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remote desktop from home to office pc

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kaizer

Technical User
Jan 27, 2004
276
US
hello
i was just reading an MS article on how to config RD
it said that all i need to do is launch RD from my home pc, give my work pc's name in the "remote desktop connection" popup then my user/passowrd/domain info on the login to windows popup.
Now, my question is how does the authentication mechanism find that computer(name)?
at the office we have 2003 AD, all xp and cisco 2500(NAT) router

thx
 
That would be true if you were dialed-in or connected through VPN. But it sounds like you're just on the Internet at home. Port 3389 needs to be open on your router. You'd need to know the public IP and you would also need to set up port forwarding on your router since it is performing NAT. I believe, though, if you use Remote Assistance and initiate the session from work and leave it open, that would allow you to traverse the NAT without issue. That could be a bit of a security risk, however.
 
as i stated in my article you can use any port number you want it does not have to be port 3389 it can be 3395 or whatever.
 
thx
but say my office pc's name is "workpc"
then what the ms article says is that from home, i would first type "workpc" in the remote desktop popup, the i would issue my user id/password/domain in the windows logon dialog. I want to know how the "workpc" machine is located
i would think i would need to give it's ip not it's name.

as far as NAT/port forwarding, i would have to change the port for each pc needing the remote connection correct?
what i mean is if the router outside ip is a.b.c.d then i have to configure
a.b.c.d:port x map to 192.168.1.1 (work pc ip):3389
a.b.c.d:port y map to 192.168.1.2 (a different pc):3389
we do not manage our router so i need to know what type of config i would need in the router.
so then from the home pc's (connected via cable/dsl etc) i have to change the port for RD to port x/y respectively

i hope i am making sense
 
typing workpc in the rdp from home would not resolve to anything. you would need to enter the ip address that points to youre office. now if it was say officesite.com that could translate to an ip address like 64.34.875.83 or what ever it would be, but for that to work you would need to have a domain name set up to translate the name to an ip.

Hope this information helps.

Mike
 
krenkey
i read your article. question: from home if i type in my work pc private ip how will it be found out on the net - i thought those were not routable etc etc??
 
Hi,
A question:
Does your office REALLY allow remote desktop connections direcly from the outside world..If so, please post your Office PC's IP address and save me the expanse of buying my own computer..

Seriously, though, you wil need a VPN or a Citrix-type host to log into most IntraNets..





[profile]

To Paraphrase:"The Help you get is proportional to the Help you give.."
 
you see, thats the thing. If you use obscure ports and proper authentication then its secure.

Hope this information helps.

Mike
 
i have to agree with krenkey - how much risk one takes depends on the situation
but krenkey, i still don't understand the private ip address
routing
please explain
 
in youre router you would need to forward the port that you set at the workstation in question. then you would simply use youre external ip address and the router would forward the traffic to the workstationn you wamnnt to access. think of the port number as you're house number on a street so you would need to have access to the router.

forgive me for the spacing i am using mypocket pc to send this.

Hope this information helps.

Mike
 
Even if using obscure ports, I would still strongly recommend connecting through a VPN.

-------------------------------

If it doesn't leak oil it must be empty!!
 
you would still have to figure out the username and password keep in mind with gpo's you will have 2 chances to get it right if failed the system shuts you out then contacts me i would be on you faster than you can shake a stick

Hope this information helps.

Mike
 
i also forgot to mention as soon as my router recieves a port sscan on a predefined range it blocks and sends out distress messages. so you would need to get by that first.

i used to be a site admin for some very large groups and breaking in was the speciality basically to stop a hacker you neeed to think like one.

Hope this information helps.

Mike
 
Krenkey
i'm sorry but i still don't see it. If i am at home
and say my work pc has the internal IP 192.168.100.1
you are saying that i can type this into the dialog (at my home computer) and this communication will go out on the net and find that pc?
i with nat, i don't really know my internal pc's outside address do I?
 
no you would need to use youre external ip address.

Hope this information helps.

Mike
 
krenkey
i really appreciate your help
but i do not know my office pc's outside ip address
remember the lan is behind a NAT router
how do i obtain the outside ip???
 
do you have access to the router and if yes, you will have to get into the router to forward the ports as well as get the external ip addy.

Hope this information helps.

Mike
 
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