There are dozens of different solutions for remotely monitoring and administering your computers, all with different strengths and weaknesses (LogMeIn is just one example). Meshcentral is the newest addition to the field, and it comes courtesy of Intel Senior Architect Yilan Saint-hilaire. The free application is entirely built on HTML5, requires only a browser window to run remotely, doesn’t need you to change anything in your network settings (e.g., firewall settings, enabling VNC, etc.), and gives you complete access to your computer’s file system from anywhere with an internet connection. In addition to the file browser, Meshcentral also provides sleep/wake/restart functionality, a terminal app for access to your computer’s command prompt, and even a remote desktop app (Windows only for now). For Android users, a native app is available, while iOS users have to be content with a web app.

We played around with Meshcentral, and although it’s a little disconcerting leaving your entire computer open to anyone with your mesh name and password, the app allows you to turn on or off as much of the functionality as you like. Another good thing is that your mesh password isn't stored on Meshcentral's servers, so while you won't be able to get your password back if you forget it, you can at least be sure that no one's going to find it. A suitably strong password could make this a very valuable tool.