Need MAS90 remote Access in 2020

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Hello,

I'm not familiar with MAS90 but  my company is very small and working on an old version of MAS90 for Windows. Is there a way to remote access from a laptop at home? A previous employee was able to dial in several years ago, but we don't use dial up anymore so looking for help with this. Any info in laymans terms? With a child going to virtual learning, I will need to access billing and customer maintenance functions from home. We are looking to upgrade to the newest version of Sage, but unfortunately, it didn't come soon enough with this pandemic.

  • 0

    If your IT people can set up remote network access using a VPN it will be super slow, unless you use the VPN to connect with an office machine as a remote desktop. 

    If you don't have resources to make that work your best bet is to set up screen sharing software (GoToAssist, TeamViewer...) on an office workstation and connect to that from home (using the screen sharing software).  Then the laptop is just like monitor / keyboard / mouse, and it will be as if you were sitting at that office workstation.

  • 0 in reply to Kevin M

    So my terminal at the office would be running, and I could connect from home and have capability to navigate through the screens? We own the old version of MAS90, so we don't really have tech support offsite. Would a program like GoToAssist still be able to access our network? Just trying to see if this is even feasible. We don't have much in the way of IT, which is why this has become an issue. Keeping everything in house has proven to set us back. We will be leasing Sage for upgrades in the near future.

  • 0 in reply to Jackie Frey
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    If your office machine is powered on, not sleeping / hibernating, and properly configured with screen sharing software, yes.  The screen sharing software connects "out" not "in" so there is no extra IT configuration involved.  (Incoming connection requests are a different thing, and something IT needs to configure).

    We use GoToAssist, and I have an "unattended" session configured on my office PC.  This way I can connect from anywhere, with all the programs on my office PC being fully functional.  Other options (like TeamViewer) work the same way... I am not endorsing any specific screen sharing software, just saying what we use.

    Sage 100 does not offer true "software as a service" but you can run it in a data center for a similar effect.  One Sage server and one user Terminal Server.  That way it doesn't matter whether you are working in the office or from home.  Everything is the same (with the data center IT helping with any connection issues, data backups...).

  • 0 in reply to Jackie Frey

    I use TeamViewer to connect to my office computer from home all the time with no issues.  I have a client that uses GoToAssist when they need me to connect to their system to help.  Have another client use something called "Splashtop" and another uses "Logmein" all work well.

  • 0 in reply to Kevin M

    Would this screen sharing software work with Windows 98....2nd Edition 4.10.2222? Guess I need to reach out to GoToAssist for this question? By all means, please give me your feedback and thank you.

  • 0 in reply to Jackie Frey
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    Hope I'm not stepping on anyone's toes. Just throwing info out.

    I agree with Kevin, using a vpn is a dead end, if your Sage Software is installed on the Windows 98 pc, and you expect to connect to a server running Sage.

    We use Remote Desktop.(which requires the IT configuration Keven refers to). Those configuration pieces include logging onto your router, and setting up a port to run the connection thru, and pointing that port to the specific pc/server running Mas90.

    You'll need a static IP service at the location MAS90 is running. A static ip service is something your internet provider will configure (and probably charge you an additional fee per month). Bottom line is a remote desktop connection requires a known ip address to connect.

    There are options like Dynamic DNS:

    https://www.ionos.com/digitalguide/server/tools/free-dynamic-dns-providers-an-overview/

    There are several others, I don't recommend or associate with any of them, just trying to educate here.

    I'm not familiar with the printing side of GoToAssist..but locally installed printers (those in your home or remote office can be "redirected" and used as part of a standard RDP (Remote Desktop) connection.

    Keep in mind the Remote Desktop client has been upgraded to support Network Level Authentication

    many times since Windows 98, and for that matter Windows XP.

    You can also use a mac client using Jump Desktop.

  • 0 in reply to sevendogzero

    Printing through GTA is non-existent.  When I need to print something I print to PDF, transfer the PDF through GTA's file transfer feature, then print the transferred PDF locally.  Screen sharing is not as full featured as a full remote desktop, but it is much easier to configure.

    Screen sharing services do not require static IP / dynamic DNS... they "dial home" to the service provider, and you "find" the office PC through that connection.  This bypasses all the IT configuration stuff.  We use GTA for customers without sophisticated IT, when we need to work on an upgrade (reboot and reconnect...) and a full Remote Desktop connection (with VPN) is not possible.

    I have no idea if you'll find anything that works with Win98.  I imagine everything modern would not run on that 20+ year old 16-bit operating system.

    Good luck!