How to make a remote PLC connection via someone else's laptop?

I'm about to have a guy onsite (I'm trying to help troubleshoot remotely) and he doesn't have the proper software. Usually I have the guys install the software ahead of time and then use TeamViewer to take over their laptop but I didn't get any advance notice this time. So I'm wondering if there is a VPN or something he can install quickly that would let me just use his laptop as a conduit so that I can connect to the PLC and do the troubleshooting with the software on my own laptop. Any suggestions?

Teamviewer has a built in VPN which can do exactly what you're suggesting. I've never used it myself, but one of the users here (JesperMP) has created a how-to guide

I've used JesperMP's guide to do exactly this on systems on the opposite side of the planet; the details in the document are for Siemens but they work just fine with anything else.

One of the hurdles I also had to clear was that the devices on the network typically need to be set up with their Default Gateway set to the IP address of that computer with TeamViewer on it.

In my case, I had to take over the remote computer, download and install RSLinx Classic Lite (over a cell phone data connection !), and use that to change the Default Gateway of a 1756-EN2T, after which I could connect via the TeamViewer VPN.

Awesome guys, thank you! I've been using TeamViewer for years and never knew it had this feature. Learn something new every day!

See table comparison of remote access HMI connections. information technology (IT) complexity by creating an encrypted connection from plant network through the mobile VPN app, the third-party HMI or PLC app Some routers provide a hosted VPN with connections for laptops and mobile devices.