Remote Desktop Guide

Remote Desktop is a very handy tool indeed, when it comes to controlling multiple computers from one single computer. Although it’s one thing to connect to a single computer using the default port 3389 on your local network, many people need to connect to more than just the one. On top of that, some people also need to allow access from outside of their local network. So how do you set up Remote Desktop if you have three computers for example? Let’s say you have your desk with your PC where you want to control everything from, you have your laptop that you want to place somewhere besides your desk and you have your server in another room with no screen, mouse or keyboard. Maybe you have your laptop with you when you travel and you need to connect to your computers at home.

This is the scenario I have at home and I’m working with Windows 7, Windows firewall enabled and ESET Nod32 Smart Security 5.

This is what you have to do to set this up:

 

Enable Remote Desktop
You need to enable remote connections to the computer that you want to connect to using Remote Desktop. Right click on Computer and go to Properties in the Start meny.

Go to Remote settings.

Tick the box Allow connections from computers…..

 

Set the Remote Desktop listen port
When using other ports than the default port 3389, you have to change this in the registry.

Open the registry by typing regedit in the Start search, or press Run… and type regedit and press OK.

 

When you’re in the registry, go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\WinStations\RDP-Tcp\PortNumber
Double-click, or right click and choose Modify…
Change the Base to Decimal and type a port number between 1025 and 65535. Make sure the port number you use is not already used by another program or service.
Close the registry and restart your computer.

 

Add rule in Windows firewall
Now that you’ve changed the port that Remote Desktop listens to, we need to allow that connection in the firewall. If you have disable your Windows firewall, then you can skip this step.

Go to the Start search and type firewall and choose Windows Firewall with Advanced Security.

Go to Inbound Rules and press New Rule... in the right side panel.

Rule Type - choose Port. Click Next.


Protocol and Ports - use TCP and then type the portnumber in the Specific local ports. Click Next.

Action - choose Allow connection. Click Next.


Profile – tick all that apply (default all). Click Next.

Chose a name for the rule and click Finish.

 

Add rule in ESET Nod32
This apply to Smart Security 5.

Open the main window for ESET Smart Security 5 by double-clicking the tray icon. Press F5 to go to the Advanced Setup.
Go to Network > Personal firewall and choose the Filering mode Automatic mode with exceptions (user-defined rules).

Go to the Zone and rule editor by pressing the Setup… in Rules and zones.

 

Click New to create a new rule. In the General tab, type the name for the rule and choose Allow in the Action drop-down meny.

 

Go to the Local tab and add the port with Add port… Click OK > OK > OK > OK. Your done!

 

Port forward in your router/internet modem
Go to http://portforward.com and lookup your router/modem to see how to portforward in that device.

 

Test the connection
Go to http://www.yougetsignal.com/tools/open-ports and type in the port you want to see if the port is accessable from the internet.

Now go ahead and launch Remote Desktop and try it out.

If you have any problems, don’t hesitate to leave a question in the comment section below.

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