Sunday, April 13, 2014

Set up a Remote Desktop Connection to Windows Server 2012

Configuring remote desktop connection to windows servers is tricky.In this tutorial I will describe how to do it with minimum steps

1)Allow RDP Connection


Goto "Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\System"
then click "Remote Settings" and select "Allow remote connection to this computer" and apply it by clicking "ok" button.


Windows server Remote settings

































2) Turn On network discovery


go to "Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Network and Sharing Center" and select
"Change advanced sharing settings" and then select "Turn on network discovery"
Sometimes this change will not affect if following services are not running.To make sure whether changes apply, again follow the above steps and check "Turn on network discovery" is selected or not. If it is not you have to start Network Discovery Supporting Services

Network Discovery Supporting Services
  •  DNS Client
  • Function Discovery Resource Publication
  • SSDP Discovery
  • UPnP Device Host

to Enable those services goto "Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Administrative Tools"
and open "Services" and start above 4 services .


Windows server services








Windows server services

















3) Configure Firewall






  •  If you can't ping server from remote host


open Firewall and select "Inbound Rules" and find "File and Printer sharing (Echo Request - ICMPv4-In)" and Enable that Rule

File and Printer Sharing - ICMP - Windows Firewall



  • Enable RDP port on Windows Server


Sometimes remote machine can ping to server but unable to establish "Remote Desktop connection", in that case RDP port should be enabled/opened on Windows Server.

Right click "Inbound Rules" and select "New Rule" and Wizard window will be opened.
you need to select or fill attributes in wizard windows as below.


Windows server Firewall New Inbound Rule Wizard




























Rule Type --> Port
Protocol and Ports --> TCP , Specific local ports:3389
Action --> Allow the connection
Profile --> Tick all profiles or select as you wish (By default every ting is ticked)
Name --> Give meaningful name like "enable-port-3389-RDP"

Finally enable that rule as well



4 ) Start Remote Desktop connection


Now go to remote computer and start "Remote Desktop connection" as below screen capture.

Remote Desktop connection








Remote Desktop connection - Certificate


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