Remote Desktop vs Remote Assistance
Remote desktop bestows the power to you for accessing a machine even when you are not physically present near the machine. You can think of it like accessing a machine from another machine remotely. Say, for example, you want to access your official machine from your home machine. You can do so using remote desktop. You can access all the files and programs remotely, and the working machine would be shut off for any other person while you are connected to it.
Remote assistance is used when you need or you wish to give some assistance remotely. The user has to give administration rights to the helper. Say you face a technical issue in your machine. The technical person whom you contact regularly can access your machine from the confines of his office remotely. This way you as well as the technical person are viewing the same screen. If you share your machine controls, then the technical guy can use your mouse to control your machine.
The description for both remote desktop and remote assistance are almost similar. Both Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 assist them, and they also use the same technology. Both allow you to connect remotely to a computer using either a local or an official network and, at times, even the Internet. But still, there are a few differences between the two:
In remote assistance, the user needs to be present to give access to the machine to the technical person unlike remote desktop.
Remote desktop service is available in Windows XP Professional Edition while remote assistance comes with both Windows XP Professional and Home Editions.
To connect to a remote desktop using Windows OS, click “start.” Then go to “All Programs.” Click on “Accessories.” Then find “Remote Desktop Connection” and click it.
To connect to remote assistance using Windows OS, click “start.” Next, go to “Help and Support.” Finally, “Invite a Friend” to connect for assistance.
Summary:
1.Remote desktop helps you to access a session running on one computer using another computer remotely.
2.Remote assistance is used to get technical help from a helper who is present at a different location than the user.
3.Remote desktop is mostly used by people who work from home or administrators who need to access machines remotely.
4.Remote assistance is given to a user by technical helpers through the chat box.
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