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A Quick Look at Remote Support Programs:  Mikogo
(Click any image for full-size screenshot.)
Mikogo Portable is free for personal use and does not require installation. The Helper will use mikogo-host while the Client can use either mikogo-viewer (see below) or mikogo-host.

To join a session, the person receiving help does not need to have an account. To host a session, however, the person providing help will need to have a Mikogo account.


HELPER:

Person providing help (henceforth referred to as "Helper") launches the Mikogo-host program. You need a Mikogo account to host a session, so create an account and login to the program with your credentials.


HELPER:

If "Start Session" box is not showing, click "On/Off" button on menu bar to show "Start Session" box.


HELPER:

Change "Standard Profile" to "Support", then click "Start Session" button.


HELPER:

Change Viewing Direction to "View & Control", and click "OK".


HELPER:

Wait for Mikogo to establish a Session ID, which Helper will then relay to Client.


CLIENT:

Meanwhile, person receiving help (henceforth referred to as "Client") launches Mikogo-viewer. If Mikogo dispays an alert about a new version, click "Cancel" to ignore.


CLIENT:

Wait for Mikogo-viewer to show a blank "Join Session" box.


CLIENT:

Client gets Session ID from Helper and enters it into the "Session ID" box, then clicks the "Join Session" button.


CLIENT:

Mikogo will warn Client that she will be permitting remote control of her computer. Client must click "Yes" to continue.



Helper can now see Client's screen in a window on Helper's screen. Both Helper and Client now have simultaneous control of Client's mouse and keyboard, and both can see what each other is doing on Client's screen.

The Mikogo session control window will identify which computer is presenting its screen for remote control and which computer is able to control the keyboard and mouse.

Note Helper will initially see two session control windows -- one on Helper's screen and one on Client's screen being displayed in the window.

HELPER:
CLIENT:



HELPER:

To send a file, Helper must click the "File Transfer" button in the Helper's session control window. Locate the file to be sent in the "Select files" window and click "Open" to send it.


CLIENT:

Client receives a popup to accept the transfer. (Note: Helper can click to accept if he has remote control of the Client's screen.)


CLIENT:

By default, files are downloaded to the Client's "Documents/Mikogo/Files" folder, but can be moved.


HELPER:

Either side can terminate the remote session by clicking the 'X' in the upper right corner of the session control window.


HELPER:

Helper selects "End the session for all".


CLIENT:

Client may close out any remaining windows after the session has ended.

Note Mikogo will add a desktop shortcut, which can be deleted if not wanted.


HELPER:

Helper may also close out any remaining windows.

However, note Mikogo-host will continue running in the System Tray.


HELPER:

To terminate it, user can right-click on the Mikogo icon in the System Tray and select "Exit" from the popup context menu.



* How to download Mikogo-viewer:

Mikogo apparently no longer offers Mikogo-viewer as a stand-alone download. The preferred method now is to go to the Mikogo website and use the "Join Session" link. Note this requires a currently active SessionID, and proceeding will download the current version of Mikogo-viewer to the folder
    C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Mikogo\Viewer\mikogo-viewer.exe
Once this is done successfully, the program will remain after session termination and can be relaunched to join subsequent sessions.

In lieu of Mikogo-viewer, Client can also join a session with Mikogo-host by clicking the "Join Session" button on the Mikogo menu bar. However, note this has the side-effect of leaving Mikogo running in the system tray when the session is terminated.

Mikogo-viewer can be configured to auto-join a session by changing the filename before launching. Renaming syntax is "mikogo-viewer_sessionID_participant__.exe", with two underscores following participant name. Note sessionID is 9 digits only, without dashes.



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last revised: 11/29/2021

Valid HTML5 author: Dan Goodell