+1000 for logmein. Free or paid it is really a great app, and as others have pointed out, very cross platform. Honestly, I have never had it fail and not allow me easy access to my systems and systems I help people with.

Here is an example of my latest use, using an IPAD (the paid client app) and a 7000 mile long internet cord!!

Yes, Logmein is really great and on the ipad it is a perfect remote access tool. Here is my story.

Parents were in Abu Dhabi at the moment. Of course connectivity and access were difficult, as well as the phone connectivity. So, on my moms laptop, I logmein’d from my ipad and was able to
A), setup a VPN,
B) get to a download site to download Skype,
C) create a ICS hotspot with the laptop that was connected to ethernet,
D) setup WEP
E) get her iphone setup via a skype to PC call from my home here in Menlo Park to her Laptop in Dubai (I actually was LMI’d and just did the dialing on her computer myself from HERE and she was connected via phone to ME HERE :-) ,
F) get her to see the laptop hotspot with her iphone, join the secured ICS network that had the VPN connection on it, setup skype on her iphone with my account, login and CALL ME BACK for free.

Now, she has full access, people can reach out, they can make calls etc. (which is sort of necessary at the moment, lots going on) all for free and easily just walking around their hotel room with the iphone.

I have to say, nearly 7000 miles away, my logmein connection to their computer in Abu Dhabi seemed no further away than it normally is in Chicago.

Awesome!

p.s. I recently did roughly the same thing from my ipad, on a UA PS FLIGHT across the country while at 30K feet. The logmein app is VERY well optimized for even somewhat fragile internet connections.