Windows 7: Easy Connect overview

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So far, in our Windows 7 Overview series, we have published the following:

Over the next few weeks we will be adding many more focus items on Windows 7 including Touch, Windows 7 networking and media enhancements. Stay tuned for the ultimate Windows 7 focus from Neowin.net. Here is an overview of Easy Connect in Windows 7.

EasyConnect
There are times when we need help from others to solve certain computer problems and in the same way you would like to offer your help to someone who needs help. With Easy Connect in Windows 7, offering help or getting help is just a few clicks away!

To access Easy Connect, type Troubleshooting in the Start Menu and then select Get Help from someone you trust

You would now get the option to offer your help to someone or get help from someone. Choose the option depending on your need.

Invite Someone
There are two options to choose from if you want to help from others:

Use the Invitation File
Use Easy Connect

You can create an invitation and invite your helper using that invitation or you can use Easy Connect. Easy Connect is the easiest of both which just requires you to create a password which can then be shared with your helper to connect to your machine.

Choosing Easy Connect will start listening for incoming connections and also creates a unique password for your session. You can send this password to your helper. The helper would use this password to connect to your remote session.

You need to save your invitation file if you choose the invitation method and send the invitation file to your helper along with the session password.

Offer help to someone

Choosing to help someone would require you to connect to their remote session using the Easy Connect password or using the invitation file.

As seen before, Easy Connect is the easiest as it just requires only a password!

Once connected, you get the remote session on your screen!

You can now choose to request control or chat and offer your help to your friend.

#1 skynetXrules on 11 Jan 2009 - 15:21

nice review

thanks

(2 replies) #2 DomZ on 11 Jan 2009 - 16:12

This should be posted as one main article when all the sections are finished

#2.1 creamhackered on 11 Jan 2009 - 16:14

That it shall

#2.2 este on 11 Jan 2009 - 19:04

How many more sections are to be done?
Nice review here btw

(2 replies) #3 Marc Podito on 11 Jan 2009 - 16:37

is this between windows 7 pc's only?

#3.1 Tikitiki on 11 Jan 2009 - 18:15

Marc Podito said,

Probably, but I'd assume will be ports for Windows XP and Vista down the line

#3.2 Marc Podito on 11 Jan 2009 - 19:17

Tikitiki said,

if not then the use of this application will be scarce considering it will take time to build up real-users of this version of Windows.

(1 reply) #4 Izlude on 11 Jan 2009 - 17:20

this looks simple enough. i've never used the remote assistance tool in xp or vista, but SHOULD because my thai gal pal is always having trouble. so basically that file invitation thingy does all the work for you? (sets you up) and all ya gotta do is enter that there password?

yeah, i know the XP and Vista one are easy too, but she is SO hard to talk to sometimes to try to get to follow directions.

#4.1 Mike Frett on 12 Jan 2009 - 01:43

Hope you didn't find her on one of those pay cam sites, those men/women are scammers

#5 billyea on 11 Jan 2009 - 17:51

Very similar to TeamViewer.
Which in turn is somewhat similar to Bluetooth pairing, with its passkeys and such.

#6 Tikitiki on 11 Jan 2009 - 18:14

very cool... Now I don't have to drive over to my grandmothers house every time she has a problem with her computer

#7 georgevella on 11 Jan 2009 - 19:07

functionality wise (except the password thingy, i don't remember having to give a password to the "helper" in xp) its like the Remote Assistance tool in XP (havent' used Vista's, but probably its the same).

#8 PROGAME on 11 Jan 2009 - 20:56

I really enjoy the overviews (as i am too lazy to beta test 7 right now)
Thanks

#9 +vlsi0n on 12 Jan 2009 - 01:45

They took their program "Shared View" and integrated it into the OS. Very nice!

(1 reply) #10 HalfBrian on 14 Jan 2009 - 04:08

Anyone know if this works better with routers than with the Remote Desktop in XP/Vista?

#10.1 quick on 14 Jan 2009 - 17:16

HalfBrian said,

It looks like the same format as teamviewer, which goes right through firewalls/routers/VPN etc... it uses just an temporary ID and password, no IP address to find you. The ID is setup through some Microsoft server of some kind which will route the other person to your PC kind of like a temporary dynamic host name. I believe it uses port 80 ie. http/web routing if you know what I mean.

This is how the teamviewer software works, Easy Connect may not be exactly the same though.

#11 goodygumdrops on 15 Jan 2009 - 11:07

Can multiple people connect to the person that sends the invite like in Mikogo?

#12 Youngy on 07 Nov 2009 - 20:02

Same as 'Remote Assistance' in Vista/XP. Although that never worked when both parties behind NAT, wonder if this does?

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Windows 7: Easy Connect overview

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