Q: I used a free trial of GoToMyPC to access my home computer from the road. I like the service, but I don’t use it enough to buy a subscription. Are there free alternatives out there?

A: GoToMyPC may be the most recognizable name in the remote access space, but it’s certainly not the only one. And yes, free alternatives do exist.

I suggest you try LogMeIn.com. Just sign up for an account with an e-mail address, allow the service to install a small host application on the computer you will be accessing from afar, and you’re ready to go. You’ll be able to access your main computer through any internet-connected computer by going to LogMeIn and typing in your user name and password. Your main computer will then be one button-click away. With LogMeIn, everything takes place within a web browser. You’ll see your remote computer’s desktop, just as you left it, and have access to all of its files and e-mail.

There are, however, always limitations with the free versions of third-party remote control solutions. With LogMeIn, one limitation is that you cannot transfer files from the remote machine to whichever one you’re using to access your main computer. You could get around that, however, by using your remote computer to e-mail files to whichever account you have access to. Another limitation is that the free version of LogMeIn will not “wake” your computer up if it’s asleep, so you’ll have to remember to disable any automatic power-down feature before you leave home.

Other popular, free remote control solutions include TeamViewer and Yuuguu. Research the limitations of the free versions of all of these products to see which one best suits your needs.