Comparison of remote desktop software

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This page is a comparison of remote desktop software available for various platforms.

[edit] Comparison chart

Program	Protocol	License	Client	Server	Java Viewer	Built-in Encryption	File Transfer	Audio Support	Multiple Sessions	Linux	Mac OS X	Microsoft Windows
AnywhereTS	RDP, ICA	Proprietary		X	X	SSL, TLS				X	X
Apple Remote Desktop	RFB(VNC)	Proprietary			X	AES-128		X		X		X
Chicken of the VNC	RFB(VNC)	GPL		X	X	X	X	X	X	X		X
Citrix XenApp	RDP, ICA	Proprietary				SSL, TLS
FreeNX	NX, RDP, RFB(VNC)	GPL	X		X	AES					X	X
jrdesktop	Proprietary	GPL				SSL, TLS		X
GoToMyPC	?	Proprietary				AES-256					Viewer only
I'm InTouch	Proprietary	Proprietary				SSL		X		Viewer only	Viewer only
IBM Director Remote Control	Proprietary	Proprietary				AES, 3DES, DES		X		X	X
KRfb/KRDC	RFB(VNC)	GPL			X	X	X	X	X		X	X
LogMeIn (free)	Propietary	GPL			Don't Know	SSL	X	X	X	SSL	Don't Know
NX Client [1]	NX, RDP, RFB(VNC)	Proprietary		X		Varies
NX Server [2]	NX, RDP, RFB(VNC)	Proprietary	X		X	AES					X	X
Mac OS X 10.5 Screen Sharing	RFB(VNC)	Proprietary			X	AES-128	X	X		X		X
rdesktop	RDP	GPL		X
RealVNC Free	RFB(VNC)	GPL				X	X	X			X
RealVNC Personal	RFB(VNC)	Proprietary				AES-128		X		X	X
RealVNC Enterprise	RFB(VNC)	Proprietary				AES-128		X
Remote Administrator	Proprietary	Proprietary			X	AES-256		X		X	X
Remote Desktop Connection	RDP	Proprietary				Varies				Viewer only	Viewer Only
Remote Graphics Software	Proprietary	Proprietary			Client Only						X
SSH with X forwarding	X11	BSD			X		X	X	[1]		[2]	[2]
Sun Secure Global Desktop Software	AIP	Proprietary				SSL, TLS (AES-256)
Symantec pcAnywhere	Proprietary	Proprietary				AES-256		X
TightVNC	RFB(VNC)	GPL				X		X			Viewer only	[3]
Timbuktu	Proprietary	Proprietary			X					X
UltraVNC	RFB(VNC)	GPL				With plugin		X		X	X	[4]
XDMCP	X11	MIT			X	X	X					X
xrdp	RDP	GPL	X		N/A	?	?	?	?		X	X
X11vnc	RFB(VNC)	GPL	X			SSL		X				X
Program	Protocol	License	Client	Server	Java Viewer	Built-in Encryption	File Transfer	Audio Support	Multiple Sessions	Linux	Mac OS X	Microsoft Windows

[edit] Terminology

In the table above, the following terminology is intended to be used to describe some important features:

• Audio Support: the remote control software transfers audio signals across the network and plays the audio through the speakers attached to the local computer. For example, music playback software normally sends audio signals to the locally-attached speakers, via some sound controller hardware. If the remote control software package supports audio transfer, the playback software can run on the remote computer, while the music can be heard from the local computer, as though the software were running locally.
• Built-in Encryption: the software has at least one method of encrypting the data between the local and remote computers, and the encryption mechanism is built into the remote control software.
• File Transfer: the software allows the user to transfer files between the local and remote computers, from within the client program's user interface.

[edit] Notes