Things are finally moving in the right direction.

In my previous updates following Hurricane Melissa, I mentioned that I was fortunate to have suffered relatively minor direct damage from the hurricane itself. Ironically, much of the damage I’ve dealt with since then has happened during the rebuilding process.

Before major work started, I moved approximately 90% of client equipment away from the property and into secure storage. Some lower-priority items, along with my own equipment, remained at home and were moved between rooms or placed in what should have been protected storage.

Unfortunately, some of those items were moved or disturbed without my knowledge.

One example was a camping tent that I periodically use myself and which normally remains dry during regular rainfall. Equipment, books and other items were temporarily stored inside. Someone staying at the property used the tent, opened its zippered windows and left them open. I didn’t know. After subsequent rain and wind affected the additional tarp covering it, virtually everything inside got wet.

In another case, a plastic bin from my office—normally used for paper and electronic waste—was apparently used to move things out of the way. I eventually found it outside, filled with rainwater, with a previously working keyboard and other items inside.

Some tools and equipment also remain unaccounted for.

So the challenge now isn’t simply identifying what was obviously damaged. I have to determine what actually survived.

The Good News

The roof is now completed, eliminating one of my biggest concerns going into another hurricane season.

More importantly for my work, I finally have my office space back.

It isn’t completely restored, but it’s usable. My desktop is back in place, my multiple-monitor setup is available again, and I can more efficiently handle remote support, research, documentation, tickets and invoices.

I wasn’t even certain my desktop would power on after everything that has happened, so seeing it start normally—and seeing all of my drives come up without reporting faults—was a very welcome surprise.

Now comes the process of going through the remaining equipment, inspecting and testing what can safely be tested, and determining what is functional and what isn’t.

Getting Back to Normal

The rebuilding isn’t finished, and I’m still balancing this process with my regular job, life in general and my obligations to freelance clients. So while having the office back is a major improvement, it doesn’t mean everything immediately returns to normal.

But it does mean I’m finally in a much better position to work through outstanding items and increase my productivity.

I also have to keep all of this in perspective. Months after Hurricane Melissa, there are still people dealing with damaged or lost homes, inadequate roofing and living conditions far more difficult than mine.

I have a proper roof again. I have electricity, communications and a usable workspace. The essentials are there, and things are gradually returning to some level of normalcy.

For those still waiting on me, thank you again for your patience.

The office is back.

Now the recovery can properly begin.

Updated: September 23, 2026

I’ve used quite a few remote-support applications over the years. DameWare, VNC, Remote Desktop, TeamViewer, AnyDesk, Remote Utilities, RustDesk and several others have all had their place at one point or another.

My preferences have changed over time as the products, pricing, licensing and—more importantly—my own use cases have changed.

For the last few years I’ve primarily settled on two:

• Remote Utilities (RU)
• RustDesk (RD)

I still own my old TeamViewer 11 lifetime license, and it works when I need it. However, changes to TeamViewer’s licensing and the eventual obsolescence of older versions made me reluctant to continue investing in that ecosystem. It’s somewhat similar to one of my longstanding complaints about Apple: perfectly usable hardware or software eventually gets left behind because the surrounding ecosystem has moved on.

That doesn’t mean I won’t use TeamViewer—or AnyDesk, Quick Assist, UltraViewer, HopToDesk, or whatever remote-support tool a client already has installed and is comfortable using.

If it gets me connected, I’ll use it.

However, in most cases those applications will simply be the initial connection method. Once connected, I’ll either run my own Quick Support tool for that session or, with permission, install and configure the remote-support solution I normally use for ongoing support.

There are practical reasons for this. Some remote-support products impose connection-time, frequency, device or other restrictions when used without the appropriate license. I’ve encountered situations where a tool that was previously convenient for occasional support became increasingly restrictive.

Rather than discovering one of those limitations halfway through troubleshooting, I’d rather use the initial connection to move the session onto a platform I already know, maintain and am properly licensed to use.

So if you already have TeamViewer, AnyDesk, Quick Assist, UltraViewer, HopToDesk or something else installed, that’s fine.

We don’t need to make downloading another program your first problem.

Get me connected with what you have, and I’ll take it from there.

For my own tools, however, RU and RD became my primary choices.

Why RustDesk Moved to #1

I’ve written about this before.

