How do I Authenticate my Session?
Whenever you connect to a computer running the remote host software, you must authenticate yourself to the host, that is, the target computer. That means you need to prove that you have the right to use the remote (host) computer by entering a user name and password that the computer recognizes. Do not enter your LogMeIn ID and password. This will result in Error 1326 or Error 5 (incorrect user name and password).
- Having trouble resetting your account password? - Check out our Reset Password FAQs.
- Do you need to change your Windows password? - On many Windows computers you can press Ctrl+Alt+Del, and then click Change a password. If your computer uses a Microsoft account for Windows login (Windows 8 and above), follow these instructions from Microsoft.
- Don't know your computer user name? - Learn how to find it here: Why can't I log in to my computer? (error 5 / 1326 / 1327 / Login failed.)
- You don't need a password or passcode to sign in to your remote computer? - Then you must set up a Computer Access Code, also known as "computer passcode". See What if I don't have a user on my computer?
- You either have a user set up on your computer and you have to enter your login credentials to log in to your computer.
- When you switch on your computer, you can use it without first seeing a login screen.
I have a user on my computer. So which user name and password do I enter?
Most computers with multiple users or on a corporate network require you to authenticate in this way. For example, on a Windows PC you are typically forced to press Ctrl-Alt-Delete and enter your user name and password. When connecting via LogMeIn Central to such a computer, you will be asked to enter the same user name and password you use when logging in locally.
What if I don't have a user on my computer?
On some computers you may be prompted to enter a Computer Access Code, also known as "computer passcode". Usually you are prompted to create a Computer Access Code when you install the host software to a remote computer that is not configured to require a Windows or Mac user name and password (when you start the computer, it is ready to go without entering a password). The Computer Access Code gives you assurance that only people who know the special code can access your remote computer.
What's the difference between a host and a client?
To begin with, you need to understand the difference between the two main actors of a remote control session: the host and the client.
The host is the remote computer that you want to access from wherever you are. It is called a 'host', because it hosts a tiny app that is responsible for establishing a secure channel between the remote computer and the one that you want to connect from; presumably the computer right in front of you.
The client is the computer that you use to connect to your remote host. Basically, it is the computer that you're sitting in front of. In LogMeIn Pro and LogMeIn Central, virtually any computer with Internet access can act as a client. It does not matter where you are in the world; as long as you have a computer that's connected to the Internet, you can access a remote host - provided that the host is also connected to the Internet.
Here's an example: You go on a trip with friends and you suddenly remember that you forgot to send a report from your office computer to your boss. Happens to the best of us, right? Now, being a person who can't live without gadgets, you have your laptop with you and decide to use that to access your office computer. In this case, your laptop acts as the client: you go to LogMeIn.com and sign in to your LogMeIn account. That's where you see all your remote hosts, including your office computer. In your LogMeIn account, select your office computer and start a remote control session. During remote control, you can use your computer in the office as if you were sitting in front of it. That's it. Report sent, humanity saved.
Before you start
- Physically go to computer that you want to access.
- At LogMeIn.com, sign in to your LogMeIn account.
- In the top-left corner, Add the computer to your account.
This will download and install - also known as 'deploy' - the host application to the computer, making it remotely accessible later on.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Wait. Did you just use the remote computer as a 'client'? Isn't the remote computer the 'host'?
- Well, yes, but no. The computer you want to access is always the host, but any computer with Internet access can act as a client, even the host. Theoretically, you can use the host as a client to access the host. But that wouldn't make much sense, since you would remote control the computer that you're already sitting in front of. The important thing is that the host is always a remote computer that you want to access and it must have a host application installed. The client can be any (other) computer where you sign in to your LogMeIn account. From there, you can access your remote host. The only time it makes sense to log in to your LogMeIn account on the host is when you install - or deploy - the host software to that specific computer.
- Are there any software or hardware requirements for the host and the client?
- Yes.
About 'client' passwords
Now that you understand the difference between a host and a client, let's see how to log in to these computers.
- Go to LogMeIn.com and sign in to your LogMeIn account.
Remember: This is you LogMeIn account we are talking about. Your need your email address and password that you used to create your LogMeIn account. It has nothing to do with the password that you use to log in to a computer.
- Use a standalone client app to access your LogMeIn account.
The difference between the two methods is that the first is web-based, that is, you only need a browser to access your LogMeIn account. The other one needs you to install yet another app to sign in to your LogMeIn account, but in return, it provides a very clean layout of your account and you can also install this app on iOS and Android devices. Notice that a clean layout also means reduced functionality, but for remote control or file manager operations, it will do just fine.
About host passwords
The host password is the one that you use to log in to your remote host while sitting in front of that computer. Imagine that you are sitting at your office computer. Typically, you would make sure your user name is correct and type your office computer password to sign in. Now, this is exactly what you have to do when you use LogMeIn to access a remote computer. In your LogMeIn account, you can select the host you want to connect to and LogMeIn will ask you for your computer user name and password. Again, this is no longer your LogMeIn account password we are talking about; you have already used that to list your available remote hosts. What you need are your very own credentials to access your remote computer.
Say, you have a Windows computer in your office. When you turn it on, you have to sign in to your computer with your Windows credentials. Now, those are the credentials that you have to enter when you try to access your office computer from your LogMeIn account. Notice that when your office computer is on a network, your user name also includes the network's name. For example, if your user name is jsmith and the computer is on a network, called mycompany, then your full user name is mycompany\jsmith. There's a really good article that describes how to retrieve your Windows user name whether your device is on a network or not.