Remote Desktop provides access from a remote location to a computer running the Microsoft Windows XP Professional operating system, enabling you to work on your computer from anywhere, anytime.
Enabling Remote Desktop on the Host Computer
Before using Remote Desktop, you must enable the Remote Desktop feature on the host computer so that you can control it remotely from another computer.
You must be logged on as administrator to enable Remote Desktop.
To set up the host computer, you need:
Microsoft Windows XP Professional must be installed on the computer containing the files and programs that you want to access from a remote computer.
The host computer must be part of a network in which Remote Desktop connections are permitted.
The remote computer must be running a compatible version of Microsoft Windows and must be connected to the Internet or on a local area network.
The remote computer must have the Remote Desktop Connection client software installed. The remote computer is called the client.
Both computers must be connected to the Internet through a Virtual Private Network (VPN).
Appropriate user accounts and permissions configured on the remote Windows XP Professional host to allow remote access.
If your client computer is not connected to the host computer through a VPN, you need to use the actual IP address of the host computer instead of the computer name.
Installing Remote Desktop Client Software
The Remote Desktop Client software is installed by default on computers running Windows XP.
Calling From a Remote Location
Use the public IP address, as assigned by the ISP, or fully qualified domain
name of the computer or router/NAT/firewall.
If the firewall/NAT/router is configured correctly, the call will be successfully passed to the appropriate computer.
If the ISP assigns a dynamic IP address, then another solution is to set up
an account with one of the dynamic naming services that map a fully
qualified domain name to the IP.
EXAMPLE: Some remote users take advantage of a free service from No-IP.com.
The No-IP.com software runs on the client computer and on a time schedule basis contacts the No-IP.com servers. The No-IP.com servers then know what the IP address is and maps that address to a fully qualified domain name.
That information is then propagated over the public Internet. Then the remote user calls the Remote Desktop host computer using the fully qualified domain name.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: To learn more about using the Remote Desktop feature, see "Windows XP Pro Remote Desktop configuration, use, and troubleshooting tips" in your Windows XP Professional Resource Kit.
