It’s tried and tested, but using a standard modem dial-up connection to access your network remotely is increasing seen as a sub-optimal method. On the plus side, almost all laptops include a modem, and gaining access to a phone line is possible from almost everywhere conceivable worldwide. Another benefit is the fact that dial-up connections do not require an Internet connection, since everything happens over the public telephone network instead. On the downside, dial-up speeds are generally slow, can be costly in terms of access and long distance changes, and can suffer from quality issues, especially in rural or remote areas.
If your company doesn’t have a permanent or high-speed Internet connection, however, remote access via dial-up may be your only viable option. Outside of access to a phone line and modem for your laptop connection, at least one phone line and a dial-in server with a modem will need to be available at the office. Most Windows operating systems include the ability to act as a dial-in server for at least one client, so a dedicated server may not be necessary. Once connected, dial-up allows you to interact with your network as if you were directly connected to it, albeit at a much slower speed. If you want to connect to your office via dial-up, complete the Make New Connection wizard and choose the Dial-up to private network option.