Remote Utilities was actually my preferred Windows remote-support application. The licensing was reasonable, it worked well, and I already owned it.

The problem was mobile support.

I provide support while I’m away from a computer fairly regularly. RustDesk gave me a much better mobile experience, along with access to the systems I needed. It was also cross-platform and extremely fast.

That flexibility eventually mattered enough that RustDesk moved into my #1 position.

I went as far as running my own RustDesk infrastructure and creating customized Quick Support clients. That gave me considerable control over the environment.

And to be clear:

RustDesk is still excellent.

Its performance remains among the best I’ve used. There are still situations where I’ll use my customized RustDesk Quick Support client, particularly for one-off support or where RustDesk simply makes more sense.

But self-hosting also means something has to be maintained.

Servers need updates. Software needs updating. Things occasionally break. There is a financial cost, even if small, and there is also the cost of my time.

For quite a while I accepted that because RustDesk gave me functionality that Remote Utilities didn’t.

That equation has now changed.

Remote Utilities FINALLY Updated Its Mobile App

Yes, FINALLY is intentional.

Remote Utilities released a completely rebuilt mobile Viewer for Android and iOS in 2026.

This isn’t simply a cosmetic update to the old application. The new mobile Viewer provides proper address-book support, Full Control, View Only, File Transfer, Power Control, multiple-monitor support and significantly better interaction with remote systems.

For me, the address book is one of the biggest improvements.

That was one of the specific reasons I previously moved Remote Utilities below RustDesk.

If I’m away from my computer and need to assist someone, having the remote-support application on my phone isn’t particularly useful if the mobile workflow itself is limited. I need to be able to find the machine I want and connect without jumping through hoops.

That problem has now largely been addressed.

There are still things I’d like improved. Clipboard handling, for example, works, but I’d prefer a more seamless automatic clipboard experience.

There are also features available in the desktop Viewer that aren’t yet available in the mobile application.

But for general remote technical support?

I’m good with this.

So Am I Moving Back to Remote Utilities?

For structured and recurring support, yes.

Remote Utilities will again become my preferred option for systems I regularly support.

RustDesk isn’t disappearing.

My customized RD Quick Support client remains useful for particular situations, one-off connections and cases where RustDesk’s flexibility or performance makes it the better tool.

But I no longer have as much reason to maintain my own remote-support infrastructure simply because I need good mobile access.

Remote Utilities provides its own Internet-ID infrastructure, so I don’t have to host anything myself. Self-hosting an RU Server remains available if I want it, but it isn’t a requirement for my normal workflow.

That means one less service for me to maintain, one less thing to troubleshoot, and a reduction in my own operating expenses.

Sometimes the best technical solution isn’t the one that gives you the most things to manage.

A Recommendation for Upcoming Technicians

This change also means I’ll probably start recommending Remote Utilities more often to persons getting into IT support.

The licensing model is one of the better ones I’ve encountered.

At the time of writing, Remote Utilities offers a free license for up to 10 controlled remote computers, and the free license can be used for both personal and business purposes. There are no session time limits or advertisements. If you eventually outgrow that, commercial licensing is available.

That gives a new technician somewhere legitimate to start.

You can learn the software, support a small number of systems, build your experience and eventually purchase a commercial license as your requirements increase.

That’s a model I can support.

I’d actually like to see more technicians become aware of Remote Utilities and support its development. Hopefully, more users and paying customers will encourage continued development of the product, because I’d genuinely like to see RU continue closing the remaining gaps with other remote-support applications—and perhaps eventually surpass them in some areas.

The rebuilt mobile application is already a significant step in that direction.

Where Things Stand – September 2026

My current preference is therefore:

Remote Utilities – My primary choice for structured and recurring remote support.

RustDesk – Still available through my customized Quick Support setup and still an excellent option where its flexibility or performance makes it the better tool.

Everything else – If TeamViewer, AnyDesk, Quick Assist, UltraViewer, HopToDesk or another suitable tool is already installed and gets me connected, I’ll use it. From there, I’ll normally transition the session to one of my support tools if continued access is required.

TeamViewer 11 – I still own the license, but it’s effectively a legacy/fallback option for me.

And this could change again.

In fact, that’s really the point of these posts.

