Trying to keep home computer and work computer separate

I am hoping someone can explain things to me, so that I can be at peace. So here goes, the scernario is that I do work on-line for a company on my wired Dell desktop, no problems there. But also in the home are my laptop (IBM/lonovo), son's laptop (compaq) and my husband's laptop business computer (dell). I would like to know if there are any reports to run so that you guys can look to see how to disable my employer's ability to be in all my computers at home, even though I only use the wired desktop for work. The other computers are all for personal use and have never been used for work (save my own laptop, which I have used on a very few occasions when the Dell was off line). I am most concerned about the remote listening and host services, which I feel should not be on the personal equipment, just on the the desktop, but I may be reading the information wrong. The settings on the personal computers seem to be more restricted than they used to be and every one has trouble connecting and staying connected to the internet since all this started happening. Hopefully this is not too confusing and you guys will understand what I am really asking about.
Thanks in advance for whatever help is offered. You guys (and girls) are a godsend. I love your website and have used it to educate myself many times!!
Maureen

No one can connect to the other pcs unless there is a port mapped on the router to them. The only way it could be done is if there is a remote control to your pc then they could take over your pc and map drives to the other pc's but they could only connect to any shares on the other pcs and may need a password as well depending how you have set them up.

I assume you connect to work via the internet

Based from your statement, I would bet the your desktop computer is has an image of your office Windows Operating system with all the apps that came with it.

Usually, they do installed VNC, and some applications like SMS or SCCM. For the most part, I am thinking that you connect to the office via some type of VPN. Corporate offices do not allow work from home not unless its through some time of VPN. It could be SSL or a client installed.

Anyway, for your office to be able to access the home computer, they should be in the same environment as that desktop you are working on. I doubt that would be the setup of the home PC. Its not set up to be accessible remotely at default.

I highly doubt it that your work IT can gain access to your Laptop not unless they slipped a remote access application. They would have to have physical access to that PC to be able to do that.

^_^

In my opinion the biggest risk to working at home is that risk of making your home open to search for work related legal matters. I recommend never doing work on a computer you use for personal use and never storing any work related papers or notes at home. I think it is ok to use a work owned computer at home as long as you don't mix your personal files and your work files, that is keep it totally separate (using the same router is ok I think) and I would avoid printing our work material at home, keep it all electronic on the work computer.

If there is a legal matter at work and you mix your work and home computer environments or you store work paperwork at home, you risk making your home discoverable for evidence. You don't want the police coming in and boxing up all you personal paperwork because it may have work related evidence in it. It is best to be able to say with complete honesty that there is not work related material in your home besides your work computer.