Supporting
remote systems is much easier thanks to Windows XP's Remote Desktop
application. The application's biggest benefit is that it provides access to a
desktop as if you were sitting in forepart of the arrangement. In addition to receiving
the bodily desktop GUI, yous can admission network shares and printers as if seated
at the PC.

While
remote users can request assist using Windows XP'south Remote Assistance feature,
often administrators must update settings and brand configuration changes to
remote machines. Occasionally employees must work from home, likewise. Windows XP's
Remote Desktop simplifies the process. Follow these steps to configure Windows
Remote Desktop and administer systems remotely.

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Windows Remote Desktop

Connecting
to a remote desktop is fairly straightforward, but a few elements must be in
identify first:

  • The host desktop must have Net access (preferably
    high-speed).
  • The local system (the PC connecting to the remote
    desktop that volition serve as the host) must exist running Windows XP
    Professional (or a Windows 2003-flavour server) or have the appropriate
    Terminal Services tools installed.
  • Firewalls between the local system and the remote host
    must be configured to pass the appropriate traffic.
  • Remote Desktop must be installed and enabled on the
    target system.

Installing Remote Desktop

Remote
Desktop is an optional Windows XP Professional person service. To install it on a host
system (to enable a computer to accept a remote connection asking), Microsoft
recommends y'all:

  1. Click Starting time.
  2. Click Control Panel.
  3. Select Add Or Remove Programs.
  4. Select Add/Remove Windows Components.
  5. Select Internet Information Services.
  6. Click the Details button.
  7. Select World Wide Web Service.
  8. Click the Details push.
  9. Check the Remote Desktop Web Connection checkbox.
  10. Click OK.
  11. Click Next.
  12. Click Finish to complete the wizard.
  13. Click Kickoff.
  14. Select Run.
  15. Enter Net End
    w3svc     and click the OK push button or press Enter.
  16. Click Showtime.
  17. Select All Programs.
  18. Select Microsoft Update.
  19. Select Scan For Updates.
  20. Install all critical updates on the host organization.
  21. Click Commencement.
  22. Select Run.
  23. Enter Net Offset
    w3svc     and click the OK button.

Installing Remote Desktop connection on not-XP systems

Non-Windows
XP systems can also access Windows systems running Windows Remote Desktop. The
local system used to access the remote calculator must have the remote
connectivity client software installed. To install the required Terminal
Services components:

  1. Insert a Windows XP Professional person CD in the local
    system'southward CD or DVD drive.
  2. From the resulting Welcome To
    Microsoft Windows XP screen, click Perform Additional Tasks.
  3. Click Setup Remote Desktop Connectedness from the What Practise
    You Want To Exercise Screen.
  4. The InstallShield Sorcerer will
    open; click Next on the Welcome To The InstallShield Sorcerer for Remote Desktop Connection.
  5. Read and accept the license agreement and click Side by side.
  6. Enter the client name and system, and specify
    whether the desktop connexion is to be available to all users or only the
    logged in user and click Next.
  7. Click Install.
  8. Click Terminate.

The
older Windows system tin now open the Remote Desktop Connection bill of fare by
clicking Showtime | Programs | Accessories | Communications | Remote Desktop
Connection or by opening a control prompt and typing mstsc.

Firewall settings

Before attempting a Remote Desktop session, ensure the host
arrangement's Windows Firewall is set up to enable the connection. Follow these steps
to confirm the Windows Firewall is properly configured:

  1. Click Starting time.
  2. Click Control Panel.
  3. Access the Windows Firewall menu (by clicking
    Windows Firewall using Command Panel'south Category View or by clicking
    Security Middle and selecting Windows Firewall using the Archetype Vew).
  4. Click the Exceptions tab.
  5. Confirm the Remote Desktop checkbox is checked
    and isn't overridden by a grouping policy.

When working with other firewalls, information technology's usually best that
port 3389 (and port 80) be opened to enable Final Services traffic (and the
connectedness to the Remote Desktop application). This is specially true when
attempting to connect to Modest Business concern Server 2003 desktops.