There is no reason to remain loyal to a piece of software simply because it was the best choice five years ago. Requirements change. Pricing changes. Licensing changes. Products improve—and sometimes products get worse.

RustDesk became my primary choice because it solved problems Remote Utilities wasn’t solving for me.

Now Remote Utilities has finally addressed one of the biggest of those problems.

So, for the moment at least:

Welcome back to the top, RU.

References

Remote Utilities – New Mobile App Announcement
Coming Soon: The All-New Mobile App for iOS and Android

Remote Utilities – Mobile App Review 2026
Remote Utilities Mobile App Review 2026

Remote Utilities – Licensing
Remote Utilities License Types

Hi everyone. Progress is much slower than I’d like, but there is progress.

Will be working on the invoice system to remove older reminders and try to finish migrating to the new system.

Office space may be ready in another 6 weeks. Maybe.

Again, once the space is finished I’ll be able to take on work. Remote work is still viable regardless.

Apologies once more for any inconvenience.

Good morning everyone.

It’s been a while, and I want to sincerely apologize to all clients, friends, and family who have items with me that have been outstanding for an extended period of time.

There have been a lot of developments since Hurricane Melissa, and the major construction work at home has finally reached a point where things are moving in the right direction. The roof is now on, and the structure is up. However, the finishing work is not yet complete. The walls are still rough and not yet rendered, and electrical work and other finishing details still need to be done.

Because of that, the space will not be fully finished within the next six weeks. The goal right now is to get it usable and habitable enough so I can properly resume work.

Once my office space becomes usable again, I’ll begin working through the items I currently have and aim to return to my usual turnaround time. Those who have worked with me before know that I do not normally hold on to items for weeks or months. Although my day job does keep me busy, I would usually complete most jobs within about two weeks, except in cases involving parts delays, data recovery, or other unusual issues.

I greatly apologize for the inconvenience and delays. Unfortunately, given the situation, it could not be helped. My priority now is to get back to a point where I can deliver results within the normal timeframe again.

Once again, I’m sorry for the delays, and I appreciate your patience and understanding.

So. After YEARS of using InvoiceNinja and OSTicket – I’m finally moving to something else. Both are still GREAT apps, and I have zero problems with InvoiceNinja, but OSTicket has started to give me issues.

For anyone starting in the tech space, I highly recommend both. If you keep LOTS of records like I do however, the stability of OSTicket with the growing database and media may become an issue. I still love both, but I can no longer attach media to my OSTicket installation. InvoiceNinja is still working great, but the new platform I’m testing integrates ticketing and invoicing.

Will be running both side by side for now, but will likely be migrating fully over to ITFlow. Will see how it goes.

Well – it’s a new year. It’s been a while, but I’m actually still here.

Going forward – something I say each year – I’m going to try and stick to the ticket system and ensuring that nothing is done without a ticket. I’m also testing a new ticket system that I may end up migrating to fully. Will see how it goes.

All of this comes on the heels of Hurricane Melissa as well. I’ve lost equipment and customer equipment as well – but there’s life – so there’s always hope.

Keep safe everyone – we will build back from this.

Yep – I’m alive. The storm didn’t do much to me – nothing in comparison to the Western parishes. I feel very sorry for places like St. Elizabeth, Westmoreland, Hanover, St. James and Trelawny.

Something which never happened before – water came into my home office space. I still haven’t completed assessment on all of what’s lost. Items for clients are included, but most of the devices present are things I’ve had for 3 years or more.

I will be posting some “GoFundMe” links later on for various persons. If you’re able to – please donate to these persons.

More details to come later on.

So it’s that time of year again. It’s been about a year since the last cleanup – doing so once more.

2023-09 – Cleanup

So it’s about the same. I’m moving out stuff – throwing out stuff – clearing my space. Once again – if I have a device for you – with or without a ticket – please get in touch. If I hear nothing by the first week in January – that’s it. Some of these items I’ve had for YEARS – but I know how sentimentally attached someone can get to items, regardless of age or how well they actually work.

Please once more – get in touch if I don’t get to you. I’m actually serious this time. Hehe. If I don’t hear from persons by the first week in January 2025 – so that’s by 2025-01-10 (January 10th) then that’s it. I won’t have any old devices thereafter.

Once again – ensure you get a ticket. I have drop off points in the town and I will pick up and do work. If you don’t see a ticket within 24 hours of notification that I’ve picked up – asked for one.

