NoMachine 5.0.63

NoMachine is a remote desktop tool, which means that it lets you use another computer over a network just as if you were sitting in front of it. In this respect, it allows you not only to move the mouse pointer but also transfer any type of data, including audio and video contents. Moreover, it lets you use remote devices as if they were actually plugged to your PC or, reversely, use the remote computer to access local devices. Besides, you can record any type of activity on the remote machine’s screen.

The application has an excellent interface with the possibility of switching between two themes. To help minimize your efforts, most of the operations are done with the help of wizards. Still, it can be difficult to use by beginners, mostly because some technical knowledge is implied.

In order to connect two computers, the program should be running on both of them. After installing the software, it’s added to the startup list. So, it runs automatically with every session and is accessible through its icon in the System Tray. From there, you can visualize the status of the connection and transfer as well as use such tools as the whiteboard and the recording bar. Unfortunately, there’s no menu item to stop or pause the program.

When configuring a connection, there are two protocols available: NX, which is native to NoMachine and is optimized for multimedia transfer, and SSH, a widely used industry standard. If you’re concerned about the security of your data, there’s no reason to worry about, because this tool uses strong encryption algorithms to secure your connection.

All in all, NoMachine can come in handy for users who need to access, let’s say, their work computer from home, or vice versa. It can help network administrators, who are in constant need of working remotely. Moreover, it allows you share your desktop with other users. In this regard, I liked that it lets you use the remote computer without blocking desktop access. Data transfer is as fast as your network can support, with almost no lag time. However, some parts of the screen may get blurred at times until they are refreshed.

v5.0.63 [Oct 3, 2015]
NoMachine 5 builds on the innovative features and redesign that we introduced in version 4. The latest release comes with a fresh new look, under-the-hood enhancements and many other refinements further elevating the user experience on all platforms. Here's an overview of some of the features that you'll love in NoMachine 5.0 for Windows, OS X, and Linux.
The NoMachine interface has been given a native look-and-feel to make you feel at home when using it on your chosen platform. For those who prefer the previous 'Dark' theme, it's still available as optional in the NoMachine Player Preferences.
Internationalization
Support for international languages has been added with menus and dialogs now available in French, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Russian, Portuguese and German. Further languages will be coming in later versions.
Improved multi-monitor support
When connecting to a remote machine with multi-monitors attached, it's possible to choose which monitor to show at any time via the Menu. Users of applications scattered across multiple monitors can now switch between the available displays or merge all displays on a single screen. The handy keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Alt-I additionally identifies multi-displays by number, particularly useful for remote set-ups with numerous monitors.
Maximum freedom in display resolution
Dynamically changing the resolution of your remote desktop to fit your specific requirements is now much easier thanks to the introduction of a 'Resolution' slider in the refined 'Display settings' menu. In remote desktop sessions to multi-monitor set-ups, you can even set a custom resolution ad hoc per display. What's more, holding the 'Control' key whilst dragging the corner of the window will automatically scale the contents to fit the window preserving the aspect ratio of the remote display.
Screen blanking
Users on all platforms can now protect their privacy and hide screen content by blanking the host display. Checking the appropriate box in Security Preferences will also stop unwanted user input by locking input devices during a remote desktop session. This is particularly useful for unattended remote computers to prevent others from entering data or viewing the monitor while you are remotely accessing it.
Full support for headless Linux servers
NoMachine can now easily be installed on headless Linux servers out-of-the-box. Connecting to a headless Linux server, such as a Linux desktop running in a datacenter or in a cloud provider environment, no longer requires manual configuration.
Kerberos ticket-based authentication via NX protocol
Support for Kerberos ticket-based authentication is extended also to connections via the NX protocol. Enterprise users can select from SSH, System Login and NX Login in the connection GUI and start the connection without having to enter credentials.
Unmatched performance
Sophisticated algorithms refine the screen to recreate crisp original colors without impacting on performance. NoMachine can take advantage of the graphics card capabilities server-side, effectively reducing CPU consumption, meaning you get a more fluid experience when remotely accessing multi-media content and high-performance apps. To start off with we've added support for Nvidia cards with Maxwell architecture, and others, such as Intel's QuickSync, are planned in successive releases.
Optimized remote node management
Once connected to a remote server, NoMachine administrators can add and remove nodes directly via the Player GUI rather than executing operations via the command line.
Extended support for remote X-Window hosts
Any remote Unix server supporting the X-Windows protocol, including Solaris, AIX, HP-UX, BSD and Linux, is treated as a NoMachine node and added to the cluster network just by using the administration GUI.