How to Remote Control Computers Using PCHelpWare

Networking Icon PCHelpWare is a free remote assistance application for Windows that allows you to easily take control of remote computers. This application is great to use when needing to connect to computers in remote offices or when helping out family and friends. With PCHelpWare, you don’t have to worry about the remote users firewall like you do with UltraVNC or other remote assistance applications. Connecting to the remote computer is as easy as having the end user double click a single executable file. In the following tutorial, I would like to walk you through installing, configuring, and using PCHelpWare.

Step 1: Download PCHelpWare and extract the zip file. Open the folder and double click PCHelpWare_viewer.exe.

PCHelpWare Folder

 

Step 2: Enter an “Alias” which is what you want to call these particular connection settings and enter a password. Set your “Listen Port” to 5500. Make sure this port is open on your router or firewall. If your router supports UPnP then checking this box will automatically forward the router ports. Leave “Direct Connection” checked unless you are using the Repeater service to bypass your firewall. All of the other settings can stay the same.

PCHelpWare Configuration Screen

 

Step 3: Click “Save” and then click “Create Server”. You will be prompted for your IP address. If you are going to be connecting to computers on your network then just enter your internal IP address. If you are connecting to computers over the internet then you will need to enter your public IP address. If you are not sure what it is, go to WhatIsMyIP.com. Remember you will need port 5500 open on your router or firewall.

PCHelpWare IP Address Box

 

Step 4: Next, you will be asked “Does the user need to enter the password”. Click “No”.

PCHelpWare Password Box

 

Step 5: You will then receive a dialog box with the IP address and password. Click “Ok”.

PCHelpWare Dialog Box

 

Step 6: If you receive a Windows Security Alert, be sure to click “Unblock”.

PCHelpWare Windows Security Alert

 

Step 7: Click the “Start” button in the bottom right corner to start the viewer service.

PCHelpWare Configuration

 

Step 8: Open the folder that you extracted your PCHelpWare files to and navigate to the “myservers” folder. In this folder you should see a folder with the name of the “Alias” you created. Open that folder and you will see a single executable file called PcHelpWare_server.exe. This is the file that you will need to send to the remote user.

PCHelpWare Server Executable

 

Step 9: The remote user will then double click the file and see a login screen. Since you didn’t require the user to enter a password, (see step 4) the user will only have to click “Connect”.

PCHelpWare Login Box

 

You will now be controlling the remote user’s computer. For maximum screen size, click the “Full Screen” button at the top. You will also have the ability to to chat with the remote user.

PCHelpWare Remote Connection

 

If you have any experience with PCHelpWare or any other remote assistance applications feel free to share.

About The Author

Casey

Casey (Surname withheld for contractual reasons) successfully started his own IT consultancy well over 10 years ago. He started training and mentoring other computer technicians who want to create a part time or full time income as an IT consultant. See the 'About Us' for more.

20 Comments

  • Anonymous

    Reply Reply January 15, 2008

    i am setting up everything as you mentioned, but i cant get it work.

    please help me more.

  • Casey

    Reply Reply January 18, 2008

    I’m not sure which part you are stuck at but most problems occur when port 5500 is not open on your router or firewall. PortForward.com is a great site for helping you do this. Also make sure you are using your public IP address too.

  • Anonymous

    Reply Reply March 3, 2008

    I don’t know if you’ve seen this or not, but Crossloop is basically zero configuration remote desktop utility. It does require there to be a person on either end for it to work, though. You basically just install it, execute it, share the passkey with your friend, and connect. And btw registering for an account is OPTIONAL. But you wouldn’t know it by the first screen that pops up when you fire it up, asking to login or register. Just click the big red X on that first screen and it will just skip that part. Then you’re good to go. http://www.crossloop.com

  • Anonymous

    Reply Reply July 14, 2008

    Problem with CrossLoop is if you have to support someone who does not have admin rights. With the UltraVNC solution as it’s a stand alone exe anyone can launch it. Otherwise…. CrossLoop is excellent.

  • Joseph Otieno

    Reply Reply August 28, 2008

    Please help in the project that i am doing research onhow to control computer using remote i am stuck only in creating senser that control the computer

  • marc

    Reply Reply September 20, 2008

    how do you send an exe. file by email. I have tried gmail and hotmail and they both won’t let you send and exe file

  • Robert

    Reply Reply September 20, 2008

    Hi Marc,

    Most e-mail will not allow you to send .exe files as they are being blocked for virus protection. The following are two options I have used.

    1) Put the .exe in a .zip file. Even easier change the extension from .exe to .zip. The either tell the receipent to extract the .zip file or tell the other user to rename the file when they receive it.

    2) If you have a website you can just send the link to the file in your e-mail pointing to the file that you have uploaded to your web site.

    Those are probably the easiest work arounds.

  • Anonymous

    Reply Reply December 14, 2008

    I have WinXP Pro and my associate has Vista Home Prem. Will it work cross-platform or will I need to install Vista?

  • motogoat

    Reply Reply February 4, 2009

    Yes, it it cross-platform with Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, 2003, XP, Vista

  • Charles

    Reply Reply February 5, 2009

    The link for the download of the PcHelpware is broken. It routes you back to the main uVNC page. The link should be changed to http://www.uvnc.com/pchelpware/download.html

  • Whatif

    Reply Reply May 12, 2009

    This is an entire waste of time.

    5500 port open in router.
    5500 port allowed in firewalls
    public address used
    all prompts followed
    can’t connect!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    It’s crap

    Others work okay like Tight VNC, AAMMY, RDC etc but not this program!!

  • Martyd

    Reply Reply July 5, 2009

    Even for the small price, I think I will stick with GoToAssist to provide support to my clients

    Much simpler to setup and less involved. I was never very happy with the insecurity of VNC connections anyway.

    Thanks for the instructions, at least they worked

  • Matt

    Reply Reply August 25, 2009

    @Martyd: If you have issues with the insecurities of VNc connections, just install ssh server onto the machines, that way when you need to actually do anything with VNC, you can tunnel the VNC connection through SSH. and for added security, you could use a custom SSH port, like I do. Also, use SSH protocol 2, not 1..

  • Burt

    Reply Reply September 11, 2009

    Step 1.5: Download the pchelpware patch and apply it. Unfortunately, there’s no updated download of pchelpware, so you have to do the patching as a separate step.

  • Alex Lutz

    Reply Reply March 16, 2010

    I’m surprised no one has mentioned LOGMEIN.COM – This site is freaking amazing. You can remote control pc’s and pretty much do anything you need. Very easy to setup and its all completely FREE. Check it out! email me with questions for sure. alexinslc [at] gmail [dot] com

  • HyperOptic

    Reply Reply April 17, 2010

    The problem with logmein is that you cannot send an exe. You’ll first need to add all pc’s manaully through to site before you can connect to them.
    And while log me in is great, the problem is that with other programs users need to give permission before you can go in. Gives the user the security of that we need permission to go in.

    I was wondering why nobody would mention Teamviewer.
    Basicly same as VNC, but even easier 🙂

  • Ignas

    Reply Reply July 9, 2010

    Teamviewer.
    No need to open ports, works throu all firewall’s or NAT’s or whatever. You can pass user single executable file, no need to install anything. Simple

  • Apple is shit. Will go for sony

  • Bhupendra Choudhary

    Reply Reply January 31, 2020

    Team viewer also works on the same concept.

  • Alan

    Reply Reply December 30, 2023

    I am still using PCHelpWare.
    12 years running and going strong on Windows 10 as well!

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