Funk delivers two separate remote-control software suites, the Proxy 4.0 and the Proxy Control Gateway. Proxy 4.0 is the full-featured remote-control solution. The Gateway suite is aimed at enterprise environments that need a recording feature for remote control and some centralized control. By design, it does not have basic features offered in Proxy 4.0, including file transfer, encryption and remote printing. We were very surprised that a Gateway Control Host does not require any authentication from a master to access any PC defined by the Host Gateway. This task can be accomplished by simply obtaining the gateway's IP Address.
Installation of both suites was hassle free but, unlike pcAnywhere and LapLink, Funk Proxy's default configuration isn't secure. Users, passwords, encryption and other security settings need to be set up manually. Until that is accomplished, any master can control any host. Security features include the use of the station name and a simple password or NTLM authentication as well as standard options to require hosts to accept connections and a lockout feature. It also provides a time limit for connections.
File transfer continues to be a weak point for Proxy 4.0. In our previous review we stressed the fact that Proxy's File Transfer option will overwrite existing files. This continues today. All our other participants provide dialog boxes that warn before overwriting files. Funk does provide standard file and directory management for remote PCs but fails to provide any enhancements to its previous version, such as directory synchronization and delta transfers. We were also surprised to find that some of the software features do not work as advertised. The Blank Host Screen option, for example, works only with Windows 98. Otherwise, the feature suppresses only the mouse and keyboard control on the host. Also, the Copy Text option failed in all our tests.
Like NetSupport Manager and PC-Duo, Proxy has a cycling monitor that runs through different hosts at configured time intervals. Administrators will find this tool an excellent addition to their monitoring toolkits, but it would be nice if you could take control of a host from the cycling option without exiting and initiating a remote control session when you identify a problem.
With its low price and passing performance, Funk continues to be popular with enterprises and individuals needing basic remote-control features. But if you're looking for increased central control, better performance and more security you may need to get out your checkbook.
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