How to Provide Remote IT Support Without a VPN: Secure Alternatives Explained

Introduction

Remote IT support has traditionally relied on VPNs to connect technicians to internal networks, but that model is increasingly showing its age. Performance issues, broad network exposure, and complex client setups make VPNs a poor fit for fast, secure support. In this guide, you’ll learn why VPNs fall short, which modern alternatives work better, and how solutions like TSplus Remote Support enable secure, granular, and auditable remote access without a VPN.

Why VPNs Fall Short for Remote IT Support?

VPNs create encrypted tunnels between remote devices and internal networks. While this model works for general connectivity, it can become counterproductive for support use cases where speed, precision, and least-privilege access matter.

• Performance and Latency
• Complex Setup and Management
• Security Risks
• Lack of Granular Controls

Performance and Latency

VPNs typically route traffic through a central concentrator or gateway. For remote support, that means every screen update, file copy, and diagnostic tool runs through the same tunnel as everything else. Under load or across long distances, this leads to laggy mouse movements, slow file transfers, and degraded user experience.

When multiple users connect simultaneously, bandwidth contention and packet overhead make graphics-heavy remote sessions worse. IT teams then end up troubleshooting performance issues caused by the VPN itself instead of the endpoint or application.

Complex Setup and Management

Deploying and maintaining VPN infrastructure involves client software, profiles, certificates, routing rules, and firewall exceptions. Each new device adds another potential point of misconfiguration. Helpdesks often spend time resolving client install issues, DNS problems, or split-tunnelling side effects before they can even start actual support.

For MSPs or organizations with contractors and partners, onboarding through VPN is especially painful. Granting network-level access just to fix a single app or workstation introduces unnecessary complexity and ongoing administrative overhead.

Security Risks

Traditional VPNs often grant broad network access once a user is connected. This “all-or-nothing” model makes lateral movement easier if a remote device is compromised. In BYOD environments, unmanaged endpoints become a significant risk, especially when they connect from untrusted networks.

VPN credentials are also attractive targets for phishing and credential stuffing. Without strong MFA and tight segmentation, a single stolen VPN account can expose large parts of the internal environment, far beyond what is needed for remote support.

Lack of Granular Controls

IT support requires precise control over who can access what, when, and under which conditions. Standard VPN setups were not designed with session-level capabilities such as just-in-time elevation, per-session approval, or detailed recording.

As a result, teams often struggle to enforce policies like:

• Restricting access to a single device for a specific incident
• Ensuring sessions automatically terminate after a period of inactivity
• Producing detailed audit trails for compliance or post-incident review

VPNs provide network plumbing, not a complete remote support workflow.

What Are the Modern Alternatives to Provide Remote IT Support Without a VPN?

Fortunately, modern remote support architectures provide secure, efficient, and VPN-free ways to assist users and manage endpoints. Most combine strong identity, encrypted transport, and application-level access.

• Remote Desktop Gateway (RD Gateway) / Reverse Proxy Access
• Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)
• Browser-Based Remote Support Tools
• Cloud-Brokered Remote Access Platforms

Remote Desktop Gateway (RD Gateway) / Reverse Proxy Access

Instead of relying on a VPN, IT teams can use a Remote Desktop Gateway (RD Gateway) or HTTPS reverse proxy to tunnel RDP traffic securely over TLS /SSL. The gateway terminates external connections and forwards them to internal hosts based on policy.

This approach is ideal for organizations with primarily Windows environments that want centralized, policy-driven RDP access for support and administration, while keeping inbound exposure limited to a hardened gateway or bastion.

Key benefits:

• Avoids VPN client deployment and network-wide access
• Reduces exposed attack surface by centralizing RDP entry points
• Supports MFA, IP filtering, and per-user or per-group access rules
• Works well with jump hosts or bastion patterns for administrative access

Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)

Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) replaces implicit network trust with identity- and context-based decisions. Instead of placing users on the internal network, ZTNA brokers provide access to specific applications, desktops, or services.

ZTNA is particularly well suited to enterprises moving to a security-first, hybrid work model and looking to standardize remote access patterns across on-premises and cloud resources with strict least-privilege controls.

Key benefits:

• Strong security posture based on least privilege and per-session authorization
• Fine-grained access control at the application or device level rather than the subnet
• Built-in posture checks (device health, OS version, location) before granting access
• Rich logging and monitoring of access patterns for security teams

Browser-Based Remote Support Tools

Browser-based remote support platforms allow technicians to initiate sessions directly from a web interface. Users join via a short code or link, often without permanent agents or VPN tunnels.

This model fits service desks, MSPs, and internal IT teams that handle many short-lived, ad-hoc sessions across varied environments and networks, where reducing friction for both users and technicians is a priority.

