Setup Remote Desktop for on the go access

Windows Remote Desktop

Setting up Remote Desktop for your windows operating systems is fairly easy. Once you've set up your network and have your PC's connected to it, you'll automatically be able to connect to them remotely after changing the windows remote desktop connection option. However, you'll notice that when you're out at Wal-Mart or waiting at the dentist office, you wont be able to remotely connect to your windows operating system that has all your work documents on it. This is because your PC is only recognized as a trusted device when you're connected to your wireless network.

The problem here is to get your network to recognize your device, be it a mobile phone or desktop PC as a trusted device and grant access to the network you wish to connect to.

First off, you want to register your ip to a domain with DynDNS or any other domain name service so you won't have to memorize your ip address when trying to connect to your remote device. This is optional and doesn't have to be done, but is added for your connivence. This is also useful to do because every now and then, your ip address may decide it wants to change up numbers, thus becoming a whole new ip address you'll have to re-memorize. But with the DynDNS updater, it automatically updates the domain name with the new ip address for you, and U.E.N.O. it..



Now that you have registered a domain name for your ip address and installed the updater onto the device you'd like to connect to remotely, you have to configure your router to grant access to you when your on the go.

If you registered your domain name with DynDNS, log into your router and navigate to Setup > DDNS and fill in your information. Select the DNS service and fill in your username and password that you used to sign up for the service (not your router's username and password). For the Hostname, use the domain you registered for your ip (ie. evergreen.dyndns.org). Check wildcard if you've enabled it and click Save > Apply Settings.

Next, navigate to NAT/QoS > Port Range Forwarding > Add and name your Application. In this case I named it "Device-RDP". Under "Start" and "End" use port number 3389 and use Both under "Protocol". Under "IP Address" use the LAN IP address of your remote device (ie. 192.168.1.140), and check Enable and click  Save > Apply Settings.

Finally, on your windows computer, right click on "Computer" an select "Properties". Click "Remote Properties" and select "Allow connections from computers running any version of Remote Desktop (less secure)" and click "OK".

Under Computer Name, click "Change settings" > "Change" > "More" and enter your DNS (domain name) and click "OK". Make sure to restart your PC. Once restarted, open Remote Desktop and type your device DNS (ie. device1.evergreen.dyndns.org) in and click "Connect" and Boom!

*My thoughts and prayers go out to those involved in the BOEING 777 crash in San Francisco.

Tags: microsoft , rdp , remote desktop connection , Tutorials , windows