Spare time is limited now based on my day job, so things will have to be dealt with quickly once I get them.

Items requiring part orders will be returned to you until the parts arrive.

Items that will take more than 3 days to be completed – you will be notified. These include tasks such as data recovery.

Let’s try and keep it clean going forward – hopefully I won’t have to do this a third time.

I’d like to say thanks to “King_Jay16” from the TechJamaica forums. Details can be found on my Discourse and on their forums.

https://forums.carlosthomas.net/t/2024-general-account-security-passwords-2fa

https://www.techjamaica.com/forums/showthread.php?116270-2024-General-Account-Security-Passwords-amp-2FA

You can get right into it or just check the TLDR below.

I may edit this and add more details or photos as things progress.

TLDR

• Authenticator Plus (Android) – Paid
• Aegis Authenticator (Android) – Free/Paid
• Authy (Android/iOS) – Free
• TOTP Authenticator (Android/iOS) – Free/FOSS

Those above are what I’ve tested. If you’re on iOS you can pick any of the two lower ones. My choice would be Authy based on the fact that some services specifically use it. If none of the services you’re on use it, then go with TOTP since it has browser push features.

If you’re on Android, Aegis is the one to go with. Authenticator Plus was put there to set the arena for the others. It was the best on the market back in the day, but it’s lack of development has reduced some features and made it lose the #1 spot.

Check more details below for why I’d pick one over the other.

2FA/MFA

2FA or TFA – Two Factor Authentication – is something that came about for added security of accounts. Hackers have been able to breach servers or use brute-force attacks to get access to data over the years, and the use of 2FA has reduced the risk significantly.

2FA may also be referred to as MFA at times – meaning multi-factor authentication.

2FA essentially uses your password with something else to authenticate the account. This can include, but isn’t limited to:

• A text message (SMS).
• A pushed notification (like Google).
• An IM message (sent to WhatsApp or FB for example).
• RSA hard or soft token (like those used by banks).
• OTP – One Time Password.
• Biometrics.
• PIN.
• Security Question/s.

2FA/MFA may include your password plus one or more of the items listed above. Again, it’s not limited to what’s above – other options may exist that I’ve overlooked.

MOST COMMON 2FA

By far the most common ones are those used by your bank and those used by email providers. Google and Microsoft are good examples.

Your bank may provide you with a hardware token that is tied to your specific account. This device generates codes that are put in with (or after) your password to get access to your account.

Google uses push notifications on your Android device to prompt for signing in. Microsoft has an option to use a timed authenticator with a 6 digit code – very similar to the one you’d use from your bank, but in a different app.

Part of the issue with all these apps is having so many installed to do the same task – we’ll get into that some more.

SETTING UP

If you’re not using a physical hardware token or key, most 2FA options include a QR code that’s scanned using your mobile device. This code then allows your authenticator app to register the entry with some name and other identifying data to differentiate each entry. As stated before, some companies – like banks – may have specific software that they require you to use. If there isn’t a defined requirement for specific software, then you can use any authenticator app and just add the entries.

SPECIALIZED 2FA

Probably not the best heading, but that’s how I’ll phrase it. As said before, there are some companies decide that they won’t use a regular authenticator app and you must use theirs. An example of this is NCB and their SecurID app. Other companies integrate a specific authenticator app into their backend, and you have no choice but to use that app.

Gamers that are familiar with STEAM or BattleNET are aware of the specialized push notifications and generation of tokens to secure their accounts. Most people with a Google account or an Android device will also get push notifications for login authentication. If you’ve seen these before – you have an idea of what a specialized app is like.

OTHER 2FA APPS

Personally, I have over 70 accounts in my listing. That list grows over time as more companies integrate 2FA. Emails and gaming accounts are just some of the ones that are secured. This brings me to the part I wanted to talk about – the various authenticator apps.

I won’t be talking much about specialized apps used by companies – unfortunately you have no way of getting around those. This will be focused on authenticator apps you can use for your daily life for adding all your accounts for 2FA security – minus the ones that force you to use a specific app. The focus will be on:

• Authenticator Plus (Android)
• Aegis Authenticator (Android)
• Authy (Android/iOS)
• TOTP Authenticator (Android/iOS)

So let’s get into each one in the order above.

