AnyDesk: An excellent alternative for managing remote desktops

AnyDesk is an excellent cross-platform alternative for managing remote desktops, which is currently in its new version 5.0.0. Therefore, it allows us to connect to a computer remotely, both from a simple end of the office or home and from a distant place located anywhere in the world. AnyDesk is capable of providing secure and reliable remote desktop connections to its users, both home users and IT professionals on the go.

This software solution is free to download, free to evaluate, and free for private use. However, it also offers the option to pay for enhanced features. It is highly recommended by a large community of users worldwide, as it boasts excellent features and functionalities, making it a strong contender to replace similar free and open-source applications native to GNU/Linux when a more advanced solution is desired.

History

AnyDesk is an application created by a private company called " AnyDesk Software GmbH " which was founded in Germany in 2014. AnyDesk is their exclusive remote desktop access software, a product downloaded by more than 150 million users worldwide to date, with a current average of 5 million downloads per month.

Much of this success is due to the fact that AnyDesk is software based on its own patented codec, called "DeskRT" , which allows virtually latency-free collaboration, no matter how close or far the remotely managed computer may be.

Features

New

In its current version 5.0.0, released on 24/04/2019 , it includes the following new features:

• New capabilities in file transfer: by iImplementation of changes in the graphical interface to be able to transfer files between clients.
• Self-discovery ability: all with allow searches between AnyDesk client computers.
• Implementation of security measures: using «TCP Tunneling »on established remote connections.
  
• New Bug fixes: By fixing or solving many old and new bugs, you now increase the stability, ease of use, and performance of your application.
  
• New Icons: A new pack of updated internal icons in the graphical interface.

Default

• Performance: The proprietary and innovative codec used, DeskRT, makes AnyDesk an application capable of compressing and transferring image data between computers, at an excellent level of efficiency, comparable to high-end products. It executes its tasks with the least number of problems or difficulties, with bandwidths of only 100 KB / Sec. What makes AnyDesk an ideal software to manage remote desktops in places with poor internet connection, achieving smooth visualizations with just 60 FPS in local networks and most internet connections.
• Safety: The TLS 1.2 technology used, manages to protect any computer from unauthorized access. Since “RSA 2048” is implemented in the connections, that is, a 2048-bit asymmetric key exchange encryption, to verify any connection. Furthermore, whoever controls a computer can acquire access to it through desktops with white lists of trusted contacts. This ensures that only authorized persons can establish a connection.
• Flexibility: AnyDesk can access any computer no matter how far or near it is, with acceptable ease. It also allows programming in the managed Clients, an access without supervision, with just the implementation of a password. And its multi-platform feature means that it can be used from your preferred platform, regardless of whether it is Linux, Windows, Mac OS, FreeBSD, iOS or Android. In addition, AnyDesk is easy, to download (+/- 5MB) and does not take up much space on the Hard Drive, and much less than similar ones.
• Administration: AnyDesk allows you to track contacts and their connections through the use of a built-in calendar, supervising who is online without having to be connected. It also allows the use of a default alias, called "AnyDesk ID" that is associated with the personalized username to describe the managed computer, to which a logo is also added, in order to facilitate access and synchronization by using of a brand identity.
• Discharge: AnyDesk can be used for free, but it uses a user license that covers all future versions, without generating charges for updates. Making all versions of it compatible with each other.

Download and Installation

AnyDesk, currently version 5.0.0, offers several installation options for Linux. However, we will download the package for Debian, Ubuntu, and Mint, which is currently named "anydesk_5.0.0-1_amd64.deb" in its 64-bit version. This package is only 4,3 MB in size.

However, as it is multi-platform in the other Operating Systems, it has the following versions, sizes and formats:

1. Windows, v5.0.5 (2,8 MB): .exe file
2. MacOS, v4.3.0 (3,8 MB): .dmg file
3. Android, v5.0.2 (7,6 MB): .apk file
4. iOS, v2.7.3 (6,1 MB): File .ipa
5. FreeBSD, v2.9.1 (2,1 MB): .tar.gz file
6. Raspberry Pi, v2.9.4 (2,1 MB): .deb file

However, in the option for Linux all the options shown in the following image are available:

After installing the package "anydesk_5.0.0-1_amd64.deb" by means of the already well-known forms, for said package format, we can run the application, from the program menu of our GNU / Linux and proceed to configure and test it. I personally have used it a lot on Debian and Ubuntu based Operating Systems without any problem.

Basically, after installation, it's ready to use , since on first launch it automatically configures itself with a single "AnyDesk ID" and username (computer). If necessary, you would only need to configure items such as:

• Interface Language
• Automatic remote access password
• Change the Username to AnyDesk ID in the Interface
• Adjust network parameters in case of proxies
• Adjust transmission quality parameters for low bandwidth networks.

Conclusion

AnyDesk is not only very easy to download, install, configure, and use, but it also offers good performance and excellent stability across various operating system platforms, especially GNU/Linux. Furthermore, it provides a good level of security and privacy for remote connections.

Personally, I've used many of the free and open-source alternatives native to GNU/Linux, but when users or clients need something more robust, functional, and reliable, I highly recommend it as a competitor to similar applications like TeamViewer.