To troubleshoot a remote desktop connection you need to understand the
contrasting roles of the network host (victim) and the local client computer
(parasite).
Each factor in making a successful connection is easier if both the client and host are
running Microsoft's Windows 8. However, don't worry if one of the computers is
running Windows 7, Vista, XP, or even Windows Server,
you can still get a remote desktop connection to work.
The key to configuring the host is thinking ahead. Realize that
one day you are going to leave your office with the Windows 8 machine running, and then visit a colleague in another
part of the building; the problem comes
when you need
a file which is on your Windows 8
computer back in the first office.
To save that long trek back to your machine, launch
Remote Desktop from a colleague's machine, and
then connect to your Windows 8 computer
back in the other office. Once you configure the logon credentials
make the connection
a LAN, or even over the internet via TCP port 3389. Working with a
Windows 8 remote desktop is almost indistinguishable from being there at
the physical host machine.
Instructions to Enable Remote Desktop:
Here is where you think ahead and configure your own Windows 8 machine, which
I call
the host in this scenario:
Assuming you are seeing the Metro UI: click on Control
Panel, or if you cannot find it type 'c o n t r o l' and select the
icon. Once the control panel is open head for: More Settings, System and Security, Remote Settings, Remote
Desktop and click the radio button next to 'Allow connections running any
version of Remote Desktop'.
Assuming you are at the Desktop:
Call for the 'Charms', Search, Control Panel. Now it's System and Security, System, Remote Settings
(Left menu), Allow Desktop (Section), Allow connections.
'Allow connections only from computers running Remote Desktop with Network
Level Authentication' - This means only Microsoft's Windows 8 or Windows 7 machines.
For a modicum of security there is a button (not shown) to control which users can connect to your
machine.
Recommended: Solarwinds' Permissions Analyzer - Free Active Directory Tool
I like the
Permissions Monitor because it enables me to see WHO has permissions
to do WHAT at a glance. When you launch this tool it analyzes a users effective NTFS
permissions for a specific file or folder, and takes into account network share
access, then displays the results in a nifty desktop dashboard!
Think of all the frustration that this free SolarWinds utility saves when you are
troubleshooting authorization problems for user's access to a resource.
Windows 8's remote desktop is smooth, responsive and provides a great
display, the one potential problem is that the host machine will fall into
deep sleep. The answer is to enable the Wake Timers.
Navigate to Power Options, click on the 'Change advanced power settings'
link.
Note: Change settings that are currently unavailable.
Sleep
Allow wake timers
On battery: What do you think?
Plugged in: Enable (See screenshot)
The benefit is that if the host machine sleeps, as is likely, you
can now awaken it using remote desktop, and thus create remote session.
Trust me it works like a charm, so much better than in Windows 7.
Encouraging computers to sleep when not in use is a great idea -
until you are away from your desk and need a file on that remote sleeping machine!
Wake-On-LAN really will save you that long walk to awaken a hibernating
machine; however my reason for encouraging you to download this utility is
just because it's so much fun sending those 'Magic Packets'. As Wake-On-LAN (WOL) is free, see
if I am right, and you get a kick from arousing those sleeping machines.
WOL also has business uses for example, wakening machines so that they can have
their patches applied.
Talking of options, there is
related service called Remote Assistance. This allows
an invited friend, or a techie, to access your computer so that they can
troubleshoot your problem. Unlike Remote Desktop, in case of Remote Assistance
both of you can see the same computer screen. There is an option for
sharing control of the mouse pointer.
A Backdoor Registry Hack - fDenyTSConnections
There is a 'backdoor' registry tweak which allows you to setup the
Remote Desktop Connection as above. This is useful if you forgot
to 'Allow connections' before you left your machine. My technique
involves using a registry setting called fDenyTSConnections to reverse
'Don't allow connections to this computer' on the target machine.
My idea relies on the ability of regedit to Connect to network registry,
for this you could take the time to start the Remote Registry Service on the target machine.
