Remote access — the ability to control a computer from a different location over the network — might not be something you need to use every day. However, it does come in handy in certain situations.

Being away from your computer doesn't mean you can't use it. The top remote access software we've tested allows you to control your own machine or someone else's from afar.

David Nield is a technology journalist from Manchester in the U.K. who has been writing about gadgets and apps for more than 20 years. He has a bachelor's degree in English Literature from Durham ...