[ 087 ]resources, then a VPN server setup might be
better. This is a technically tricky route to follow,
though: you’ ll need a high-end router or a more
powerful network drive, such as one from
QNAP or Synology, plus you’ ll need to sign up
for a dynamic DNS address to simplify the
connection process – you can get a free address
from http://www.noip.com.
When configuring your VPN server,
Windows has built-in support for all protocols
except OpenVPN – L2TP/IPSec (PSK) is the best
alternative. If you do go down the OpenVPN
route, you’ ll need to download and install the
OpenVPN client from https://openvpn.net/ on
your laptop to connect to the network at home.
In George’s case, however, TeamViewer is by far
the best option.
CATHERINE ELLISHELPSTATIONQ AND A[OFFICE]
Make tools more
accessible in Office
Many of my favourite tools in Microsoft Office
are now buried deep in the Ribbon – and some
don’t appear at all. How can I make these
easier to get at?
JOHN LOWE
There are several customisation tools built in
to Microsoft Office – in this step-by-step guide
we’ ll reveal how to locate these tools and how to
make them accessible via the Quick Access
toolbar with just one or two clicks. The simplest
way to make tools more accessible is to add
them to the Quick Access toolbar, which appears
above the Ribbon. Any command in the Ribbon
can be added – just right-click one and choose
‘Add to Quick Access toolbar’.
Click the drop-down arrow next to the Quick
Access toolbar and choose ‘More Commands...’.
From here you can add any Office command to
the toolbar: click the Popular Commands
drop-down menu to list commands not in
the Ribbon. You can remove selected items from
here, or change their running order using the
up/down keys to the right. Click Import/Export
‘Export all Customisations’ to back up your
customised toolbar, then click OK when you’re
finished. By default, the toolbar sits above the
Ribbon – if this starts to get cramped with all
your added items, click the drop-down arrow
next to it and choose ‘Show below the ribbon’ to
move it down where it should have more space.
MATT HANSON
[NETWORKING]
Access network
while on the road
I’m going travelling and would like to be
able to gain access to my home PC without
opening it up to the wider Internet. Do you
have any suggestions?
GEORGE PARRISA lot depends on what you need – if you’re
simply looking to connect to an individual PC,
then your best bet would be to explore an option
like TeamViewer (www.teamviewer.com),
which will enable you to connect to your home
PC from a laptop or mobile for remote-control
purposes or to simply transfer files to and from
it. If you need access to multiple networkTeamViewer is the easiest
way to grab files from
your home network.It’s a good idea to backup your
customisations so you can
keep your setup in the future.