Remote Desktop Connection issue; host freezes

[Guest]

Hi. I wonder if somebody could help me with this issue. I have set up my home
desktop running Windows XP Pro to accept Remote Desktop Connections. I set up
my router to forward the ports 3389 to this desktop, allowing both TCP and
UDP connections. This computer has a static IP. I also configured Zone Alarm
Pro to allow TCP and UDP connections on ports 3389. So I tested it on my own
network with my laptop, and it worked just fine. Then I tested it over the
internet from a remote location, and it also worked just fine. But as of
yesterday, when I attempted to connect from this remote location, I got this
message: "The remote connection has timed out. Please try connecting to the
host again" or something like that. I didn't understand why. When I got home
I noticed that my computer had like frozen up. I pushed buttons on the
keyboard, CTRL+ALT+DEL, moved the mouse but nothing would wake it up. The
only option was to turn it off and then back on. It turned on normally. I
attempted then to use my laptop to remote desktop to my computer over my
network, but it again froze the desktop. I then tried to disable Zone Alarm
on my desktop to see if it would make a difference but it didn't. To make
sure it wasn't a router issue, I tried the opposite, I tried to do a remote
desktop connection from my desktop to my laptop and it worked just fine.

So now I am clueless to what is causing my desktop to freeze up everytime a
remote desktop connection is attempted. Everytime I try to remote desktop to
it, it will connect, I can see the logon window on the client computer, but
after a brief pause the host will freeze up and I will receive the time out
message on the client computer. Does anybody have any idea of what's going
on? Thanks.

 

[Sooner Al [MVP]]

Look in the event logs for possible clues...

Also, you don't need UDP Port 3389 forwarded/opened on your
firewall/router...Only TCP Port 3389...

--
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...

 

[Guest]

Well I tried looking the event logs but I couldn't see anything that would
give me a clue of what's going on.

As suggested I only opened/forwarded the TCP ports on my router and
firewall, but the problem persists.

I also tried shutting down any unnecessary programs and services running on
the background to see if they were interfering with it but even then my
desktop freezes up so now I am really clueless of what's going on...

 

[Sooner Al [MVP]]

Are you running the newest video drivers on the PC? That can be an issue
with some systems..

--
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...

 

[Guest]

Yes, I use this PC to game sometimes so I always keep it updated with the
latest nVidia drivers.