Windows Remote Desktop is one of the go-to proprietary services for those managing a few remote computers on the same network. It’s free, and it’s very easy to set up and use.

1. Remote Desktop From Internet
2. Microsoft Remote Desktop Internet

But what if you need to support a larger number of clients outside your network? Will WRD be enough for that? Are there any substantial feature limitations?

When you connect to your PC by using a Remote Desktop client, you're creating a peer-to-peer connection. This means you need direct access to the PC (sometimes called 'the host'). If you need to connect to your PC from outside of the network your PC is running on, you need to enable that access. One advantage of using Remote Desktop rather than 3rd party remote admin tools is that components are updated automatically with the latest security fixes in the standard Microsoft patch cycle. Make sure you are running the latest versions of both the client and server software by enabling and auditing automatic Microsoft Updates. Remote Desktop Gateway (RD Gateway), formerly Terminal Services Gateway (TS Gateway), is a role service in the Remote Desktop Services server role included with Windows Server® 2008 R2 that enables authorized remote users to connect to resources on an internal corporate or private network, from any Internet-connected device that can run the Remote Desktop Connection (RDC) client. On the PC you’re using to connect remotely, follow these instructions. In the search bar, enter ‘Remote Desktop Connection’ and select it from the list of results. In Remote Desktop Connection, enter the name of your computer and username that you created earlier, then Connect. I connect to a remote desktop session from a WIndows Vista sp1 client. The remote desktop works great, but when I open internet explorer on the remote desktop it behaves very strangly. Just the explorer window flashes very rapidly and does not appear to allow interaction with the window.

Let’s dive into the pros and cons of using Windows Remote Desktop and investigate.

Pros

1. It’s free. Remote Desktop is a built-in Windows service that runs on the Remote Desktop Protocol and therefore is completely free. You don’t have to spend a single dollar on a third-party tool if your needs are limited to in-office remote support or accessing your centralized file storage on-the-go.
2. It’s easy to set up. Although Windows Remote Desktop is disabled in the operating system by default, it’s very easy to turn it on. Note, however, that Home editions of Windows don’t include this service, but we’ll get back to that soon.

Cons

Remote Desktop From Internet

1. It may not be that easy to set up outside the office. If you’re planning to use Windows Remote Desktop outside your office network, you’ll need to configure the remote network to accept incoming connection requests. Besides that, you’ll need to know the IP address of the server along with the login credentials for the remote machine(s) you want to connect to. This is a no-go approach if the remote client requiring assistance is not a tech-savvy person.
2. It’s only included in Pro, Business or Ultimate versions of Windows. If you need to support your friends, family members, or a large number of clients running any of the Windows Home versions, then Remote Desktop shouldn’t be your tool of choice. You just won’t be able to connect.
3. It doesn’t allow to reboot the remote machine and automatically reconnect. Being able to reboot the remote computer and automatically reconnect is a vital remote support feature. While many third-party applications such as FixMe.IT allow you to do that with a single mouse click, Windows Remote Desktop requires additional actions on your end.
4. It locks the remote screen, making the remote user unable to interfere or see anything that you’re doing on their machine. This is one of the biggest problems of Windows Remote Desktop that hasn’t been yet resolved. Furthermore, there are no whiteboard tools that would allow you to demonstrate a certain process to your client.
5. It doesn’t really allow to run multiple concurrent sessions. Although there’s a workaround that lets you turn on multiple remote desktop connections on Windows 10 & 8, Microsoft’s built-in tool simply wouldn’t be able to handle dozens of connections with different network settings. Techinline’s FixMe.IT, in turn, allows you to run an unlimited number of concurrent support sessions and easily switch between them in the process.

Conclusion

Microsoft Remote Desktop Internet

For local network administration and accessing your office machines remotely, Windows Remote Desktop is a great tool that’s free and easy to set up. However, if your primary goal is to easily perform remote tech support, you’d better check out third-party applications such as FixMe.IT.

Are you using Windows Remote Desktop to access your office machines? Did we miss any of its advantages or disadvantages? Let us know in the comments!

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Applies to: Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2012 R2

You can control a remote PC by using a Microsoft Remote Desktop client. The client can run on almost any device, including on your mobile smartphone. The client gives you the same powers you would have if you could reach the PC's keyboard. Through the client, you can:

• Operate the apps that are installed on the PC.
• Access the files and network resources of the PC.
• Leave the apps open when you end the client.

Before you start, see the supported configuration article. The article discusses the PC configurations that the Remote Desktop clients can connect to. Also see the client FAQ article.

The following client apps are available:

Configuring the remote PC

To configure your remote PC before accessing it remotely, see Allow access to your PC.

Remote Desktop client URI scheme

You can integrate features of Remote Desktop clients across platforms by enabling a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) scheme. Learn about the supported URI attributes that you can use with the iOS, Mac, and Android clients.