See here for a
PowerShell script to start services.
Our mission is to change the value of fDenyTSConnections from =1 to =0.
Launch Regedit and navigate along this path: File Menu, Connect Network Registry. Naturally, you
need the hostname of the computer. Next let us connect to the correct registry
hive on the target machine,
HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server
Now find the Reg_DWord called fDenyTSConnections and set the value = 0 (zero)
Unfortunately, you have to reboot the target machine before the change
from 1 to 0 takes effect. To achieve this I use the following
PowerShell command:
The situation is that you have configured the remote host to 'Allow connections
...'. So now it's time to launch the Remote
Desktop Connection on the local client. To access this MSTSC executable
in Windows
7, click on the Start Orb, and in the Search dialog box, type
Remote Desktop.
Launch Remote Desktop Connection - See screenshot. If this fails
the underlying program is called mstcs.exe and is located at:
C:\Windows\System32\mstsc.exe.
Type the name of the computer that you want to gain remote access.
It's worth taking the time to examine the 'Options' before you click 'Connect'.
It's also possible to chain remote desktop connections to a third or
fourth computer. Delegates on training courses always want to link
in this way, but I have yet to see a killer real-life reason to create a
long chain of connected computers.
The scenario: You are in Windows 8 and you wish to connect to another
Window 8 machine, or a
Windows 7 / Vista computer. From the Metro UI, type 'r' (for
remote). Remote Desktop should appear amongst the Apps.
Guy Recommends : SolarWinds' Free VM Monitor
The great feature of this new this new version of SolarWinds VM Monitor is that it
checks Windows Hyper-V. Naturally, it still works with virtual machines on VMware ESX Servers. VM Monitor is an nifty
desktop tool that not only tests that your server is online, but also
displays the CPU and memory utilization for each node.
It's easy to install and to configure this virtual machine monitor, all
you need the host server's IP address or hostname and the logon info.
It all focuses on RemoteFX technology. What it delivers is:
As expected, you get the Metro UI multi touch experience.
Crisper graphics over WAN connections. Adaptive graphics which
can throttle the encoding depending on the bandwidth, or the available
server processing power. There is also better video codex.
Remote Desktop is available on an ever increasing range of clients'
tablet, slate and mobile devices.
USB Redirection.
Remote Desktop works well in VMs.
'Favorites' almost subliminally remind you of what you were doing the
last time you used remote desktop.
Launching the underlying program mstsc.exe rarely gives problems.
Thus troubleshooting focuses on network connectivity and permissions.
And once you get a basic remote desktop connection, there is potential
for new problems, for example, printing gives trouble, or Aero Graphics
don't display crisply.
Basic Troubleshooting Techniques to Get a Connection
Installation: No problem, remote desktop already installed
on the Windows 8 machine,
except on Home Basic editions. To get started just type 'Remote' in the Search
dialog box.
Locking the Remote Machine The downside of
connecting to a remote machine is that for licensing reasons the host
screen has to be locked. The local user could deny the remote
connection, or the local user has to be logged out so that the remote
person can logon and user the computer's resources. If nobody is
around at the host computer, remote desktop logs off that user after 30
seconds.
The only work-around for this one user policy is to buy a
third-party remote control software, which sort of negates the point of
the free Windows 8 Remote Desktop Connection.
Editions for Windows 8 Remote Desktop
The host computer - the distant one that you connect to - must be a Professional, Business or Ultimate
edition. However, I always get pleasantly surprised that be any
edition, including the home premium. Incidentally, the host could also be Windows
7, Vista, XP
or even a Windows Server.
Hostname Problems - Remote Desktop cannot find computer... Use
ping to test the network connection, if there is a problem check the
Host records at the DNS server. Alternatively, type the IP address
rather than a computer name in the Computer dialog box.
If you have selected Network Level Authentication then you must type the
full computer name at the client. For example, mycomputer.local and not
plain mycomputer. If in doubt try: ping mycomputer. The surest
alternative is to check in the Control Panel, System and Security, System:
Full computer name.
