Adobe ConnectNow is an easy way to invite other users to view and/or control your computer. Adobe ConnectNow uses screen sharing, chat, notes, audio, and video to conduct meetings online. Now the question is, with all the different remote applications out there, what's the difference between Adobe ConnectNow and VNC (as an example)?
Adobe ConnectNow Features
- Very easy to use. Any computer newbie start sharing his computer screen in few simple steps. No complicated stuff such as server configuration, port forwarding...etc.
- Allows audio and video conferencing with all the people (up to 4 participants) in the same meeting.
- Shared White board
- Shared Files Storage
- Shared Chat
- Shared Notepad
Adobe ConnectNow vs. VNC
- Adobe ConnectNow is slow compared to VNC.
- Adobe ConnectNow allows up to 4 users sharing screen, audio, video, white board, files, chat, and notes at the same time.
- For each VNC session, there's only 2 computers involved - the VNC server and the VNC client. VNC allows chat and file transfer between the two computers. You can connect multiple VNC clients to the same VNC server so all the VNC clients are looking at one screen - the VNC server's screen. However, file sharing and chat are always between the VNC server and individual VNC clients. VNC clients cannot share files or chat between each other. But they are able to download the same files from the VNC server.
- For Adobe ConnectNow, there has to be a person physically at the computer that is initializing a meeting. Unlike VNC, VNC is a service running in the background and anyone can connect to the VNC server anytime.
Adobe ConnectNow Concept
Step 1: You connect to the Internet and initialize a meeting with the Adobe ConnectNow Server.
Step 2: Adobe ConnectNow gives you a website URL address.
Step 3: Participants connect to the Internet and go to your meeting website URL.
Step 4: You accept the connection requests from the participants. All 3 participants and yourself are now connected together in the same meeting. All connections are established through the Adobe ConnectNow Server. The Adobe ConnectNow Server is what's putting all the connections together to allow sharing of screen, audio, video, files, chat, and notes between everyone in the same meeting.
Now if you compare it with the VNC concept:
Step 1: You configure a computer with VNC Server software installed and authentication password pre-configured.
Step 2: People can authenticate with and connect to your VNC Server with VNC Clients. Each connection between the client and the server is unique and secure. No one has to be physically at the VNC Server computer to accept incoming connections from VNC Clients.
VNC is faster than Adobe ConnectNow because of the direct connections between the clients and the server. Unlike Adobe ConnectNow, all connections between the participants and the meeting host are through the Adobe ConnectNow server.
Adobe ConnectNow and VNC should be used differently
The key benefit of VNC is that it runs as a service. No one has to be physically at the VNC Server computer to accept remote connections. This allows you to:
- Provide remote IT support or maintenance tasks on client machines during off business hours when there is no one in the office.
However, in order for VNC to work, someone has to physically install and configure the VNC Server (e.g. server software and static IP setup) and the port forwarding settings of the router at the VNC Server.
Adobe ConnectNow does not require any server installation, configuration and router setup. Which makes remote access a lot easier at the price of slower performance.
Adobe ConnectNow is perfect for remote IT support for traveling clients
When it comes to providing remote IT support to clients who are traveling with their laptops, Adobe ConnectNow is probably the easiest solution.
In order for VNC to work, you need to be able to control the IP address of the VNC Server computer, as well as the port forwarding settings of the router the VNC Server is connected to. These factors are hard to control when you are traveling and connecting to different network setups. Besides, most business clients simply don't have the time to deal with the changes, even when they are technical savvy and know how things work.
Different Applications, Different Benefits
Both Adobe ConnectNow and VNC offer unique benefits and they are both useful in providing remote IT support and maintenance services. Depending on the situations you are in, it's up to you to decide which one to use.
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