Securing RDC

I'm trying to secure a Remote Desktop Connection. The host is running xp pro
and is behind a router. I changed the listening port and i use very strong
passwords. Any tips on something else that I could do? Maybe use a VPN? but I
dont know how that works.

Hokie wrote:
> I'm trying to secure a Remote Desktop Connection. The host is
> running xp pro and is behind a router. I changed the listening port
> and i use very strong passwords. Any tips on something else that I
> could do? Maybe use a VPN? but I dont know how that works.

It's fairly secure, but..

http://www.onecomputerguy.com/netwo..._vpn_server.htm
http://www.onecomputerguy.com/networking/xp_vpn.htm

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

Also look at running RDP through a Secure Shell (SSH) tunnel as an
alternative to using VPN. That is what I do...

http://theillustratednetwork.mvps.o...DesktopSSH.html

http://theillustratednetwork.mvps.o...-publicKey.html

A free and simple client for file transfers only...

http://winscp.sourceforge.net/eng/index.php

--

Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows Networking)

Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the
mutual benefit of all of us...
The MS-MVP Program - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights...

"Shenan Stanley" <newshelper@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:uTXz46lOGHA.3576@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> Hokie wrote:
>> I'm trying to secure a Remote Desktop Connection. The host is
>> running xp pro and is behind a router. I changed the listening port
>> and i use very strong passwords. Any tips on something else that I
>> could do? Maybe use a VPN? but I dont know how that works.
>
> It's fairly secure, but..
>
> http://www.onecomputerguy.com/netwo..._vpn_server.htm
> http://www.onecomputerguy.com/networking/xp_vpn.htm
>
> --
> Shenan Stanley
> MS-MVP
> --
> How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
> http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
>

Thanks for the links, i followed the instructions exactly on both computers
except i omitted the lmhost and host file changes. I keep getting:

Error 678: The remote computer did not respond

I have even tried turning off windows firewall on both machines and enabling
DMZ on the router for that computer.

P.S. I can connect to the VPN at my school so i know at least something works

Any tips?

"Shenan Stanley" wrote:

> Hokie wrote:
> > I'm trying to secure a Remote Desktop Connection. The host is
> > running xp pro and is behind a router. I changed the listening port
> > and i use very strong passwords. Any tips on something else that I
> > could do? Maybe use a VPN? but I dont know how that works.
>
> It's fairly secure, but..
>
> http://www.onecomputerguy.com/netwo..._vpn_server.htm
> http://www.onecomputerguy.com/networking/xp_vpn.htm
>
> --
> Shenan Stanley
> MS-MVP
> --
> How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
> http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
>
>
>

thanks for the tips, although i'd still like to try a vpn because it doesnt
require third party software. any suggestions with a vpn?

"Sooner Al [MVP]" wrote:

> Also look at running RDP through a Secure Shell (SSH) tunnel as an
> alternative to using VPN. That is what I do...
>
> http://theillustratednetwork.mvps.o...DesktopSSH.html
>
> http://theillustratednetwork.mvps.o...-publicKey.html
>
> A free and simple client for file transfers only...
>
> http://winscp.sourceforge.net/eng/index.php
>
> --
>
> Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows Networking)
>
> Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the
> mutual benefit of all of us...
> The MS-MVP Program - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> rights...
>
> "Shenan Stanley" <newshelper@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:uTXz46lOGHA.3576@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> > Hokie wrote:
> >> I'm trying to secure a Remote Desktop Connection. The host is
> >> running xp pro and is behind a router. I changed the listening port
> >> and i use very strong passwords. Any tips on something else that I
> >> could do? Maybe use a VPN? but I dont know how that works.
> >
> > It's fairly secure, but..
> >
> > http://www.onecomputerguy.com/netwo..._vpn_server.htm
> > http://www.onecomputerguy.com/networking/xp_vpn.htm
> >
> > --
> > Shenan Stanley
> > MS-MVP
> > --
> > How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
> > http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
> >
>
>
>

Just the URLs that Shenan pointed you to...

Remember you need to make sure both TCP Port 1723 and GRE Protocol 47
traffic is passed through any firewall you have at the server end. Some call
the latter "PPTP Pass Through" or "VPN Pass Through". Note the latter can be
problematic with some consumer grade routers... To test a PPTP VPN link see
this article. Look at the "PPTP Ping" and "VPN Traffic" sections...

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/co...guy/cg0105.mspx

Good luck...

Now, back to my vacation...:-)

--

Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows Networking)

Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the
mutual benefit of all of us...
The MS-MVP Program - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights...

"Hokie" <Hokie@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:1F60ADEE-34DF-462C-9699-37CC181A8693@microsoft.com...
> thanks for the tips, although i'd still like to try a vpn because it
> doesnt
> require third party software. any suggestions with a vpn?
>
> "Sooner Al [MVP]" wrote:
>
>> Also look at running RDP through a Secure Shell (SSH) tunnel as an
>> alternative to using VPN. That is what I do...
>>
>> http://theillustratednetwork.mvps.o...DesktopSSH.html
>>
>> http://theillustratednetwork.mvps.o...-publicKey.html
>>
>> A free and simple client for file transfers only...
>>
>> http://winscp.sourceforge.net/eng/index.php
>>
>> --
>>
>> Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows Networking)
>>
>> Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the
>> mutual benefit of all of us...
>> The MS-MVP Program - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
>> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
>> rights...
>>
>> "Shenan Stanley" <newshelper@gmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:uTXz46lOGHA.3576@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
>> > Hokie wrote:
>> >> I'm trying to secure a Remote Desktop Connection. The host is
>> >> running xp pro and is behind a router. I changed the listening port
>> >> and i use very strong passwords. Any tips on something else that I
>> >> could do? Maybe use a VPN? but I dont know how that works.
>> >
>> > It's fairly secure, but..
>> >
>> > http://www.onecomputerguy.com/netwo..._vpn_server.htm
>> > http://www.onecomputerguy.com/networking/xp_vpn.htm
>> >
>> > --
>> > Shenan Stanley
>> > MS-MVP
>> > --
>> > How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
>> > http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
>> >
>>
>>
>>