Disable Firewalls Disable the firewalls on both the local and remote
host computer. Most other experts will tell you not to do this,
but I disable the firewall because it
eliminates this one factor, and thus re-directs my mind to
focus on other sources of configuration mistakes.
Entering Your Credentials Try to make the connection with a username that has previously
logged on at that second computer. Also check in the Control Panel of the host
machine to see that the user has
permission to use remote desktop.
Telnet I mention this as a poor man's alternative to
remote desktop, useful if you are desperate to make a connection.
Encouraging computers to sleep when not in use is a great idea -
until you are away from your desk and need a file on that remote sleeping machine!
Wake-On-LAN really will save you that long walk to awaken a hibernating
machine; however my reason for encouraging you to download this utility is
just because it's so much fun sending those 'Magic Packets'. As Wake-On-LAN (WOL) is free, see
if I am right, and you get a kick from arousing those sleeping machines.
WOL also has business uses for example, wakening machines so that they can have
their patches applied.
Problems Once You Make a Remote Desktop Connection
For problems relating to local resources, or the connection experience, then
click on the 'Options' button (see above), now examine each of the six tabs that you see in
the screenshot to the right.
Aero Graphics For a reason that I cannot fathom, the
'Experience' defaults to the slowest connection 'Modem', thus if you
have a high speed connection you are going to miss out on Aero Graphics effects
-
unless you select 'LAN'.
Printers As usual, printers give their fair share of
problems. My advice is to go to the 'Local Resources' tab and
experiment with, and without, the tick in the Printers box.
Full Screen Mode Break out of Remote Desktop full
screen mode with this three-key combination: Ctrl +Alt +Pause
Save Credentials I like to reduce hassle by saving
my credentials in the General tab. While it's not a problem in a
HomeGroup, if the computers belong to a domain then you can change this
group policy.
Logon as an administrator.
'Search' for gpedit.msc. Remember that .msc as you type
name: gpedit.msc.
Navigate to the Computer Configuration, Administrative Templates,
System, and then Credentials Delegation.
In the right pane, double-click Allow Saved Credentials with
NTLM-only Server Authentication, click Enabled, and then click Show.
In the Show Contents dialog box, click Add, type the name of
the remote computer (server) in this format: TERMSRV\<computername>
It may be worth reading the help notes; for example, make sure you
capitalize TERMSRV. Also, you could try using the asterisk * as a
wildcard as in: TERMSRV\*
Remote Desktop Sleep Problem
If the host machine is sleeping it maybe difficult to wake the machine and
thus make a connection. The answer is to configure the Power Options
in the Control Panel, System and Security.
Specifically, you want Sleep, Allow wake timers, Plugged in: Enable
see screenshot to the right.
In addition to its use for an ordinary user to connect to a client
desktop, remote connection technology can also be used for an
administrator to connect to Windows Server 2008.
Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) for Windows 8
allows
administrators to remotely manage roles and features, which are
installed on a member of the Windows Server family. However,
you have to be running the Enterprise, Professional, or Ultimate
editions of Windows 8
to successfully install this add-on to manage the
servers.
Make sure that are at the Windows 8
computer, download the
Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 8
MSU package from
the Microsoft Download Center.
Open the RSAT package and install it.
Launch the, Control Panel, and then click Programs. In the Programs and Features area, click Turn Windows features
on or off.
In the Windows Features dialog box, expand Remote Server
Administration Tools. Select the remote management tools that you
want to install.
Summary of
Remote Desktop Connection for Windows 8
Remote Desktop connects two Windows computers over a network. Once
linked, you view the remote desktop just as if you were sitting there in the
room.
The first step in troubleshooting is to check that the distant network
computer is setup to allow remote desktop connections. On the client
computer test with ping that you can contact the target machine. Once
you can make a basic connection examine each tab in the Options. The
program can be located at %SystemDirectory%\mstsc.exe.
If you like this page then please share it with your friends
