How to use Remote Desktop Assistance from my XP to another Vista?

I'm trying to remotely support my father on his new Vista machine. I am on
XP. I tried to have him "request remote assistance" within Windows Live
Messenger, which prompts me to ACCEPT the invitation, and then in the
connection process something errors out.

I read around that there were issues connection from XP to Vista (but not
the other way around).

Are there any solutions for this?

Greetings,

More than likely it's probably due to a firewall or router that he's using which does not
support Universal Plug and Play (UPnP). Without UPnP support in said situations, Remote
Assistance will simply not function.

--
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Live Messenger/MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com
All posts unless otherwise specified are (c) 2007 Jonathan Kay.
You *must* contact me for redistribution rights.
--


"acho123" <> wrote in message
news:7B130F7B-8916-4E54-B4A8-...
> I'm trying to remotely support my father on his new Vista machine. I am on
> XP. I tried to have him "request remote assistance" within Windows Live
> Messenger, which prompts me to ACCEPT the invitation, and then in the
> connection process something errors out.
>
> I read around that there were issues connection from XP to Vista (but not
> the other way around).
>
> Are there any solutions for this?
>
>

Thanks for the quick reply. First, does that mean assuming that we can work
around the firewall/router issue we can get XP to remotely support a Vista
machine? I had caught some threads elsewhere which stated it only worked in
the reverse. Just wanting to make sure.

Secondly, then, if I disable the firewall on the Vista machine I should be
able to make this work? Any other tips?

Thanks.

"Jonathan Kay [MVP]" wrote:

> Greetings,
>
> More than likely it's probably due to a firewall or router that he's using which does not
> support Universal Plug and Play (UPnP). Without UPnP support in said situations, Remote
> Assistance will simply not function.
>
> --
> Jonathan Kay
> Microsoft MVP - Windows Live Messenger/MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
> Associate Expert
> http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
> Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com
> All posts unless otherwise specified are (c) 2007 Jonathan Kay.
> You *must* contact me for redistribution rights.
> --
>
>
> "acho123" <> wrote in message
> news:7B130F7B-8916-4E54-B4A8-...
> > I'm trying to remotely support my father on his new Vista machine. I am on
> > XP. I tried to have him "request remote assistance" within Windows Live
> > Messenger, which prompts me to ACCEPT the invitation, and then in the
> > connection process something errors out.
> >
> > I read around that there were issues connection from XP to Vista (but not
> > the other way around).
> >
> > Are there any solutions for this?
> >
> >
>

Hi,

XP and Vista Remote Assistance are backwards compatible assuming that you're using the
'Request Remote Assistance' as the 'Offer Remote Assistance' will not work as XP doesn't have
that function.

Also, the latest 8.5 beta has a bug which prevents this scenario from working, 8.1 should be
fine however.

The built-in firewalls in Windows should be fine as long you click Allow when prompted. The
biggest issues is routers or modems acting like routers (like ones used by many DSL
companies) which don't have UPnP support.

--
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Live Messenger/MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com
All posts unless otherwise specified are (c) 2007 Jonathan Kay.
You *must* contact me for redistribution rights.
--


"acho123" <> wrote in message
news:783E7169-6BBF-4C7B-8068-...
> Thanks for the quick reply. First, does that mean assuming that we can work
> around the firewall/router issue we can get XP to remotely support a Vista
> machine? I had caught some threads elsewhere which stated it only worked in
> the reverse. Just wanting to make sure.
>
> Secondly, then, if I disable the firewall on the Vista machine I should be
> able to make this work? Any other tips?
>
> Thanks.
>
> "Jonathan Kay [MVP]" wrote:
>
>> Greetings,
>>
>> More than likely it's probably due to a firewall or router that he's using which does not
>> support Universal Plug and Play (UPnP). Without UPnP support in said situations, Remote
>> Assistance will simply not function.
>>
>> --
>> Jonathan Kay
>> Microsoft MVP - Windows Live Messenger/MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
>> Associate Expert
>> http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
>> Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com
>> All posts unless otherwise specified are (c) 2007 Jonathan Kay.
>> You *must* contact me for redistribution rights.
>> --
>>
>>
>> "acho123" <> wrote in message
>> news:7B130F7B-8916-4E54-B4A8-...
>> > I'm trying to remotely support my father on his new Vista machine. I am on
>> > XP. I tried to have him "request remote assistance" within Windows Live
>> > Messenger, which prompts me to ACCEPT the invitation, and then in the
>> > connection process something errors out.
>> >
>> > I read around that there were issues connection from XP to Vista (but not
>> > the other way around).
>> >
>> > Are there any solutions for this?
>> >
>> >
>>

"Jonathan Kay [MVP]" <> wrote in message
news:B78467A7-8A86-40CA-BDB6-...
> Hi,
>
> XP and Vista Remote Assistance are backwards compatible assuming that
> you're using the 'Request Remote Assistance' as the 'Offer Remote
> Assistance' will not work as XP doesn't have that function.
>

This is not correct - XP does have the "Offer Remote Assistance" function:

Start -> Help & Support -> Use tools.... -> Offer Remote assistance

Regards

Hi,

Yes, sort of, but it's completely differently and not relevant to this conversation or
Messenger.

That functionality is only available when in a domain environment and is -not- available in
Messenger itself.

--
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Live Messenger/MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com
All posts unless otherwise specified are (c) 2007 Jonathan Kay.
You *must* contact me for redistribution rights.
--


"Keyser Soze" <> wrote in message
news:#...
>
> "Jonathan Kay [MVP]" <> wrote in message
> news:B78467A7-8A86-40CA-BDB6-...
>> Hi,
>>
>> XP and Vista Remote Assistance are backwards compatible assuming that you're using the
>> 'Request Remote Assistance' as the 'Offer Remote Assistance' will not work as XP doesn't
>> have that function.
>>
>
> This is not correct - XP does have the "Offer Remote Assistance" function:
>
> Start -> Help & Support -> Use tools.... -> Offer Remote assistance
>
> Regards

Jonathan,
Are there any workarounds then that I can use? My father has a Wind River
Westell 6100 DSL modem, and I'm assuming the issue is as you state. I
disabled all firewalls to check and doesn't work.



"Jonathan Kay [MVP]" wrote:

> Hi,
>
> Yes, sort of, but it's completely differently and not relevant to this conversation or
> Messenger.
>
> That functionality is only available when in a domain environment and is -not- available in
> Messenger itself.
>
> --
> Jonathan Kay
> Microsoft MVP - Windows Live Messenger/MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
> Associate Expert
> http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
> Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com
> All posts unless otherwise specified are (c) 2007 Jonathan Kay.
> You *must* contact me for redistribution rights.
> --
>
>
> "Keyser Soze" <> wrote in message
> news:#...
> >
> > "Jonathan Kay [MVP]" <> wrote in message
> > news:B78467A7-8A86-40CA-BDB6-...
> >> Hi,
> >>
> >> XP and Vista Remote Assistance are backwards compatible assuming that you're using the
> >> 'Request Remote Assistance' as the 'Offer Remote Assistance' will not work as XP doesn't
> >> have that function.
> >>
> >
> > This is not correct - XP does have the "Offer Remote Assistance" function:
> >
> > Start -> Help & Support -> Use tools.... -> Offer Remote assistance
> >
> > Regards
>
>