Letting NTS connect to your computer for remote support

Most problems can be fixed without anyone visiting your office. With your permission, we connect to your computer over the internet, see your screen and fix the problem while you watch. This article explains what to expect and how to stay safe.

What you’ll need

• the computer that has the problem, switched on and connected to the internet
• about 15 minutes where you can stay at the computer
• your work saved and closed, if you can, so nothing is lost if we need to restart

Step by step

1. Log a support request, or reply to the one we’ve already started, so there’s a record of what we’re fixing. See “How to log a support request with NTS“.
2. We’ll agree a time with you, usually straight away for urgent problems.
3. We’ll ask you to download RustDesk from rustdesk.com, the free remote support program we use, and open it. On its main window you’ll see an ID and a One Time Password. Read both out to us on the call. We enter them on our side and connect.
4. We’ll tell you when we’re connected. You’ll see the mouse move on your own screen as we work, and we’ll explain what we’re doing.
5. When we’re done, we’ll check that the problem is fixed and end the session together, and you can close RustDesk. We update the ticket with what we did.

If we support you regularly, we may suggest a secure permanent connection between your office and ours, so you don’t need to start a session each time. We’ll explain what it involves and agree it with you first.

Staying safe

Scammers pretend to be IT support, so it’s worth knowing how NTS works:

• We only connect after you’ve asked for help or agreed a time with us.
• We will never phone out of the blue to say your computer has a virus.
• We will never ask for your own passwords, a bank PIN or a code sent to your phone. The only details we ask you to read out are the RustDesk ID and One Time Password, and only when you’ve asked us for help.
• If someone calls claiming to be from NTS and you didn’t ask for help, hang up and call us on 087 147 9243 to check.

If you’re ever unsure, stop and ask. A genuine support person won’t mind.

If it doesn’t work

• The connection won’t start. Check that the computer is online by opening any website. Then tell us exactly what you see on screen, with a screenshot if you can.
• Your computer is too slow or frozen to connect. Hold the power button to restart it, then try again, or call us and we’ll talk you through it.
• We can’t fix it remotely. Some problems need hands-on work, such as a failed hard drive or a damaged cable. We’ll tell you and arrange a visit where that’s possible.