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Remote Session Best Practices

Last updated: April 2026 · Category: Remote Support · Est. read time: 7 min

01 How a FlowState Remote Session Works

FlowState uses MeshCentral as its primary remote support platform, hosted on our own server at support.theflowstate.solutions. This means your session data never passes through a third-party cloud service — it routes directly between your device and our infrastructure. RustDesk serves as a backup if the primary server is unavailable.

Here is the full flow of a session from start to finish:

01
You download and run the support agentFrom support.theflowstate.solutions — a lightweight executable, no full install required.
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02
Agent connects to FlowState's serverThe agent registers with our MeshCentral instance. Your technician can see you are online in the dashboard.
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03
Technician requests a connectionFrom the FlowState dashboard, your technician initiates a remote control request to your device.
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04
You see an approval prompt on your screenA dialog appears asking you to accept or decline the connection. Nothing happens without your explicit approval.
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05
Session is liveYour technician can see your desktop and control your mouse and keyboard. You can see everything they do in real time.
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06
Session ends — you close the agentClosing the agent window immediately ends the session and severs the connection. The technician cannot reconnect until you relaunch it.
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Self-hosted for your security Unlike TeamViewer or AnyDesk which route all traffic through their cloud infrastructure, FlowState's MeshCentral server is self-hosted. Your session data stays on our controlled infrastructure and is not stored or processed by any third-party platform.

02 Before Your Session — Preparation Checklist

A well-prepared session resolves faster. Run through this checklist before your technician connects:

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Know your device details

Have your device name, operating system version, and a brief description of the issue ready. On Windows: Settings → System → About. On macOS: Apple menu → About This Mac.

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Close sensitive windows

Close browser tabs, applications, or documents showing passwords, financial data, personal information, or anything unrelated to the issue being resolved.

✓
Use a stable connection

Plug in an Ethernet cable if possible. Weak Wi-Fi causes session lag and dropped connections, which extends the time needed to resolve your issue.

✓
Stay at your screen

Your technician may need you to enter a password, approve a UAC prompt, or confirm a dialog. Stepping away mid-session delays resolution significantly.

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Note any error messages

If you saw a specific error, write it down exactly or take a screenshot beforehand. Exact error text is faster to diagnose than a general description.

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Have administrator access ready

Many fixes require elevated permissions. Know your Windows admin password or have someone with admin access present if you are on a managed device.

03 What Your Technician Can and Cannot Access

Transparency is foundational to how we operate. Here is an exact breakdown of what is and is not accessible during a session:

✓  Technician CAN
  • See your full desktop in real time
  • Move your mouse cursor and type on your keyboard
  • Open, close, and interact with applications
  • Navigate to files and folders you direct them to
  • Run commands in Command Prompt or PowerShell with your awareness
  • Install or uninstall software within the session
  • View system information, event logs, and diagnostic data
  • Transfer files to or from your device (only with your knowledge)
✕  Technician CANNOT
  • Connect without your explicit on-screen approval
  • Access your device when the agent is not running
  • Access a second monitor you minimize or turn off
  • See saved passwords stored in a password manager unless you open it
  • Access your webcam or microphone
  • Reconnect after you close the agent without you relaunching it
  • Access other devices on your network beyond the one running the agent
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Privacy best practice Before approving a session, take 30 seconds to minimize or close any windows containing personal data, passwords, or sensitive business information unrelated to the issue. A clean desktop scoped to the problem is the professional standard on both sides of a remote session.

04 Approving, Controlling, and Ending a Session

You are in control of the session at every stage. Here is how each control works:

Approving access
When your technician requests a connection, a dialog box appears on your screen with the technician's name and a prompt to Accept or Decline. The session does not start until you click Accept. If the dialog does not appear within 60 seconds of your technician saying they have connected, close and relaunch the agent.
Taking back control
You can move your mouse and use your keyboard at any time during the session — control is shared, not transferred. If you need the technician to pause, simply say so or take the mouse. Both inputs are active simultaneously.
Locking the technician out
Click the minimize or close button on the agent window at any time to immediately suspend the session. The technician's view goes black. You can reopen the agent to resume, or leave it closed to end the session entirely.
Ending the session
Close the agent window. The connection severs immediately. The technician cannot reopen it remotely — you must relaunch the agent to start a new session.
Blocking a secondary monitor
If you have multiple monitors and want to keep one private, physically turn it off or disconnect it before launching the agent. The technician can switch between all active displays that are detected by the OS at session start.

