Remote Desktop - Connect using computer NAME? 1

[haysdb]

Scenario: Windows XP Home machine making a Remote Desktop connection to a Windows XP Pro machine, both on a LAN "behind" a Linksys broadband router.

I can connect to the XP Pro machine if I type in the IP address, but since the IP address is dynamically assigned by the router (DHCP), it could change, so it would be convenient if I could use the computer NAME. The 'Full computer name' of the machine I want to contact to is 'htpc.', but entering 'htpc' or 'htpc.' in the 'Computer' input box results in a message "The client could not connect to the remote computer." Putting 192.168.0.101 into the same box and she connects right up. Can I not use the computer name, or do I have to enter it differently, like MSHOME.htpc or \\htpc or something?

David

 

[Xemus]

What happens if you go to a CMD prompt and type \\htpc?
Do you have netbios enabled?

http://www.closedsocket.com

 

[PartieHonteuse]

Well by going to the Remote Desktop Connection program it should say "computer" in the section to type the IP addy and if you click the arrow to bring the drop box down it should say "Browse for Computers", why not click that and browse the network to see exactly how it uses the names?

 

[haysdb]

\\htpc
"The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect."

Do I have netbios installed? I don't think so. I would see this in the list along with "Client for Microsoft Networks" and "Internet Protocol(TCP/IP)" ?

Someone on another forum has suggested I add the computer name to the hosts file, but even if that works, it would just break if and when that machine ever got assigned a different IP address by the DHCP server, right? And to fix that I have to assign every machine a fixed IP address? That's what's nice about DHCP, so I'd hate to loose that convenience.

David

 

[haysdb]

Well by going to the Remote Desktop Connection program it should say "computer" in the section to type the IP addy and if you click the arrow to bring the drop box down it should say "Browse for Computers", why not click that and browse the network to see exactly how it uses the names?

"The MSHOME domain/workgroup does not contain any Terminal servers."

David

 

[bcastner]

"In Computer, type a computer name or IP address. The computer can be a terminal server or it can be a computer running Windows Professional or Server that has Remote Desktop enabled and for which you have Remote Desktop permissions."

From Help and Support

If Start, Run, \\HTPC does not open the other computer on the lan, then there is no naming resolution being used. You might consider enabling Netbios name resolution on all machines. Go to the properties sheet of you LAN connection, TCP/IP Properties, Advanced, WINS tab, and click to 'Enable Netbios over TCP/IP' and uncheck the use of LMHOSTS.

 

[haysdb]

bcaster,

I have set "Enable Netbios over TPC/IP and unchecked LMHOSTS on both the client and the server.

I set both machines back to using DHCP and commented the lines in the hosts file.

At this point I would expect name resolution to be via NetBIOS, right?

I can "open" the htpc with Start -> Run -> \\HTPC, but I could before I made this change also. I am embarrassed to say that was NOT what I tried earlier, so it's no wonder it didn't work. ::embarrassed::

I can still access the shared folders on the server PC.

I can connect using the DHCP assigned IP address 192.168.0.101

I cannot access the htpc via its name.

Do I need to reboot either or both machines? Might as well!

David

 

[bcastner]

Now that the Netbios name issue is resolved, you should be able to use the computername to connect using Remote Desktop. If the issue is your ability to Browse for the computername, I have a solution for you.

Normally you can not browse for other computers in the Remote Desktop connection browser *IF* your in a work group environment. Call using the local LAN IP or NetBIOS name of the PC you want to connect to. With that said, if you really want to browse, then look at this KB article for help.
Note you need to reboot each PC after you make the registry change.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;281307

 

[haysdb]

I should be able to use the computer name, but I can't. If I add the IP address to the hosts file I can, but I don't want to hard-code the DHCP assigned IP address in the hosts file.

I can access htpc via Start -> Run -> \\htpc
and I can see it in "My Network Places" -> View workgroup computers, so it seems everywhere except Remote Desktop.

I can't help feeling it's something really stupid that I am doing, or failing to do.

David

 

[bcastner]

Leave the HOSTS file alone, there is no longterm joy to be found in this as a workaround.

Make the patch I linked above and then Browse.

 

[haysdb]

bcaster,

"I can't help feeling it's something really stupid..."

System Properties -> Computer Name

Full computer name: htpc

-> Change... -> More...

NetBIOS computer name: HTPC

Hmmm, is it possible that the Computer name in Remote Desktop Connection is case sensitive? Sure as sh%t. When I entered the name in upper case, it worked.

Nowhere else is the name case sensitive. In fact, when I tried to change the name from 'htpc' to 'HTPC', the OK box stays grayed out, like I hadn't even changed anything. I had to change it to something else and then change it to 'HTPC' just so I could "file" the change.

It get's even curiouser. After changing the computer name to upper case, I can now connect using either upper or lower case. It's almost worth changing it back to lower case just to confirm that I'm not imagining things. went around to all four of my PC's and changed the Computer name's to upper case.

I followed the instructions in the link you posted, even though my problem was solved. For some weird reason I had to reboot TWICE before the name showed up in the list of "Available computers".

I wonder now if I could go back and change the NetBIOS setting in the WINS tab back to 'Default', if it would still work. I think that might have been one of the many rabbits I chased, along with adding entries to lmhosts and hosts, and even upgrading the firmware in my router. Hey, I got to the point where I was willing to try anything.

David

 

[bcastner]

Leave the Netbios setting alone in TCP/IP Properties. They way I had you configure it is correct unless you are use WINS, LMHOSTS or a local DNS server.

It is there for compatability reasons, and the setting I gave is the correct one in most cases, including the ones I list above.

 

[haysdb]

bcaster,

I reset "Enable NetBIOS over TPC/IP" back to "Default" on both the client and the server, rebooted both, and I can still connect using the computer name, in either upper or lower case.

David

 

[bcastner]

Yes, as no matter what it will revert to using Netbios naming either from WINS or through Netbios over TCP/IP. I have no issue with that setting.

 

[haysdb]

I feel obligated to confess that, after all that, I have to admit I don't know anything.

I set up another XP Pro system tonight, and when I went into System Properties, Remote tab, to click the "Allow users to connect remotely to this computer", I noticed that the computer name was in lower case, even though I specifically entered it in upper case during the installation. I left it alone in order to confirm the premise that the lower case name was the reason I could not connect via Remote Desktop.

I was able to connect just fine. Lower case, upper case, it made no difference.

Now this is going to haunt me. I have NO IDEA what I changed to get Remote Desktop to connect using the computer name. So far as I know, I ended up resetting everything back to the way it was when I started.

David

 

[bcastner]

The case does not matter.

Likely what happened was that the Netbios name differed slightly from the Computername, and in resetting it you corrected the difference.