Remote Desktop 1

[bpatters55]

Hello Folks,

I want to set up a Remote Desktop (RD) session with another PC. Both PCs are running XP Pro and both PCs have DSL. I have done a lot of reading on the this subject and I find I am getting more confused. I know I need to set up both both PCs to accept RD and I have done that. I just went into Control Panel and the Remote tab and selected RD. I know there is a second step which requires setting RD so that I can establish ac connection over the Internet.

In the reading I have done, I think I also need to set up a VPN connection. Do I need a VPN connection or does RD encrupt the session?

If someone could give me a high level overview, I would appreciate it. Like anything else with computers, I think I am "not seeing the forest through the trees".

Thanks, Bill

 

[bcastner]

RD encrypts the session, and a VPN connection is not necessary.

The only things you need to know or do:

. You need to know the internet IP of the connection you intend to contact;

. You have to make sure any firewall software is not blocking port 3389 TCP on both machines. If you are behind a router (or the other machine is behind a router) you will need to port forward 3389 TCP to the private LAN IP address if the router does not support uPnP.

 

[bpatters55]

Thanks, bcastner. I will get the user on the remote PC to go to

http://www.whatismyip.com

so she can give me her IP address. As far as setting up RD on both machines. I go into Control Panel, System, Remote and click on the box for Remote Desktop? Is that it? Nothing else? Thanks, Bill

 

[bcastner]

. You have to make sure you have a local machine account for the username and password on the remote machine, and that it is added to the Remote Desktop user list. (Blank or empty passwords will not work).

 

[bcastner]

Make sure you add to the Remote Desktop uers list as a local user the account you intend to use to logon to the remote computer. A "gotch" is that there must be a password, as a blank or empty password will not work.

 

[bpatters55]

Ok....... So far, so good. So what you are saying is that I need to create a user account on my machine and the remote machine that are the same with the same passwords.

 

[bcastner]

It simplifies things, although the username and password do not have to be identical on both machines.
Once the Remote Connection occurs you will be asked to enter a username and password, which has to have been predefined as a local user on the remote machine, and added as a Remote User in the System Properties, Remote section.

 

[bpatters55]

So as a final overview. If I am going to use billpatt as a username, I will need to add billpatt as a user to both my PC and the remote. Additonally, I would use the same password for both accounts on both machines. On my machine billpatt would be a remote user and on the remote machine, billpatt would be a local user. I will keep the username and password the same for simplicity.

All I have to do to activate Remote Desktop is to go into "system" and check the Remote Desktop check box on both machines.

To set up the RD session, I open the RD window (which can be found in the start menu and type in the external IP address of the remote PC and hit connect. A RD window will open and I will use the billpatt user account and password to login.

Right? More or less? Nothing else to install? Thanks again.

 

[bcastner]

All I have to do to activate Remote Desktop is to go into "system" and check the Remote Desktop check box on both machines."

And then use the 'Select Remote Users' on both ends for simplicity, and make sure billpatt is added. If you are the local Administrator, you will be added automaticly on your end.

The only other hurdle is if either of you are behind routers, you want to:

. enable uPnP on the router
. enable uPnP on the clients (Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, Windows Components, Networking Services, enable the first and last choices in the list
. or set the router to port forward 3389 TCP and UDP to the private LAN IP address handed out by the router
. or do both (I do)

Finally, make sure the firewall on both sides allows Port 3389 TCP and UDP traffic to flow without blockage.

Done.

 

[bcastner]

Resources:

Jeff Randow, MVP:

http://www.remotenetworktechnology.com/

http://www.remotenetworktechnology.com/Default.aspx?tabid=36

http://www.microsoft.com/WINDOWSXP/remotedesktop/faq.asp

http://www.wown.com/j_helmig/wxprmdtp.htm

 

[bpatters55]

Cool! Thanks.I am not at my PC right now - I am at work on a Win2000 box. Sounds straightforward enough. I will check it out when I get home. Thanks, again.

 

[bcastner]

Post back from your RD connection.
Bill

 

[bpatters55]

For those who are interested, check this out:

http://www.remotenetworktechnology.com/Default.aspx?tabid=63

The link above is a graphical login to a computer on the Net using Remote Desktop. Neat.

 

[bpatters55]

Well, I think I have been successful. I tried to login to my home PC via its public Internet address. I did not get any errors and I had to login two times. Is there a way to tell if you are connected remotely vs. locally?

One point of clairfication. What do you mean by?

"And then use the 'Select Remote Users' on both ends for simplicity, and make sure billpatt is added. If you are the local Administrator, you will be added automaticly on your end."

Thanks, Bill