Remote desktop between computer/server

Hey everyone,

I've just finished setting up my server. I'm running windows server 2008 sp1. I'm trying to make it so that I don't need a monitor to use my server, and instead use remote desktop connection to access it. When I'm on my laptop and I try to "connect with remote desktop" it tries to connect and ends up telling me it can't connect because either the server is off, server isn't available in the network, or remote access to the server isn't enabled. I'm thinking it's the latter. I have my server set to allow connections from comptuers running ANY version of remote desktop, but when i try to "select users" and try to add the user from my laptop to be allowed to access, it doesn't let me change the "from this location" part of the "select users" on the server. It only lets me select users on the SERVER and nothing more. There are no more options from the "locations" menu.

Is there a way of fixing this? I just want to access the server manager from my laptop. Keep in mind I'm new to this (having just set this all up).

Thank you in advance.

 

You will probably need to enable remote access through control panel on the server.

Also, unless you have DNS set up, you'll need to make sure it has a static IP and use remote desktop to connect to that IP address.

 

I figured the ONLY way to enable remote access is through the control panel. I have done this already. It says "allow connections from computers running ANY version of remote desktop", though I CANNOT check the box that says "allow remote assistance connections to this computer".

 

I don't know if it's the same as 2003, but with me, I go into control panel > Remote > check the enable bit > select remote users > add Everyone, or who ever you want.

 

The thing is, checking remote assistance is greyed out, so I am not able to turn it on. I can only check the remote DESKTOP part (one of three options, no remote desktop, less secure remote desktop, more secure remote desktop), but remote ASSISTANCE is grey and I cannot check that box.

When I try to add users for remove desktop, I can only add users on THAT work station or members of WORKGROUP. All computers in the network are set to WORKGROUP as their work group, but it doesn't list them.

And remember I am also not able to use anyone else's desktop from the server...I can see users and access their files (of other computers), but when I attempt to access them remotely, it gives me an error and doesn't let me.

 

you don't need remote assistance you need remote desktop

 

Right..I know that...but I still can't access the server's desktop remotely. I have it set on LESS SECURE, and yet still when I try to access it from my laptop, it gives me an error msg saying one of three things mentioned in my first post.

I'm trying to add "everyone" to the users who can access the server remotely, but it won't let me add any users other than ones ON the machine itself. I can't go into the network and select users, I can't change the location of the users I want to allow. It's stuck on the server itself.

 

I see. Well I only have one local user on the server...the administrator.

I don't have a monitor for this machine, is there any way I can access it without having to move the monitor from my desktop every time?

And am I not able to remotely view/control someone else's desktop from the server? Like a laptop or desktop on the network?

Sorry this is my first time using a server operating system.

 

when you launch mstsc.exe you enter the IP address or name of your Server Click the options button and type "server name"\adminstator where server name is the name of the server without quotes, enter the Password for the admin account and you should be able to log on.

btw your server admin account does have a password correct? If not all RDP will be denied.

 

Yes, the account that you login to needs to be a passworded account on the server. Also, i believe that it 'cannot' be the default "Guest" account.

 

It keeps telling me that either the server is off, server isn't available in the network, or remote access to the server isn't enabled. I gave rights to "everyone" and I'm still not able to access the desktop remotely...

 

Sorry my reply was while I was looking at the first page. The administrator account has a password. I will try again in a little while but I'm sure I will keep getting the same error. Thanks guys, I'll let you know how it goes.

 

Have you looked to see if they are on the same network? You should be able to connect via the IP Address even without name resolution?

From the server cmd prompt run ipconfig /all (or right click the connection and click status then details)

Do the same and make sure they are actually on the same network...

HTH,

 

RDP allowed in firewall?

 

Well, this is how I set up RDP for my network.

1. Enable RDP on all the computers you want to connect to (must be Windows Professional or higher).
2. Allow port 3389 in the Windows Firewall and port forwarding 3389 in the router for the 1st computer. Port 3390 for the 2nd computer. Port 3391 for the 3rd computer, etc.
3. Assign each computer a static IP address (with each computer already assigned a unique port from the above statement)
4. Make sure all the computers are in the same Workgroup.
5. Connect to the WAN IP address ( What Is My IP Address? Lookup IP, Hide IP, Change IP, Trace IP and more...) or Dynamic DNS; not the local IP addresses.
6. Below is an example of what a login should look like when connecting to a individual computer in your network with a Dynamic DNS from the Internet.

Computer: tiger.mooo.com:3389 --> 1st computer (don't need to use ":3389" if you enable RDP on only one computer in your local network)
tiger.mooo.com:3390 --> 2nd computer
tiger.mooo.com:3391 --> 3rd computer

User name: Administrator
Password: Admin123

I hope this makes sense. You can't assign port 3389 for all the computers in your network if you want to RDP them from the Internet (without RDP randomly connecting to the first computer it finds using port 3389). However, this should not be a problem if you RDP within the local network with all computers in the same Workgroup.

The reason behind this is that when you are connecting from outside a network, you can only see the WAN IP address and not the local IP addresses; to solve this, you will have to assign a unique port with a static IP to each individual computer you want to connect to. Inside a network, all local IP addresses are recognized and does not face the port problem.

 

That is most likely the problem. RDP is not enabled by default in 2008 firewall. If you cannot bring up the RDP login, it is a firewall issue. If you can bring up the login but can't authenticate, then it is a user/permissions problem.

 

Typically in Server 2008 and R2 when you enable Remote Desktop for Administration the Firewall Exception is created automatically unless the network is set to public...

 

Did you try to even ping your server?

 

Damn this is all so complicated...now my server isn't even working as a print server. All computers say my printer is online, but it never prints or sends print jobs when i try to print on my network. It works when directly plugged into a machine but doesn't print otherwise. I believe I've installed it correctly...

as for remote desktop, I completely disabled firewall in both computers and still doesn't work. Same error message, one of three problems.

Seems like I bit off more than I could chew by setting up this server...

The only thing i haven't tried is typing in the IP address of the server to log in to remote desktop. Will try that, but I get this feeling it's not gonna work...I will let you all know.

Thank you all again for your help.

 

I've got DD-WRT installed on my router with OpenVPN firmware version. I just create VPN connection to my home network and then RDP to all computers as usual, by IP or name. It also allows me to access all other network resources as normal, just slower. After initial setup, it works like a charm.

 

You are correct. VPN to RDP is another option; however, it never worked for me. That is why I'm forced to use the port method. It could be a firewall problem for me. Good observation on this.