your company has a router or firewall, it most likely, supports the port forwarding feature. You are essentially forwarding traffic from the internet directly to a computer on your inside network. This traffic is unencrypted (or unsecured) and could potentially be intercepted. There may be legitimate uses for this method, but it is not advised in most cases.