Maintain remote Desktop Connection?

[bygeek]

I'm using a remote desktop connection to a server at our corporate office. It automatically logs me off in about 5 minutes unless I keep refreshing the screen. Is there any type of utility that will refresh automatically so I can stay logged in?

 

[bcastner]

You would need the ability to change Group Policy object settings on the remote server.

The settings are under Computer Configuratiion, Administrative Templates, Windows Components, Terminal Services, Sessions.

 

[bygeek]

Thanks, Bill, but we can't get them to change it there, that's why I was looking for a workaround from this end.

 

[bcastner]

I thought that might be true.

Try:
In the registry at HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server, create or edit the DWORD value of KeepAliveEnable and set it to 1. This will turn Keep Alives on. This will serve to stabilize the connection by sending 'heartbeat' packets to the client every so often. This will cause an idle connection to be probed every so often just to be sure that the connection is still alive and that the client is still listening on the other side. This will also help prevent disconnects by preventing network devices from killing off sockets that it assumes to be idle.

 

[bygeek]

Bill, thanks for the suggestion. I created the DWORD value, but it still disconnects.

 

[bcastner]

That is the only shot you have on your end, I think.
You could try creating a Scheduled Task to run during idle time to do something like a directory listing or a ping to

http://www.google.com.

 

[bygeek]

I downloaded a macro recorder and created a macro that refreshes the screen at regular intervals. It keeps me connected just fine!