Authenticator Plus

I’ve personally been interested in account security since around 2007/2008, and when this app came around I jumped right on it. This was the first app that I saw with backup and export capabilities. All other authenticator apps simply had “add” options. If something happened to your device you’d have lost all your keys/codes. Authenticator Plus allowed you to backup to DropBox whenever changes were made – this was somewhat revolutionary.

The problem is – development stopped. This means less compatibility with newer Android devices and resulted in the loss of online backup capabilities. This was still a great option though, as you could do a local backup (encrypted) and then upload it manually. You could also do an unencrypted export, which was then placed in a password ZIP file, and you could the import that to any other authenticator app which supports that feature. I use WinAuth periodically and would export so I still have access to my 2FA even if my phone is dead/charging. I was looking for an alternative, and then “King_Jay16” from the TechJamaica forums introduced me to the next app in this list.

LINK: https://www.authenticatorplus.com/

Aegis Authenticator

I’d consider this to be the absolute best authenticator on the market. The only reason it’s not a definitive #1 is the lack of iOS support. IMO, this is like a continuation of Authenticator Plus with a lot of improvements. The ability to change the views, to export both encrypted and unencrypted and – best of all – the ability to backup to cloud services.

Aegis also has one added feature that I’ve not seen elsewhere – the ability to share a code. This means you can generate a QR code for a specific entry and have it scanned into another device.

With the various security options available within the app, the chances of someone stealing your info is minimal – unless you’re literally held at gunpoint and forced to send over all your account details. IMO – it’s far more secure than just about everything else out there, with the next entry being an awesome competitor for the security department but lacking in features.

LINK: https://getaegis.app/

Authy

This is (arguably) far the best option for security that supports Android and iOS. They did have a desktop app which is being retired – which is why they’re not ranked higher in my list.

Authy ties to your phone number and then sends a text (SMS) for the initial install. Thereafter, each added device is authenticated using a push notification on previously added devices. You can also audit and remove devices from your listing if you wish.

Cloud backup is done through their own servers, but the feature isn’t there by default. You must specify a password to decrypt the data and then it will backup and sync across devices.

There are some companies that use Authy exclusively, and I can understand based on how secure it is.

For persons that want a bit more control over their data though, Authy won’t be the top pick, but it is one of the best that I’ve come across. If only it had the ability to push to your desktop like our final entry.

LINK: https://authy.com/

TOTP Authenticator

This makes the list as one I was testing before finding Aegis. This is the only one I saw that has an option to push the 2FA to your browser from your mobile device. That’s a great feature to reduce typing out the code and maybe missing a digit.

TOTP supports cloud backup and sync options. There are options to order your listing in a custom manner or show it alphabetically. One reason why this didn’t end up at the top – or higher – is the lack of export and sharing features.

Unfortunately I don’t have much to say about TOTP, but it is still a great option depending on your use case and needs.

LINK: https://www.binaryboot.com/totp-authenticator

SUMMARY

There’s lots of options available for whichever platform you’re on. Using a 2FA app with your password to bolster security is a great way to keep undesirables out of your stuff.

If you want a regular set and forget it – Authy is probably the best way to go. Just ensure you set up the backup options.

If you want some added features like pushing to your browser, use TOTP.

If you’re on Android, the best option IMO (at the time of this writing) is Aegis.

It’s come to my attention recently that RustDesk servers are under DoS attacks. This has resulted in problems with connecting to systems. The current workaround is to simply use Remote Utilities – my preferred solution. There are times however, that RustDesk will be required either if I’m on the road and unable to use may laptop/desktop, or if I need to provide support to a Mac. Fortunately, there’s still a solution to that.

Simply get the app started and then click on one of the two options shown by the arrows. This should take you to the settings page.

Once on the settings page, go to NETWORK and then fill in the two options for ID and RELAY servers. This information will be provided by me once you get in touch.

On completion of that – hit APPLY and then close the settings page or click back where it says HOME in the top left. I should then be able to connect.

The only down-side to this is it routes traffic through a custom server. If you intend to get support from other persons you’ll either have to input their server details or wait until RustDesk has resolved their DoS issues.

Hopefully that information helps. For a discussion on the issue you can see the link below.

https://github.com/rustdesk/rustdesk/discussions/7008