How do I use Outlook on two different computers?
 

Not even sure what to ask, but what is the best way to do this?:

I have my office PC, which I use most of the time, will do work on it when at home, and serves me well but isn't mobile. So I just got a laptop (showed up a couple of hours ago), hoorah, mobility of data.

How is the best way to sync my stuff, I guess not just outlook, but music, proposals, spreadsheets, etc? There must be an easy way to do this!

I plan to use the laptop when on the road and want to be able to be working on many files on the office PC and then continue working on those files on the road. Also need to use email and not go between both computers searching for correspondence from a week ago.

what can I do to make this work?

to avoid confusion - my office is at home - (1)desktop and (1)laptop

use the laptop only.
as far as I know you can only use it on one PC effectively.
You can try using your Blackberry to port info, but I've no success trying to us outlook on 2 pc's. You'll get half your emails on one and half on the other.

Maybe try a web-based service?

I'm no expert fwiw.

maybe sugarsync? https://www.sugarsync.com/

you can also use a hosted exchange server for your Outlook emails. A cheaper alternative is to simply set your Outlook to leave the emails on the POP server when you check them.

You need to establish a "remote connection" to your office PC, then it would be just as if you were sitting in front of it. Are you doing this totally on your own, or does your co have support that can assist you?

edited...oops, I missed this about your "home office". Still, since it's not just mail, but file access you desire, you need what I suggested.

Is this where 'office live' might work?


Sure wish I could just hire somebody to figure this out... but since I have trouble making payroll with just me on it right now...

That's your answer.

Think about the steps.

Mail is sent from A (sender) to B (your mailbox) and is retrieved by C (your computer)

You can point as many computers at B as you like.

Just set Outlook preferences on all computers to "Leave a copy on the server".

You can even set how long the copy stays, 3 days, 30 days, forever, until deleted etc...

I can check my e-mail from any computer in my office.

You must have an Exchange server set up (not running Outlook as a stand-alone).

Beyond that, I don't know what the settings need to be.

Whoa whoa whoa Miss Lippy, I have a website, not sure how much space I have, but couldn't I upload stuff to my website and then download as needed to my laptop?

I think the 'leave mail on the server' option is best for my Outlook dilemma

I still think that a "remote connection" is a single solution that solves all of your requirements (without the potential for getting files, spreadsheets, etc. "out of sync"). I've personally never used gotomypc (maybe someone else can vouch for it), but that's the right concept. If you attempt to manually upload/download, trust me, one of these days you'll screw up the "juggling of files" and overlay your efforts on the "other pc". Just my .02...

Keith, you know me well.

Does anyone have cheaper alternatives to gotomypc? Isn't there something built into Vista or Office2007 like this?

Back when I was employed :)...I used the built in function of Windows for remote pc connections, but you will still need a way to access the pc if you're not on "the network" (I used a broadband VPN connection for that). Maybe someone else can offer alternatives...I didn't even look at the cost of gotomypc (is it pricey?), and another question, is the info proprietary (i.e. is security an issue)?

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-us/help/f55326fa-e629-423b-abba-b30f76cc61e61033.mspx

I think I can do a VPN as I have Vista Premium and think that was one of the 'premium' features. And I do have a broadband connection for the desktop.

I'm not a computer geek (but I do learn fast) so I'm not sure I know what I'm saying

gotomypc is $20 a month which is big money (to me) for a convenience that I've survived without.

Security isn't really an issue, I don't think so anyway. Not that I'd like to hand the info to my competitors...

Dump Outlook!

Set yourself with a Google G-Mail account and use all the features you're probably used to using in Outlook. Contacts, Calendars, Tasks, etc. You can access this from ANY computer...even the ones down at the local city library! :D

As for accessing your files, pick yourself up a Seagate FreeAgent Go and simply store everything to that.

Randy

That would be perfect except that my host computer runs Vista Premium which for some reason isn't allowed. I'm going to keep looking into that though, it is essentially gotomypc for free.

That's a great link for info, but one still has to be "on the same network" for a remote desktop connectoin to work via the Internet (VPN is one solution), and gotomypc seems to be another alternative. I didn't go far enough into their site to see the $...anyone know how much?

What is your home connection? DSL- dynamic I.P. or static... Cable...

If dynamic DSL or cable you can setup a free account at Dyndns.org, here you can create a "domain" name that will always be attached to the revolving I.P. addresses (dynamic). You have to setup your home router (Linksys, Dlink...) to update the I.P. info to the Dyndns account and about once a month, they will send an email with a link to keep the account active (free service).

You would also need to have the router forward the RDP port (3389) to one computer. Once this is done, you should be able to log into your home computer- also needs to be setup to allow remote connections. Quick and dirty, but with minimal security.

How to enable RDP in Vista:

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/turn-on-remote-desktop-in-windows-vista/

EDIT: Here's a link that talks about how to enable RDP in Premium.
http://portal.tonychan.org/Default.aspx?tabid=58&EntryID=123

Missed the needing to work on files thing.

Just use the laptop as your primary machine.

When home plug you monitor keyboard into it and enjoy the extra display space.

If you are doing standard office stuff Word, excell, Mail etc... none of it is taxing for a laptop.

I have been using laptops almost exclusively for 5-6 years.

I keep desktops at home and in the office and only fire them up when I need to work on several different projects simultaneously otherwise it's all on my laptop.

What Dave said, that is how I set up my system

Hacked Vista Premium to allow Remote Desktop.
Set up Home Office computer as a server using Dyndns.org with dynamic DSL.
Make sure to download and install IP updater from DYNDNS if you have DSL.

Set up my Work Office with a Netgear VPN router and use their VPN software.

Use Gmail to control calendar and emails. The beauty of Gmail is it stores everything on the internet. You can obtain sent and trashed emails as well as the new stuff. Outlook will leave stuff on the server but a sent email from one computer will not be on the other.

All of this is free(except router) and can be accessed from anywhere in the world.

Kind of sucks since basically I am always connected to work. No excuses.

You guys are the best!

I could have spent all day searching for info that I don't understand, stressing over 'breaking something' on my computer, and generally not getting what I want.


Pelican OT is my first stop for learning new stuff.


Thanks a lot to all!

and... if you let Outlook pull Email down off the server, then there will be different msgs stored on each computer.

for that reason, I only use Outlook on 1 computer - others do not pull down Email

Outlook 2007 allows you to leave a copy of the message on the server, however there isn't an easy way to have access to sent mail without a remote access sort of solution.

I'm having a tough time accepting that using my webmail account is the way to go (it would have to be Yahoo as that is our website and email host) but mostly because I have spent millions of hours in front of the outlook interface and am very comfortable with it. Old habits die hard.

oh yeh - I am stuck in the past - still using Get OFF Us 2000

MM you failed to mention if your office/work has a file server and exchange server, or if you are just using one PC as a file server/pop3 email server?

There's a lot of way of skinning the cat...

umm, this one I think.


Now I'm toying around with the idea of having an external HD with a 'quick backup' feature where I can pick the files 'backed up' which would be my doc files, mail and contacts files, etc.


I'm still a little lost here, but like what I'm learning.