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We currently have a meraki mx65 that we use for vpn access. All the vpn use has been to view pdf files from a shared location. We have on occasion remoted in with remote desktop. We are struggling to find employees to help fill positions within the company. We are willing to allow remote work or a hybrid schedule to get the positions filled. What is the best software/ approach to accomplish this? I was going to setup the vpn access on a pc with remote desktop and have them connect to a pc in the office. Is there a better way to do this? What issues might I encounter doing it the way I suggested? I’m not sure If I should setup a pc and send it home with them or set it up on a personal one. It would be beneficial if they could use dual monitors. Is that going to be an issue using windows app or remote desktop? I need to have this figured out before we hire someone.

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There’s a lot to unpack here.

First, what’s company policy about BYODevice? Do you have a way to verify their personal device is current on updates and secure? Any way to make sure it stays that way?

If you’re sending them something via UPS, do you have a recovery/expense policy that says what happens if they don’t ship it back at the end of their employment?

Are you the head of IT to be making such decisions or just researching on their behalf?

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Not sure if you want to look at Chromebooks or Chrome remote into Windows computer: Access another computer with Chrome Remote Desktop - Computer - Chromebook Help

Dual monitor - I recommend one Ultra Wide 34" or similar over a dual monitor setup. Less cables less clunky no dock needed.

Also check if your internet and VPN can scale.

If cost or space is not an issue one office computer and another one to take home should work.

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Currently we have no policy on BYO device. I wouldn’t have any way to verify their personal device is current. I do have extra devices I could send home with them.
Typically they are responsible for returning all devices/ company property before they receive there last check.
I will be making all the decisions when it comes to IT. I just want to set this up correctly from the start.

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Get with HR and other department leads and discuss the pros/cons of BYO Device. Create the policy now, before you start trying to enforce it after.

You’ll want to include costs for each method (both financial and security). How big is your department, do you have someone with firewall/VPN skills/knowledge already on-staff?

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It’s just me at the moment. I setup the current firewall and the vpn access. We will be starting with one remote employee with another in the future if this works out.

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Good that you’re on Meraki then, as it’s all pretty straight forward in the GUI. Setup the VPN, if you ship them a PC then you have the ability to configure and test everything. If you go BOY Device, you have to send them connection and login information for that, plus the RDP info…it comes down to how do you and the company want to make this work…more control over a company owned device, just sayin’

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We’ve helped customers in similar spots—trying to make hybrid work seamless without needing a complex setup.

If you’re looking at VPN + RDP as a go-to, it works, but there are a few things to plan for:

  • Performance issues if the office network or the remote PC isn’t consistently up.
  • Security gaps if the home device isn’t managed or if you’re relying on personal PCs.
  • Dual monitor support via Remote Desktop is possible, but depends on bandwidth and user setup.

A more scalable approach could be to send pre-configured devices with VPN + access controls already in place. We help teams manage this using Scalefusion (our UEM platform), and pair it with Veltar (our VPN tool) for secure tunnels. No manual VPN config needed on the user side. It auto-enforces VPN policies and keeps everything manageable remotely from a single dashboard.

Demo: If you’re exploring hybrid setups, happy to share what’s worked for others we’ve supported.

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