Q: What is the best way to view records and practice information from home or on the road?
A: There are many different ways to remotely log into your office computer network. You must know the IP (Internet Protocol) address of your router. This may be a static or dynamic address. There are free services that will translate your IP address to a name, such as Dynamic DNS.
You will also need to set up Remote Desktop, which is included with Windows XP or Vista. Using this method you can access your office data and images by controlling the server or a workstation in your office. You may need to set up port forwarding with your office router. This is not difficult, but may require contacting your IT professional.
Using Remote Desktop, you can access your information wherever you have Internet access. You are not tied to a computer. You can use your iPhone, Windows Mobile, or Palm smartphone to access both data and images.
Using Remote Desktop Connection is the least secure method of accessing data from outside the office because it does not use an encrypted connection. It uses a user name and password for access. More information is available on the Remote Desktop Connection FAQ.
The most secure way to access your office data is with a connection called a virtual private network (VPN). A VPN can be either hardware- or software-based. A VPN allows computer users to access a network via an IP address other than the one that actually connects their computer to the Internet. The data may or may not be encrypted. Your IT professional can set up a hardware VPN, but you most likely would not be able to use the VPN from a smartphone.
There are also free software VPNs that the average user can install, such as Log Me In or GoToMyPC. You need to download the software to your server or workstation in your office and install it. You then set up a user name and password
GoToMyPC is Web-based remote access software that requires setup only of those computers needing to receive incoming remote access requests. After registering those computers, remote connections are initiated via a Web browser. GoToMyPC strives to be more firewall-friendly than other products through its use of Web protocols.
LogMeIn has a free version and a pro version. LogMeIn.com offers a free remote access system for personal use. LogMeIn Free supports desktop remote control that works across firewalls. Upgrade to the pro version to get remote file transfer and printing capabilities.
Because there are so many ways to get to your dental data from remote locations, you should consult your IT professional to determine what is most optimum for you.
Martin Jablow, D.M.D., is a practicing dentist and a self-professed technophile who lectures and blogs on a variety of technologies used in dentistry (dentechblog.blogspot.com). If you have a technology question for Dr. Jablow, e-mail it to us at [email protected]. If we use your question, you'll receive a $10 gift card from Amazon or Starbucks!
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