What is Remote Desktop in Windows XP and Windows Server 2003? Source Arcticle
With Remote Desktop on Windows XP Professional or Windows Server 2003, you can have access to a Windows session that is running on your computer when you are at another computer. This means, for example, that you can connect to your work computer from home and have access to all of your applications, files, and network resources as though you were in front of your computer at work. You can leave programs running at work and when you get home, you can see your desktop at work displayed on your home computer, with the same programs running.
On Windows Server 2003 you can also connect to 2 new sessions, not just to the "console" session, thus enabling you to have multiple sessions open to the server.
See the Enable Remote Desktop on Windows Server 2003 page for more info.
On Windows XP and on the "Console" session in Windows Server 2003, when you connect to your computer at work, Remote Desktop automatically locks that computer so no one else can access your applications and files while you are gone. When you come back to your computer at work, you can unlock it by typing CTRL+ALT+DEL.
Remote Desktop also allows more than one user to have active sessions on a single computer. This means that multiple users can leave their applications running and preserve the state of their Windows session even while others are logged on.
In Windows XP, with Fast User Switching, you can easily switch from one user to another on the same computer. For example, suppose you are working at home and have logged on to the computer at your office to update an expense report. While you are working, a family member needs to use your home computer to check for an important e-mail message. You can disconnect Remote Desktop, allow the other user to log on and check mail, and then reconnect to the computer at your office, where you see the expense report exactly as you left it. Fast User Switching works on standalone computers and computers that are members of workgroups, but not on XP Pro computers that are a part of a Domain.
Remote Desktop enables a variety of scenarios, including:
* Working at home - Access work in progress on your office computer from home, including full access to all local and remote devices.
* Collaborating - Bring your desktop to a colleague's office to debug some code, update a Microsoft PowerPoint slide presentation, or proofread a document.
* Sharing a console - Allow multiple users to maintain separate program and configuration sessions on a single computer, such as at a teller station or a sales desk.
To use Remote Desktop, you need the following:
* A computer running Windows XP Professional or Windows Server 2003 ("remote" computer) with a connection to a Local Area Network or the Internet.
* A second computer ("home" computer) with access to the Local Area Network via network connection, modem, or Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection. This computer must have Remote Desktop Connection, formerly called the Terminal Services client, installed.
* Appropriate user accounts and permissions.
Where can I download the Remote Desktop Connection 5.2 software (the Windows Server 2003 TS client)? Source Articile
This page was superseded by the Download RDP 5.2 article.
Note that the RDP client software is pre-installed with Windows XP so you do not need to download it. To run it, click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, click Communications, and then click Remote Desktop Connection.
Note: There is a new RDP client available - read Download RDP Client 6.0 (read below).
Windows XP (RTM) comes with RDP version 5.1. Although you CAN use RDP 5.1 to connect to a remote TS or Remote Desktop from any 32Bit Windows system, including Windows 98, ME, Windows NT 4.0 and of course Windows 2000, the old client had a few drawbacks and limitations. These were upgraded in the next version of RDP - v5.2.
Installing XP SP2 will upgrade the RDP client to version 5.2 (the same as in the RTM Windows Server 2003). Although a newer version of RDP is now available (see Download RDP 5.2), some of my readers have asked for a link to the original v5.2 client. Read on.
This software package will install the client portion of Remote Desktop on a computer running any of the following operating systems: Windows 95, Windows 98 and 98 Second Edition, Windows Me, Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000 or Windows XP. This software, when run, allows other Windows platforms to remotely connect to a computer running Windows XP Professional or Windows Server 2003. The version of this software is 5.2.3790.0.
System Requirements
Supported Operating Systems: Windows 2000, Windows 2000 Service Pack 2, Windows 2000 Service Pack 3, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, Windows ME, Windows NT, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, Windows XP Media Center Edition.
The Remote Desktop Connection software will be installed to the Program Files directory of the target computer. On Windows XP machines this package will not replace the system installed version of Remote Desktop Connection. Instead they will be installed side by side. The start menu icon for Remote Desktop Connection, however will point to the new version in the Program Files directory. This download is the same executable that is offered in Windows Server 2003 and can be used to connect to Windows XP Professional machines or other legacy Terminal Server platforms.
You can get this RDP version from any Windows Server 2003 Pre-SP1 installation - Look for it in the %systemroot%\system32\clients\tsclient folder.
Download RDP 5.2 (3.46mb)
Where can I download the Remote Desktop Connection 6.0 client software? Source Articile
Remote Desktop Connection (Terminal Services Client 6.0) provides a way to use any new Terminal Services features introduced in Microsoft Windows Vista and Microsoft Windows Server Code Name “Longhorn” from a computer running Microsoft Windows XP with Service Pack 2. The version of this software is 6.0.6000.
Note: If you still need to older v5.2 client read the Download RDP 5.2 and Download RDP 5.2 (Old Version) page. This version is good for operating systems other than Windows XP Pro with SP2.
Download RDP 6.0 (1.5mb)
How can I add a new RDP listening port to Windows 2000/2003 Terminal Server? Source Article
You cannot add a new listening port to your Terminal Server via the GUI (Terminal Server Configuration in Administrative Tools) because there is no option for changing the listening port via the GUI.
What you need to do is create the new RDP listening port via the registry.
Warning!
This document contains instructions for editing the registry. If you make any error while editing the registry, you can potentially cause Windows to fail or be unable to boot, requiring you to reinstall Windows. Edit the registry at your own risk. Always back up the registry before making any changes. If you do not feel comfortable editing the registry, do not attempt these instructions. Instead, seek the help of a trained computer specialist.
1. Run Regedit.exe on your Terminal Server.
2. Navigate to the following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\ Control\Terminal Server\WinStations\RDP-Tcp
3. Export the entire key to a .REG file by selecting the key (click on it...) and going to File > Export.
4. Give it any name you want.
5. Edit the .REG file you've just created and change the name of the key at the 3rd line of the file to something like:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\ Control\Terminal Server\WinStations\RDP-Tcp-New
Lamer Note: Do not double-click on the .REG file, instead right-click it and choose Edit.
6. In the .REG file find
PortNumber
and change it to whatever port you want. Make sure you write it in hexadecimal format. For example, for 3390 you must enter D3E (use calculator in scientific mode to easily convert decimal to hexadecimal format).
7. Import the .REG file back to the registry by double-clicking on it, and bingo!!!
You can now connect to the new port by using the "old" Windows 2000 Terminal Server client. A better option is to use the RDP client found in Windows XP, or even better, the newer Windows Server 2003 SP1 RDP 5.2 client (Download RDP 5.2).
You'll need to configure your TS client to connect to the new port. Although changing the connection port on the RDP clients is quite easy, you CAN also change the connection port for the TS client. See Related Articles list for more info.
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