Dameware Remote Everywhere vs GoTo LogMeIn

IT departments need remote access tools for a range of purposes but these systems are particularly important for IT support. There are many tools on the market for this function and some of them are free to use. However, not all of them are any good. You might end up lumbering your support staff with a tool that doesn’t always work, that requires them to access other tools on the side, and that creates a security risk by operating over unencrypted connections.

Unfortunately, for managers in charge of software purchasing, even when you narrow down the pool of candidates to comprehensive support tools, there are still quite a few to choose from, so you can’t just Google “the best remote access tool” to complete your assessment task. In this review, we will compare two of the best remote access packages available: Dameware Remote Everywhere and GoTo Rescue.

Just as every business is a little bit different, no two remote support systems are the same, so you will need to look at the features of each of these systems to decide which is the best for your enterprise.

Remote Access Systems

Remote access provides two functions. One is to get at the operating system or Desktop of a computer without having to go and physically sit in front of it and the other is to show a user a solution to a problem by actually moving the cursor on their screen as they watch. That second category is known as “remote control” but most buyers of remote access software expect to get that function included.

Dameware Remote Everywhere and GoTo Rescue are two packages that are constructed for use by support technicians. The two systems are remarkably similar and you will find the task of choosing between them difficult.

Dameware Remote Everywhere Product Highlights (FREE TRIAL)

SolarWinds Dameware Remote Everywhere - Secrets Vault

Dameware was originally an independent company and it was bought by SolarWinds in 2011. After 11 years, the original package has been thoroughly redeveloped – Solarwinds is very good at investing in maintaining and improving its products.

There are three Dameware products. Businesses seeking on-premises solutions should examine Dameware Mini Remote Control and Dameware Remote Support. The third package offered by the division is called Dameware Remote Everywhere. This is a SaaS platform.

Dameware Remote Everywhere is a hybrid system. Both the technician console and the remote device agent need to be installed. All traffic channels through the Dameware cloud platform and this server also gathers activity information and hosts the management console. All communications, including browser access to the management console, are encrypted.

Key Information

  • Hybrid package
  • Two modes that access managed devices or user-owned computers
  • Offers both unattended remote access and remote control
  • Team management services

The Dameware Remote Everywhere system includes a basic ticketing system. This provides a portal for user-initiated contact and also routes and tracks tickets. If you want better ticketing services, you can integrate the Dameware system with a Service Desk tool.

Pros:

  • A user self-enrollment portal that provides device agent downloads
  • Password distribution, session monitoring, and automated timesheet generation
  • Integrated chat and video chat for communication with users

Cons:

  • Doesn’t offer a full Help Desk website

You can test out Dameware Remote Everywhere completely free through a 14-day trial.

Dameware Remote Everywhere Download a 14-day Free Trial

GoTo Rescue Product Highlights

GoTo Rescue

LogMeIn started operations in 2003 in Budapest, Hungary. It now has its headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts and  specializes in remote access systems and has a range of technician tools on offer with GoTo Rescue as its main Help Desk remote support system.

LogMeIn merged with GoTo, formerly a Citrix division, in 2017. However, the LogMeIn company name represented the combined business until 2022 when LogMeIn rebranded to GoTo.

The architecture of GoTo Rescue is very similar to that of Dameware Remote Everywhere. The package provides a technician console, which can be installed or accessed on the GoTo server through a Web browser. The remote device that is to be accessed requires an agent installed on it. All connections run through the GoTo server.

Key Information

  • On-device or Web-based technician’s console
  • Secure connections run through the LogMeIn cloud server
  • Supports mobile devices
  • Web link invitations

GoTo Rescue can be integrated into your own Website, enabling users to initiate contact. There is a parallel chat system available that enables technicians to guide the user through the agent installation process.

Pros:

  • Integrate support links into your own site
  • Unattended access possible
  • User support includes a chat facility

Cons:

  • No device agent for Linux

Feature Comparison

FeatureDameware Remote AnywhereGoTo LogMeIn Rescue
DeploymentCloudCloud
Connection appOn-deviceOn-device or browser-based
Password lockerYesNo
User session permissionYesYes
Remote accessYesYes
Wake-on-LANYesYes
Remote controlYesYes
Session loggingYesYes
Session recordingYesYes
Chat with usersVoice, text, and videoText
Ticketing systemYesYes
Service Desk integrationYesYes
Mobile device accessYesYes
Two factor authenticationYesYes
Connection securityAES-256AES-256
Browser-based connectionsYesYes
User portal for external customersYesLink generation

Dameware Remote Everywhere vs GoTo Rescue Head-to-Head

Operating Procedures

Both Dameware Remote Everywhere and GoTo Rescue are cloud-mediated systems that require the technician console to be downloaded onto a device. The remote device being accessed needs an agent installed on it. Both systems can implement Wake-on-LAN to commence unattended access but in both cases, the device already needs to have an agent installed on it for that operation to work.

