Problem with Remote Desktop

[msnerd]

I'm having a frustrating problem getting Windows XP Remote Desktop to work between a notebook pc and a desktop. When I try to make a connection using the notebook as client to access the desktop host, I get the error message: "The client could not connect to the remote computer". However, there is no problem doing the reverse, i.e. using the desktop as client to access the notebook as host.




SETUP:

desktop: Gigabyte motherboard with onboard Intel Pro/1000 CT nic
Intel P4, 3.2 GHz
Windows XP Pro

notebook: Dell Inspiron 7000
Intel P2, 400MHz (a bit slow running XP, but stable and, except for this, everything works)
Windows XP Pro
3COM 10Mbps pcmcia nic

pcs are networked nic to nic with a crossover cable




PERTINENT FACTS:

- both nics have a fixed IP (notebook: 192.168.0.11, desktop: 192.168.0.1)

- both can ping each other

- no problem accessing notebook or transfering files with Remote Desktop using desktop as client to notebook host

- notebook has no firewall, Windows' Internet Connection Firewall is off

- desktop has Sygate firewall, but I tried both shutting it off completely or setting it to allow all ports, protocols, hosts and applications from the Intel Pro/1000 CT nic,
Internet Connection Firewall is off

- I was using Internet Connection Sharing on the desktop with an internal DSL modem, but ICS is shut off (the DSL connection is no longer set to share)

- ran netstat -an on both machines and both are listening on port 3389

- Terminal Services is started on both machines



Any help or suggstions would be GREATLY appreciated .

Thanks,

Mort

 

[bcastner]

Netbios over tcp/ip enabled on both?

 

[msnerd]

Hi.
NetBIOS was not activated on either. I activated it, but no change...I still get the error message but no logon dialogue. I found your faq regarding changing Registry to allow advertising and did it. Now both pcs find each other when I select "browse for more...". But the notebook still won't access the desktop .

Thanks
Mort

 

[11009]

I have the same problem. My PC can connect to notebook but not other way around. I really need help!

Thanks

 

[technome]

Do you have service pack SP1 on the desktop. Had the exact same problem, disappeared once SP1 was removed. Mind you I have not reinstalled SP1, nor have I had time to find out the cause. Remove it from the desktop only, at least temporarily.

 

[11009]

Thank you for your help. I have SP2 on the desktop. I just checked that I can not telnet to my desktop to port 3389 (c:\telnet desktop_IP 3389). Port 3389 is listening. I also started telnet service on destop. I can see port 23 is listening now after I started telnet service. I still can't telnet desktop computer to port 23. I can ping my desktop computer.

 

[11009]

I did a few more tests. Now, I can telnet my desktop computer from my laptop, but I still can not telnet port 3389. I even can't telnet desktop computer's port 3389 from it's own computer. I do see port 3389 is listening. It looks like port 3389 has been blocked. I have already turn off the window XP's firewall.

 

[bcastner]

. Some antivirus softwares have "hidden" firewall components that need to be either removed or properly configured. PC-Illan, and Norton as are other are famous for this;

. uPnP should be enabled on both clients

 

[11009]

I have both norton systemworks 2005 premier on both computers. I disabled antivirus auto-protect. It still does not work. How do I enable uPnP?

 

[msnerd]

Saved by the thread notification I haven't checked this thread for some time. Thanks to bcastner and others for picking it up.

Anyway:

My uPnP was disabled by choice...I haven't yet had time to see if enabling it will solve the problem. uPNP should be enabled by default but you can check and/or change it with Tweaki from

http://www.jermar.com/tweaki.htm.

(costs) or XP-Antispy from

http://www.xp-antispy.org/

(free).


For bcastner: I'm using Norton AV 2003, any "hidden" problem causers there? Thanks

 

[11009]

Bingo. It works. The problem is the notron antivirus. The remote desktop connection worked after I turn off the internet worm protection. Now, I need to find out which rule I need to reconfig. Thanks. Bye.

 

[tvismylife]

OK, 11009 - I have/had the same problem, also turned off the norton internet worm protection. I've messed around with it, but haven't gotten very far. Have you figured out how to reconfig Norton so you can leave the internet worm protection on?
Thanks

 

[bcastner]

I do not think it is possible for the NIS worm service protection and Remote Desktop to work.

One thought suggested by several in other threads: remove all defined applications under NIS and rebuild them.

 

[tvismylife]

Sounds like too much work . I'll just leave it turned off -- I've gotten by for years without NIS worm protection, I believe I can continue to do without it. I need my remote desktop more.

Thanks for the fast reply!

 

[bcastner]

tvismylife,

Best Holiday wishes,
Bill Castner

 

[minorgod]

I have gotten it working with Norton Antivirus 2005 and worm protection enabled. I had to modify settings in two places within the internet worm protection settings page:

General Rules: Uncheck the last two entries regarding UPNP ports.

Trojan Rules: Uncheck the last entry titled "Unused Windows Services Block".

I don't think you need to give any specific permissions when when clients connect (like when a little window pops up and asks you if you want to allow this connection). The first time a client connects, you might need to click a security prompt on the host machine to create a rule, but I can't remember if I had to do that or not. I think as long as you modify the settings above, it should work with no more hassle.

 

[msnerd]

Hi. I finally got Remote Desktop to work in both directions using a router...previously I was using a crossover cable nic to nic. Works fine with firewalls, antivirus (NAV 2003), and UPNP activated on both machines. Yeah! Thanks for everyones's comments.

msnerd

 

[tvismylife]

Darn - I tried unchecking those rules, and I can't connect. Back to disabling worm protection. But thanks for reporting back, minorgod!

 

[minorgod]

If you can't get RemoteDesktop working, just get a copy of UltraVNC (

http://ultravnc.sourceforge.net)and

use it instead. It works great and as of the latest version has built-in file transfer between client and host computers. It's by far the best free VNC client/server I've seen anywhere. It's almost better than RemoteDesktop and the file transfer capabilities are much, much faster than using RemoteDesktop to move files. I keep the UltraVNC server running on my desktop all the time so when RemoteDesktop fails, I can just switch to UltraVNC.

 

[junkjunk]

Note to those who haven't gotten remote desktop working despite following the above advice:

At one time or another, you've been tweaking your services settings, haven't you? One of my systems has had the NSW 2005 internet worm protection problem (which worked fine on the same system and network before I re-installed XP SP2 fresh and tweaked away), and a round of re-tweaking has solved my particular instance of the problem.

Go to the control panel, administrative tools, services listing and write down the state of these services before trying these settings:
SSDP Discovery Service - automatic
Universal Plug and Play Device Host - automatic
Application Layer Gateway Service - manual
(in my case, I have a UPnP enabled router/switch)

I do not know which specific service setting solved "the" problem, or at least my problem. I went through each and every service on my system using advice from the Black Viper service configurations page, the Elder Geek service pages, and vernalex.com services utility (best explanations of what each service is), and was surprised to find that Norton once again permitted RDP connections after I allowed it to autocreate a rule during a later attempt.

I suspect that the problem lay in that I had disabled the application layer gateway service, but I'm unwilling to re-break my system in an attempt to discover the exact problem and solution.

Good luck.