The three common setups
| Windows desktop program | Cloud service | Linux VM on your LAN (RepairAmigo) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where the data lives | On the same Windows PC you browse and check email on | On the vendor's servers | Inside a sealed Linux VM on a shop computer |
| Reachable from the internet | Depends on the PC | Yes, by design (login page) | No, staff reach it at a LAN address |
| Typical Windows malware risk | Directly exposed | Your login can be stolen from an infected PC | Windows programs can't run inside the Linux VM |
| Backups | Often manual and forgotten | Controlled by the vendor | Back up the entire VM and run it on another computer as easily as it was installed |
| If you stop paying or the vendor closes | Usually keeps working | Access can end | Your data stays on your computer |
1. Protected behind your shop LAN
RepairAmigo runs inside VirtualBox on one shop computer and gets its own address on your local network. Staff open it in a browser from any computer, tablet or phone on that network. You don't open a port on your router, and the VM doesn't use UPnP to open one by itself, so internet scanning and password-guessing bots don't reach it.
Inside the VM, the firewall allows only two things in, and only from your LAN: the web app (port 80) and SSH (port 22). SSH accepts keys only; password and root logins are off. The database and the miner's stats listen only inside the VM itself.
What goes out is limited too: an HTTPS check-in to repairamigo.com every 5 minutes (the replies are signed, and no customer records are sent; see the EULA) and the connection to the mining pools. Remote support is off by default. It opens only when the Owner or a Manager clicks Allow for 24 or 48 hours, and they can end it at any time.
A LAN is not a vault. Keep guest Wi-Fi separate from the shop network and use strong staff passwords. The point is that there's far less to attack than a service anyone on the internet can try to log into.
2. Effectively immune to common Windows viruses and ransomware
Most malware that hits small shops is written for Windows: a fake invoice attachment, a cracked program, a "driver" from a sketchy site. With desktop software, that malware runs on the same machine as your database and can encrypt it in minutes.
The RepairAmigo VM is a locked-down Linux system, so it's immune to common Windows viruses and ransomware: Windows .exe files and Office macros can't run inside it. The root password is locked, the boot menu is password-protected, and helper accounts can run only a short list of logged commands. Security updates install automatically (without surprise reboots). Even if the Windows PC that hosts the VM gets infected, your repair data lives inside the VM's own Linux system, not as loose files in your Documents folder. No setup is risk-free, which is why the next point matters.
3. Easy to back up to a thumb drive
You can back up the entire VM and run it on a different computer just as easily as it was installed. Shut the VM down, copy it (or use VirtualBox's Export Appliance) to a thumb drive or external drive, label it with the date and keep it somewhere other than the shop. If the shop computer dies, import that copy on another computer and you're back in business. See our backup guide for a simple routine.
4. You own your data, with no cloud lock-in
With a cloud service your records live on someone else's servers, and leaving often means a partial export and a deadline. With RepairAmigo the database is on your computer. You can view and export everything whenever you want, including after you stop using the software. There is no monthly subscription to keep current to see your own tickets. More on handling customer information: customer data privacy during repairs.
What a VM does not do for you
- It doesn't protect a computer someone can walk off with. Lock the room or the case.
- It doesn't replace backups. A dead drive is still a dead drive.
- It doesn't fix weak passwords. Give each tech their own login.
Try it
RepairAmigo is free software for phone, computer and console repair shops, made in Texas. It runs as a VirtualBox VM on a Windows, Linux or Intel Mac computer in your shop. Download RepairAmigo, follow the setup guide, or compare options in free repair shop software. Questions: support@repairamigo.com.
FAQ
Is a VM on my LAN safer than cloud repair software?
For most small shops, yes. It isn't exposed to the internet, typical Windows malware can't run inside it, and you keep the data. It still needs backups and good passwords.
Can Windows ransomware encrypt RepairAmigo's data?
RepairAmigo runs inside a locked-down Linux VM, so it's immune to common Windows viruses and ransomware. No system is risk-free, so keep a thumb-drive backup.
Can I access RepairAmigo from outside the shop?
It is designed to be used on your shop network. Staff open it in a browser on any device connected to that network.
How do I back up RepairAmigo?
Back up the entire VM: shut it down and copy it to an external drive. You can run it on a different computer just as easily as it was installed.
Questions?
Read the setup guide or go back to More about RepairAmigo.
Made in Texas.