If you are looking for an alternative to TeamViewer and AnyDesk, you might want to take a look at Rustdesk.
Open source, cross platform and you can even set up your own rendezvous/relay server if you want to make sure you control everything.
There are no restrictions on the software. Use it on as many computers you want, both personal and business.
I have tried it out for a little while as I am the go-to IT person in my (rather large) family. It definitely works for this purpose 
My concern with tools such as this is “Have then been audited and tested for security?”
This issue has come up for me again!
TeamViewer is disconnecting me for exceeding the limit, and yesterday AnyDesk did the same thing. I’m going to try Rustdesk as an alternative.
What other applications do you use for remote access? I want to install a few, just in case.
Teamviewer blocks connections I had the same problem.
I installed https://www.helpwire.app/ two months ago, and it works great. It runs smoothly on both Windows and Mac. It’s exactly what I was looking for, and it’s free.
Very simple installation of RustDesk server in docker on Synology
I know this thread is a little old, but posting here instead of starting a new thread. Tom, I saw your video on YouTube from a few months ago about RustDesk which is why I ended up setting it up on my network.
Just curious how you feel about security with it. It seems better than other options with 2FA ability for each device that you connect to, but there is some concern that this may be developed by China with potential for backdoors. Seems with the code being open source it is easily audited and any backdoors would be found. Could someone gain access even if port forwarding wasn’t enabled on the router?
Curious what your thoughts are about its security. Also, what are your thoughts on this vs Jump Desktop?
Last I checked Singapore, where the some of developers and company are located, is not China. I don’t open any ports, I just use VPN so I am not really concerned.
I know the company is incorporated in Singapore. Some of the posts I’ve read online reference China backing it. I guess there is no way to ever know.
People say dumb things on the internet all the time, it’s open source so they should point to the code that is the problem, not just make claims.
Having the code opensource is a good start and helps with some of the concern but does it get looked at on every update to revalidate that things are still good. In accounting you have auditors sign off on each report… software doesn’t really have this.
Is Meshcentral or something else a viable alternative?
I tried it, it felt really dated, but overall it does more than Rustdesk so it’s not really easy to directly compare.
Newbie to Docker hereI just got my RustDesk up and running on TrueNASUsing Tailscale because I am behind CGNAT - I know, sheesh!
Now my friend Gemini is suggesting I use this thing:
Pathway 2: Free Open-Source API (The “Go-RustDesk” Route)
If you require an Address Book that instantly syncs across multiple devices automatically (e.g., if you want your laptop, your phone, and a secondary technician’s computer to see the exact same list of 30 machines synchronously), you can deploy an open-source community alternative backend. [1]
The community project go-rustdesk acts as a direct substitute for RustDesk’s paid web tier: [1]
The Cost: Completely free and open-source.
The Features: Gives you a central web browser panel, manages user logins, handles multi-device Address Books, and has no device limits.
The Setup: You deploy it on TrueNAS as a third side-by-side Docker container (docker run -d --name rustdesk-api kevincoakley/go-rustdesk). You plug its address into the API Server field inside your RustDesk apps, and it syncs your fleet data cleanly. [1, 2]
The source is this: https://www.openmsp.ai/blog/rustdesk-review
but it doesn’t seem to mention this “kevincoakley/go-rustdesk”
I am curious, does anyone know how to determine if this thing is safe to install and add a fleet (15) of target machines into ?
While I do self host RustDesk for my internal lab servers it has not to my knowledge gone through any official code review and I would not use for production systems where that could be a concern.
I’m mostly homelaber, not MSP.
Also, I’m helping few non-profits by hosting accounting software on Windows Server.
When I tried rustdesk, I found that it has no opensource or free component which let you access remote system via browser. Got to pay for that. Looks like that’s still the case, right?
I’m using Remote Access Control (RAC) Provider | authentik
My use case: remote users (mostly accountants) open Authentik in the browser, select remote system and work in the browser, like Chrome Remote Desktop.
Yes, they charge for the browser based add on to RustDesk. I just use the app version and it works well.
Have used mesh central for years, rustdesk as a backup solution
In all cases unless you managing dozens of connections daily, I just ask the person for their ip address and add it to the alias list in whatever firewall I’m using before my. mesh central server
For regular support of end users I permanently add their office address or install a dyndns client and add that to the alias
Just reduce your attack surface, nothing can ever be made 100% secure
Golden rule for me with anything with remote access is wait a few days before installing updates whilst keeping an eye on the apps forums. But above all read the update notes fully and decide, do I need this update….. as my big fear is supply chain maliciousness, which can catch out any developer
I think the future will be a fragmented internet with isolated logical segments using some form of “embedded overlay vpn” type of tech in network equipment firmware itself below the os layer