05 If the Connection Drops Mid-Session

Dropped connections are usually caused by local network instability, a VPN reconnect, or a brief ISP hiccup. Here is how to recover quickly:

  1. Check your internet connection Open a browser and navigate to any website. If your connection is down, address that first — see the Network Troubleshooting FAQ for guidance.
  2. Check whether the agent is still running Look for the agent window or its icon in the system tray (Windows) or menu bar (macOS). If it is still open and showing a connected status, the technician may be able to reconnect automatically. If the window closed, relaunch the agent.
  3. Relaunch the agent Re-run the same agent file you used to start the session. It will reconnect to the FlowState server and your technician will see you come back online in their dashboard.
  4. Contact your technician If the agent won't connect or you cannot relaunch it, call (572) 910-9201 or email help@theflowstate.solutions. Your technician can switch you to the RustDesk backup while the issue is resolved.
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Switching to RustDesk backup If the MeshCentral portal (support.theflowstate.solutions) is unreachable, download the RustDesk Windows client or RustDesk macOS client. Run it — it displays a 9-digit ID on screen. Read that ID to your technician over the phone and approve the incoming connection request.

06 Session Recordings & Audit Logs

FlowState's MeshCentral server logs session activity at the infrastructure level. This supports accountability, incident review, and compliance requirements — particularly for clients operating under NIST 800-171 or similar frameworks that mandate audit trail documentation.

What is logged
Session start and end timestamps, technician identity, device connected to, session duration, and any file transfer events. Command-line activity visible on screen is captured in the session recording.
Session recordings
MeshCentral records remote control sessions as video files on the server. These capture everything visible on your screen during the session. Recordings are available to FlowState technicians for quality review and incident analysis.
Requesting a log or recording
Email help@theflowstate.solutions with the approximate date and time of the session and the device name. Include your organization name and the reason for the request. We will respond within 1 business day.
Retention period
Session logs are retained for a minimum of 90 days. Clients with active contracts who require longer retention for compliance purposes should contact us — extended retention can be arranged.
Compliance use
Audit logs from remote sessions can be used to satisfy NIST SP 800-171 control 3.3.1 (Create and retain system audit logs) and 3.3.2 (Ensure that the actions of individual users can be traced) for CUI-handling environments. See the NIST 800-171 Compliance KB for more detail.
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Heads up before your session If you prefer that the session not be recorded — for example, if sensitive credentials will be visible on screen — notify your technician before the session begins. We can work within your organization's data handling policies.

07 After the Session — Reviewing What Was Done

Every FlowState session ends with a close-out. Your technician will not disconnect without walking you through what was done and confirming the issue is resolved. Here is what to expect and how to follow up:

Session summary
At the end of the session, your technician will verbally summarize the root cause and what was done to fix it. For longer or more complex sessions, a written summary can be emailed on request.
Changes made to your system
Common changes include installed or updated software, modified configuration files, firewall rules added or removed, services started or stopped, and driver updates. Ask your technician to walk through each change before they disconnect.
Verifying the fix
Before closing, test the issue yourself while the technician is still connected. Reproduce the steps that caused the problem and confirm the behavior is resolved. It is far faster to address any remaining issues while the session is still live.
If the issue returns
If the same issue recurs within 48 hours of a session, email help@theflowstate.solutions with the subject line FOLLOW-UP: [original issue]. Reference your previous session date. Follow-up sessions for the same root cause are handled as a priority.
Requesting documentation
For managed clients or government engagements that require written change records, request a session report via email. This documents the date, technician, issue, changes made, and outcome — suitable for IT change management logs or compliance audits.
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After the session — quick checklist Close the agent window if it is still running. Reopen any applications you closed for privacy. Confirm the fix held after a fresh restart if a reboot was part of the resolution. Save any written summary you received for your records.
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