Changing port number that RD uses to connect

  • Thread starter Thread starter Scott
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Scott

I've seen several articles showing how to connect to a
port other than the default port (3389) on a machine, but
I was curious, is there a way to change the port number
that the client uses to get to the other computer?

In other words, if I'm running an average firewall and it
kills all communication attempts on port 3389, is there a
way to tell the client to connect on a more standard port,
like 21, 80 or 8080 or something?

The firewall that "shields" my network is beyond my
authority to edit/modify/administer, and I'm pretty sure
the RD client is getting shot down by that firewall before
it can even get to the internet to find the other
machine... The moment I click "Connect" it gives me the
usual "Could no connect. Remote Desktop might not be
enabled or invalid address" error message.

Any assistance that can be offered would be greatly
appreciated.

Scott H.
 
An excellent start, sir, and I have seen countless
articles telling me that. However, <server>:<port> simply
means that you're asking the server to respond on port
<port>. If the server is listening on 3389 and you type
<server>:3389, that tells the client to request that its
communication request be sent to port 3389 on the SERVER
computer.

If computers A and B are talking through the RDP, do they
communicate on the same port number, or is it possible,
for example, to send a request out through port 90 and
have it received on port 3000? I suppose that's what I'm
really asking.

Thank you for any more assistance you can provide.

Scott
 
The firewall/NAT/router hardware/software/firmware has to support "Port Redirection" to do that. An
example of "Port Redirection", using the XP ICF or a Linksys BEFSR41 router, is illustrated on the
following page in Option 1.

http://www.oecadvantage.net/ajarvi/Multiple_PC_RD.html

--
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...
 
Hi,

If you don't have access to the firewall, you have to have access to the
remote desktop server you are trying to log into. You have to change the
port the remote desktop server listens on. You can do that using port
mapping, or by modifying the registry on the server computer. There's an
articel here that tells you how to do that:

http://www.geek.com/news/geeknews/2003Aug/fea20030828021469.htm

Cheers,
Kevin
 
No.

the notation server:port, simply tells the client to attempt to talk to the
server on "port." You must have already changed the server to listen on
"port" for this to succeed.

If you do this properly, at both ends, it'll work just fine, in the absence
of firewalls and routers that aren't configured to allow the traffic.

I have some trouble feeling that this kind of thread is productive to
respond to--I'm sure that doesn't make you feel good, and I'm sorry for
that--but the exercise of helping you do an end run around an institutional
security system that may well have very valid purpose, and, in the process,
exposing you to perhaps significant sanctions--loss of a job, removal from
an educational institution, etc--just doesn't feel good to me.

Yes this can be done in some circumstances--if you can get just the right
port number. Many folks try to do this with port 80, and there are multiple
pitfalls--port 80 is blocked by some large ISP's - Verizon, in much of their
territory--and a firewall that allows HTTP over port 80 may well be proxying
that traffic, and RDP won't work across that proxy, even though it is using
port 80.

The information you need to change the port number, both at the host end,
the client end, and in the router at home is published innumerable times in
this forum.

Whoops - I see you have a specific question:

No, or almost no. The client must send, and the server must listen, on the
same port for the conversation to succeed. There is one variation in this
which is useful, but perhaps not in your situation.

Let's say you want your client to send on port 20, but you don't want to
change the host's listening port from the default of 3389 for various
reasons.

If you have a nat/router device which can change the port number of traffic
it forwards inbound, you can set the NAT device to accept traffic on port
20, and forward it to PC B on port 3389. This works. In Linksys routers,
and others, this is a property of the UPnP forwarding mode.

Sorry for the diatribe, and I do wish you luck--I understand the challenge
involved, and the feelings that the institutional weight really shouldn't
keep you from doing what you want to do. but.......beware the consequences.

An RDP connection can definitely be the vector of a virus infection to a
larger LAN. In a corporate setting, it may be viewed as a possible venue
for leakage of proprietary information. Either of these might well be cause
for dismissal.
 
A lot of people use HTTP tunnelling to make things work under port
80... This will allow connections through some proxy servers...

Jeffrey Randow (Windows Net. & Smart Display MVP)
(e-mail address removed)

Please post all responses to the newsgroups for the benefit
of all USENET users. Messages sent via email may or may not
be answered depending on time availability....

Remote Networking Technology Support Site -
http://www.remotenetworktechnology.com
Smart Display Support - http://www.smartdisplays.net
Windows XP Expert Zone - http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
 
Thanks - that's something I should learn how to do, and haven't--thus didn't
think of it!
 
I've used it a bit - to figure out how to turn it off for people at
work... :) (or :( depending on your circumstance)..

I keep getting people wanting to use P2P applications through the
tunnel...

Jeffrey Randow (Windows Net. & Smart Display MVP)
(e-mail address removed)

Please post all responses to the newsgroups for the benefit
of all USENET users. Messages sent via email may or may not
be answered depending on time availability....

Remote Networking Technology Support Site -
http://www.remotenetworktechnology.com
Smart Display Support - http://www.smartdisplays.net
Windows XP Expert Zone - http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
 
I think you are missing an important point; if you don't have control of your firewall, you shouldn't be messing with external access to the internal network period.

That being said; consider ponying up $19.95 a month for GoToMyPC which uses a secure web connection to provide you with a 'Remote Desktop like' environment that includes file transfer capabilities (not included in RD).
 
Why do you say "...file transfer capabilities (not included in RD)"? You can easily transfer files
between the local and remote PCs while in a Remote Desktop session...

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;[LN];313292

--
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...

VorDesigns said:
I think you are missing an important point; if you don't have control of your firewall, you
Click to expand...
shouldn't be messing with external access to the internal network period.
That being said; consider ponying up $19.95 a month for GoToMyPC which uses a secure web
Click to expand...
connection to provide you with a 'Remote Desktop like' environment that includes file transfer
capabilities (not included in RD).
 
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