Windows Remote Desktop

Windows remote desktop is bundled free with Windows XP Professional. It enablets you to connect to your computer via the internet from a remote computer or pocket pc. You can access all of your programs, files and emails.

In order to create a remote location, there are three things that you need to do:

  1. Windows XP Professional edition must be installed on the host computer, ie the computer that you want to access from a remote location.

  2. The remote computer must also have Windows installed. The version of Windows on the remote computer can be Windows 95, 98, NT, ME, XP, Vista or any other post windows 95 version. On this computer you will need to ensure that you have installed the Remote Desktop Connection client software. The remote computer is known as the client.

  3. Both computers need to be connected to the internet via a VPN connection. VPN stands for virtual private network. A VPN is effectively an encryption tunnel across the internet, through which data can be securely transmitted.

Quick guide to setting up a Virtual Private Network (VPN)

This article assumes that you are also running Windows XP on the client computer.

  1. Verify that the client computer has an internet connection (by accessing a website).

  2. Go to the Control Panel and double click Network Connections.

  3. Click "Create a New Connection".

  4. The New Connection Wizard will launch. Click Next, then select "Connect to the network at my workplace".

  5. Click Next, then click "Virtual Private Network Connection".

  6. Click Next, select your internet connect type (eg cable, dsl etc) and click Next

  7. Select "Do not dial the internet connection"

  8. Click Next, then type in the host IP address or name.

  9. You might be asked if you would like to use a smart card or not. Select an answer then click Next.

  10. The final screen should verify that you have "successfully completed the steps needed to create the connection" and give you the name of the connection that you have created.

  11. The new network connection that you have created will appear in the Network Connections window. If you right click on the connection, you will be able to change the properties of the connection including the security settings, configuring a firewall and connection sharing.

Setting up the Remote Desktop

  1. Logon to the host computer as an administrator.

  2. Go to the Control Panel, and click on the Performance and Maintenance category.

  3. Click System

  4. On the System Properties Screen, click remote and tick the "Allow users to connect remotely to this computer" box.

  5. Now we need to set up the Windows Firewall to allow exceptions.

  6. From the control panel, double click on the security centre.

  7. Now click on Windows Firewall.

  8. Untick the "Don't allow exceptions" box if it is ticked.

  9. Click the exceptions tab and make sure that there is a tick in the Remote Desktop box.

  10. Click OK and return to the Control Panel.

  11. From the Control Panel, again select Performance and Maintenance, then System and the Computer Name tab.

  12. Make a note of the computer name and close the control panel.

  13. Make sure you leave the computer connected to the internet.

Connecting your client computer to the host

  1. On the client computer, go to Accessories, select Communications and then Remote Desktop Connection.

  2. Type in the name of the host computer

  3. Click Connect

  4. The "Log On to Windows" box should appear. Type in your username and password. You should now be able to securely access your host computer securely.

To end the session, click Start and Log Off from the Start Menu, and confirm when the "Log Off Windows" screen pops up.