Remote Access, takes more than WinXP?

  • Thread starter Thread starter George
  • Start date Start date
G

George

Am using WinXP-pro, with a few PC's networked together with a LinkSys router
on DSL. Wondered if someone could clarify this...

My understanding is that, if I want to access my PC back home (through the
router, securely) and get files or operate it remotely, while at my office
(or traveling with a laptop), I'm pretty much going to need PCAnywhere, or
Remote Access, or one of the other software packages.

When Windows XP first came out, it touted "remotely operate your PC from
anywhere." Sure enough, it's at...
Control Panel > (Category View) Network... > Remote Desktop > [X] Allow
Remote Access...

But everyone tells me to get software. Does this mean Windows just ALLOWS
remote access, but does not PROVIDE remote access in full?

That would mean, it's not doable at all without another software package, is
that right?

Thanks,
George
 
George said:
Am using WinXP-pro, with a few PC's networked together with a LinkSys
router
on DSL. Wondered if someone could clarify this...

My understanding is that, if I want to access my PC back home (through the
router, securely) and get files or operate it remotely, while at my office
(or traveling with a laptop), I'm pretty much going to need PCAnywhere, or
Remote Access, or one of the other software packages.

When Windows XP first came out, it touted "remotely operate your PC from
anywhere." Sure enough, it's at...
Control Panel > (Category View) Network... > Remote Desktop > [X] Allow
Remote Access...

But everyone tells me to get software. Does this mean Windows just ALLOWS
remote access, but does not PROVIDE remote access in full?

That would mean, it's not doable at all without another software package,
is
that right?

Thanks,
George
Click to expand...


No, you don't need any other software.

Just:
- enable Remote Desktop;
- permit traffic to port 3389 on any firewalls;
- forward port 3389 on your router, if you have a regular broadband router.
That's all.

Then connect to it from a remote site:

XP: All Programs | Accessories | Communications | Remote Desktop connection.
Other OSes: D/L the client here:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/tools/rdclientdl.mspx

Point it at the IP adress of the macine.
( Or the public IP of the router, if you have one, and are
port-forwarding. )
I think you need to connect using a username which is passworded.
 
Thanks Ron, could I ask a few things on details...

-Would the public IP of my router be the static one I'd need to get from
ISP? (Assuming I don't want to figure out what dynamic one was assigned at
that moment every time)?

-Is there something special about port 3389? What if I make up a different
one? Will it be forever open after this? What if everyone out there knows
everybody uses port 3389, wouldn't that enable very easy access to my entire
network?

-At this moment... If I access my router from my LAN (which does require a
password), all I get is the router's setup screens, not a look at what's on
my PC. When you mentioned needing a username and password, is that another
set of things I need to set up to get to the PC itself...would that be a
router-screen or a WinXP-control-panel thing?

-Once remotely "connected", will I see my home PC's desktop as a window on
the laptop, so I can use things like QuickBooks and work just as if I was at
home...or will I just see folders and files that would only enable getting
stuff off the home PC to use at work?

Thanks, appreciate newbie patience
 
See inline...

George said:
Thanks Ron, could I ask a few things on details...

-Would the public IP of my router be the static one I'd need to get from
ISP? (Assuming I don't want to figure out what dynamic one was assigned at
that moment every time)?
Click to expand...

The public IP is the IP address your ISP assigns you.
It can be either static, or dynamic.
If it's dynamic, you will need to use a Dynamic DNS provider to
link a name to the ever-changing IP address.
-Is there something special about port 3389? What if I make up a different
one? Will it be forever open after this? What if everyone out there
knows
everybody uses port 3389, wouldn't that enable very easy access to my
entire
network?
Click to expand...

That's the default port Remote Desktop listens on.
You can change it with a registry edit if you have some pressing need.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;306759
If you change the port RD listens on, then you'll also need to reflect that
change in any firewall or router configuration ( port forwarding. )
Yes, it is well known that 3389 is the RD port.
So yes, anyone could connect to it.
( Unless, of course, you have a firewall which allows you to specify
connections to port 3389 are permitted only from certain specified source
addresses. )
They'd get your PC's login screen.
They'd then need to supply a username and password.
Which they wouldn't know.

-At this moment... If I access my router from my LAN (which does require a
password), all I get is the router's setup screens, not a look at what's
on
my PC. When you mentioned needing a username and password, is that
another
set of things I need to set up to get to the PC itself...would that be a
router-screen or a WinXP-control-panel thing?
Click to expand...

You'd need to use the router's setup menus.
Find where 'Port Forwasding' is done.
Forward TCP port 3389 ( or whatever you changed it to )
to the Internal IP address of the RD PC.

When you enable RD on XP, there is a 'Select Remoter Users' button.
You choose what users defined on XP have remote connection permissions.
Note that Admin users have permissions automatically.
But to ensure that not just anyone can connect,
( as you point out, everyone knows the port to use.. ),
the user account you connect with should be passworded.
Assign a password if it doesn't already have one.

-Once remotely "connected", will I see my home PC's desktop as a window on
the laptop, so I can use things like QuickBooks and work just as if I was
at
home...or will I just see folders and files that would only enable getting
stuff off the home PC to use at work?

Thanks, appreciate newbie patience
Click to expand...

Yes.
You will see your home PC desktop just as if you were sitting at it.
You can set the window full-screen, and it's just like being at your own PC.
 
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