Enabling user access

To
ensure a remote organisation is configured to support Remote Desktop, follow these
steps:

  1. Click Outset.
  2. Click Control Panel.
  3. Select Performance and Maintenance and click System (if
    the view is set to Category; if the Classic View is in use simply click
    the Control Panel's System applet).
  4. Click the Remote tab.
  5. Confirm the Remote Desktop checkbox is checked (Permit
    Users To Connect Remotely To This Figurer).

Adjacent, you need to specify which users tin access the organisation
remotely. To practise so:

  1. Open the Remote tab again (following the steps
    only described).
  2. Click the Select Remote Users push button, shown in Figure A.
  3. Click the Add button.
  4. Specify those users that should receive
    permission to admission the organization remotely.
  5. Click OK to shut the Select Users window.
  6. Click OK to close the Remote Desktop Users
    window.

Figure A

Ostend a arrangement is set to enable a Remote Desktop connection using the
Control Panel's Organization applet'due south Remote tab.

Past default, any members of the Administrators grouping can
connect to the system, even if they're not specifically authorized using the
Remote Desktop Users window. Should y'all wish to remove a user's permission to
log on remotely, highlight that user'south name and click the Remove push button.

Configuring Remote Desktop

One time
those conditions are met, users and administrators should exist able to admission
systems using Remote Desktop by:

  1. Clicking First.
  2. Selecting Run.
  3. Typing mstsc and clicking OK.

Alternatively, one can:

  1. Click Start.
  2. Click All Programs.
  3. Click Accessories.
  4. Click Communications.
  5. Click Remote Desktop Connection.

The Remote Desktop Connectedness Screen will appear. By
default, an abbreviated version displays, as shown in Figure B

Effigy B

Past default, a uncomplicated Remote Desktop Connection menu appears.

To display more remote connectivity options and configure
additional settings, click the Options push button. Clicking the Options push
reveals five tabs, from which additional settings are configured, as shown in Figure C

Effigy C

Clicking Options reveals a host of additional Remote Desktop Connection
settings.

From the General tab, you tin can enter the IP address or fully
qualified domain proper name (FQDN) of the computer you wish to connect to inside the
Computer field. If y'all use the default menu shown in Figure A the remote computer will prompt you for a username and
password.

Notwithstanding, from the Full general tab, you lot can specify the username,
password and domain in the appropriate fields and skip the logon process.
Saving this information makes quick work of logging on to remote connections,
such every bit those used oft by employees wishing to connect to their role
desktops from home.

The Display tab, shown in Effigy D provides options for configuring the desktop size. It'southward
important to match the remote system's desktop size to the local PC, otherwise
the user may go crazy trying to navigate menus that tin consistently reach
beyond his or her monitor's range if configure incorrectly.

Figure D

The Brandish tab enables changing desktop size and colour settings.

Use the Local Resource tab, shown in Figure E to set sound, keyboard and local device options. For
example, you can configure remote system events to generate sounds on the local
PC (by selecting Bring To This Computer within the drop downwards box within the
Remote Computer Sound section or automatically connect to remote printers, disk
drives and fifty-fifty serial ports (past selecting the respective checkbox from inside
the Local Devices section).

Effigy E

The Local Resources tab provides access to remote printers and disk drives
and enables triggering arrangement sounds, amongst other options.

The Programs tab, shown in Effigy F, permits users to trigger a
specific program upon establishing the remote connection. To enable the feature, check the
Start The Following Program On Connection box and
specify the program'due south location using the provided fields.

Effigy F

Use the Programs tab to start a specific programme upon connecting to the
remote system.

The Feel tab, shown in Figure G makes it possible to configure the remote connection'due south
look and feel. For example, you tin can fix the connection speed to maximize
performance, apply the remote organization's theme and even brandish its desktop
background. Or, to optimize performance, you can turn off menu and window animation, forego displaying the remote system's desktop
background, etc.

Effigy G

Configure options on the Experience tab to optimize the remote connection's
network functioning.