Capabilities to look for:

• Session elevation and UAC (User Account Control) handling when admin rights are required
• Bi-directional file transfer, clipboard sharing, and integrated chat
• Session logging and recording for audits and quality reviews
• Support for multiple operating systems (Windows, macOS, Linux)

This makes browser-based tools especially effective in helpdesk scenarios, MSP environments, and mixed-OS fleets where deployment overhead must be kept low.

Cloud-Brokered Remote Access Platforms

Cloud-brokered tools rely on relay servers or peer-to-peer (P2P) connections orchestrated via the cloud. Endpoints establish outbound connections to the broker, which then coordinates secure sessions between technician and user.

They are particularly effective for organizations with distributed or mobile workforces, branch offices, and remote endpoints where local network infrastructure is fragmented or outside of central IT’s direct control.

Key benefits:

• Minimal network changes: no need to open inbound ports or manage VPN gateways
• Built-in NAT traversal, making it easy to reach devices behind routers and firewalls
• Quick deployment at scale via lightweight agents or simple installers
• Centralized management, reporting, and policy enforcement in a cloud console

What Are the Key Best Practices for Remote IT Support Without VPN?

Moving away from VPN-based support means rethinking workflow, identity, and security controls. The following practices help maintain strong security while improving usability.

• Use Role-Based Access Controls (RBAC)
• Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
• Log and Monitor All Remote Sessions
• Keep Remote Support Tools Up to Date
• Protect Both Technician and Endpoint Devices

Use Role-Based Access Controls (RBAC)

Define roles for helpdesk agents, senior engineers, and administrators, and map them to specific permissions and device groups. RBAC reduces the risk of over-privileged accounts and simplifies onboarding and offboarding when staff change roles.

In practice, align RBAC with your existing IAM or directory groups so you are not maintaining a parallel model just for remote support. Regularly review role definitions and access assignments as part of your access recertification process, and document exception workflows so temporary elevated access is controlled, time-bound, and fully auditable.

Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Require MFA for technician logins and, where possible, for session elevation or access to high-value systems. MFA significantly reduces the risk of compromised credentials being used to initiate unauthorized remote sessions.

Where possible, standardize on the same MFA provider used for other corporate applications to reduce friction. Prefer phishing-resistant methods such as FIDO2 security keys or platform authenticators over SMS codes. Make sure fallback and recovery processes are well documented, so you do not bypass security controls during urgent support situations.

Log and Monitor All Remote Sessions

Ensure every session generates an audit trail that includes who connected, to which device, when, for how long, and what actions were taken. Where possible, enable session recording for sensitive environments. Integrate logs with SIEM tools to detect anomalous behaviour.

Define clear retention policies based on your compliance requirements and verify that logs and recordings are tamper resistant. Periodically run spot checks or internal audits on session data to validate that support practices match documented procedures and to identify opportunities to improve training or tighten controls.

Keep Remote Support Tools Up to Date

Treat remote support software as critical infrastructure. Apply updates promptly, review release notes for security fixes, and periodically test backup access methods in case a tool fails or is compromised.

Include your remote support platform in your standard patch management process with defined maintenance windows and rollback plans. Test updates in a staging environment that reflects production before broad rollout. Document dependencies such as browser versions, agents, and plugins so compatibility issues can be identified and resolved quickly.

Protect Both Technician and Endpoint Devices

Harden both sides of the connection. Use endpoint protection, disk encryption, and patch management on technician laptops as well as user devices. Combine remote access controls with EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) to detect and block malicious activity during or after sessions.

Create hardened “support workstations” with restricted internet access, application whitelisting, and enforced security baselines for technicians who handle privileged sessions. For user endpoints, standardize baseline images and configuration policies so devices present a predictable security posture, making it easier to detect anomalies and respond quickly to incidents.

Simplify Remote IT Support with TSplus Remote Support

If you're looking for an easy-to-deploy, secure, and cost-effective alternative to VPN-based support, TSplus Remote Support is a strong option to consider. TSplus Remote Support provides encrypted, browser-based remote sessions with full control, file transfer, and session recording, without requiring a VPN or inbound port forwarding.

Technicians can quickly assist users across networks, while administrators keep control through role-based permissions and detailed logging. This makes TSplus Remote Support particularly well suited for IT teams, MSPs, and remote help desks that want to modernize their support model and reduce their dependence on complex VPN infrastructures.

Conclusion

VPNs are no longer the only option for secure remote IT support. With modern alternatives like RD Gateways, ZTNA, browser-based tools, and cloud-brokered platforms, IT teams can deliver faster, safer, and more manageable assistance to users wherever they are.

By focusing on zero trust principles, identity-based access, robust auditing, and purpose-built remote support tools, organizations can improve both productivity and security — all without the complexity and overhead of a traditional VPN.