For user support, the remote device user needs to contact the Help Desk in some way to initiate a support session. This can be done through a ticketing service in a user portal that is available with Dameware Remote Everywhere. Businesses using LogMeIn need to integrate the ticket-raising API into their own websites.

With both systems, there is an Administrator Console where technician accounts need to be set up. In the case of LogMeIn, you create Technician Groups and then link your support screen form to a specific group. This will route the demand for assistance to a specific group. Dameware has a ticket routing service, but those routes need to be set up.

Once a technician is available, the technician contacts the user. In the case of Dameware, the user is given a link to the portal where the device agent can be downloaded and also a support code. The user installs the support app and then enters the code into the interface to grant access to the technician then the support session can begin.

With GoTo LogMeIn Rescue, the technician generates a URL and sends that to the user. Clicking on the URL downloads the device agent with the session code already loaded into it.

Management Features

Dameware Remote Everywhere provides a credentials management system with a password locker that instantiates passwords for remote systems and applications so that technicians never learn them.

Until recently, LastPass was part of the LogMeIn/GoTo conglomerate. The LastPass system has now been spun off as an independent company. However, the password locker service is still operating in partnership with GoTo and it provides password distribution services for the GoTo Rescue system – this is a paid add-on, however.

Both Dameware Remote Everywhere and GoTo Rescue channel all traffic through the respective service’s cloud platform, and all of that activity is logged. The data of these sessions is available for viewing and reporting in the management console. In the case of Dameware, this data automatically transfers into a time-sheet system. You would have to write that reporting function yourself with the GoTo service. Both systems provide session video recording.

One duty for the administrator in both systems is to set up ticket routing algorithms. This feature has greater capabilities in the Dameware service. However, even there, this isn’t the best ticket management system you could buy. Users of both systems would be advised to integrate the package with a more thorough Service Desk tool. Both systems can also be connected to CRM packages.

Technician Features

The GoTo Rescue technician crowds in a lot of features very well. It enables multiple sessions to be maintained simultaneously through a tabbed interface and technicians can connect with remote access or remote control with the click of a button.

The console gives a report of system information upon the establishment of a connection and also provides a script launcher and a reboot command. The interface provides a File Management utility that includes a file transfer feature and there is also an option to start recording the session.

The Dameware Remote Everywhere technician console fills the technician’s screen with a view of the remote computer’s desktop. A thin menu bar at the top of the screen gives access to all of the utilities of the system, such as file management, a connection status readout, and a system information report for the remote device. The technician can open a chat window for text and video chat and there is also the option to start a VoIP call.

OS Support

Operating system compatibility is one area in which the Dameware system pulls ahead of GoTo Rescue. The Dameware Remote Everywhere technician console can be installed on Windows, macOS, and Linux and can get remote access and remote control for the same operating system. The Dameware package includes the ability to get a remote view of the screens of mobile devices.

The technician console of GoTo Rescue is available for Windows and macOS and device agents can only be installed on Windows and macOS. There is a Mobile Device Management module to access iOS and Android for an extra fee.

Support

SolarWinds provides business hour telephone support, email responses, and a ticketing system. There is also a SolarWinds user community called Thwack. SolarWinds also operates a knowledge base for Dameware that includes user guides.

GoTo also has a user community that offers tips and tricks. The support subdomain of the GoTo website starts with a searchable list of FAQs. These guides are also the gateway to contact the support technicians, your choice of FAQs question tells the system which support team your request should be channeled to. Contact with a support technician can be by phone, email, or ticket.

Cost

Dameware Remote Everywhere is levied per connected technician and the rate lowers with larger multi-license purchases. You can install the technician console on as many devices as you like and there is no limit to the number of technician accounts that you can set up on the system. The price points refer to the number of technicians that can be in an active session at any one time. The prices are:

Concurrent TechniciansEndpointsPrice Per License
1 to 5500 per license$ 540 per user per year
6 to 10500 per license$ 515 per user per year
11 to 15500 per license$ 490 per user per year
16 to 25500 per license$ 465 per user per year
26 to 50500 per license$ 440 per user per year
51 to 100500 per license$ 420 per user per year
100 +500 per license$ 400 per user per year

Dameware Remote Everywhere is offered on a 14-day free trial.

GoTo Rescue is also available for a 14-day free trial. The package is priced at $1,299 per year, which is $108.25 per month – you have to pay for the service annually. The Mobile Device Management add-on costs $450 per year ($37.50 per month). Those prices are per technician.

Dameware Remote Everywhere vs. GoTo Rescue: the Verdict

The deciding factor in your purchasing decision when choosing between Dameware Remote Everywhere and GoTo Rescue might be the factor that we covered in our last assessment section: price. The Dameware system is a lot cheaper than GoTo and it can support Linux, which isn’t possible with GoTo Rescue, however it is planned for inclusion in Q2 of 2023.

To make your own comparison, take advantage of the 14-day free trial that each of these tools offers.