RDC to a specific computer on a private LAN, over Internet.

  • Thread starter Thread starter aldojones
  • Start date Start date
A

aldojones

I know it's a popular topic, but my situation seems slightly unusual, if
only for the reason that what seems to work for everyone else does not
work for me!

I want to use RDC to connect to a workstation on my company's private
LAN. I am using RDC Client 6.x on WinXP Pro SP3. Server is Win2k.
Remote workstation is WinXP Pro SP3.

I am able to RDC to the server by connecting to the WAN IP and
everything works as expected.

I am also able, from that server's desktop, to properly RDC to the
workstation in question, so I think the workstation is correctly
RDC-enabled. (And user acct. in question is authorized to RDC-connect.)

What I am hoping to be able to do is, in my remote client's RDC
"Computer Name" box, be able to type [wan IP]:[workstation RDP port],
and have it connect directly to the workstation. It doesn't work,
stating "This computer cannot connect to the remote computer. Try
connecting again. If the problem continues, contact the owner of the
remote computer or your network administrator."

I think I have performed almost this exact scenario before, and it
worked. In that case though, the remote client was a different
computer, possibly with a different version of RDC Client on it.
Unfortunately I cannot access that workstation or reference its
configuration at this time.

(I see a lot of examples on the WWW using the [ip]:[port] format to
specify computer to connect to, but have yet to see any that aren't
connecting to an internal IP via this method.)

I have followed the MS instructions for how to edit the registry to
change the RDP listen port on the remote host workstation, as this seems
to be the means of addressing multiple workstations on a LAN behind a
single WAN IP. The remote host workstation in question should be
configured properly.

I am familiar with port forwarding and have read explanations of the
proper router configuration here
(http://theillustratednetwork.mvps.org/RemoteDesktop/Multiple_PC_RD.html)
and elsewhere. Also, I can see remnants of configuration made by a
previous administrator and my port forwarding settings conform to the
preexisting ones. It seems the router is configured properly.

Yet... it does not work!

I would appreciate any and all fix info, or tips on where to begin
troubleshooting this -- isolating the problem, etc.

Trying to get this working quickly, as CEO is leaving town on Thursday
and wants this access enabled at his destination. Right now I'm going
to have to give him the "RDC to server then RDC to workstation
solution", and I would really prefer a simpler alternative.

Thank you!
 
I don't work in a domain environment but you might look at this for
addressing and user ID for login help.

http://blogs.msdn.com/ts/archive/20...ication-faq.aspx#_Prompted_for_Authentication

Beyond that I suggest posting to the
microsoft.public.windows.server.networking or the
microsoft.public.windows.terminal_services news groups for help.

Good luck...

--

Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows - Desktop User Experience)

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...
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375

aldojones said:
I know it's a popular topic, but my situation seems slightly unusual,
if only for the reason that what seems to work for everyone else does
not work for me!

I want to use RDC to connect to a workstation on my company's private
LAN. I am using RDC Client 6.x on WinXP Pro SP3. Server is Win2k.
Remote workstation is WinXP Pro SP3.

I am able to RDC to the server by connecting to the WAN IP and
everything works as expected.

I am also able, from that server's desktop, to properly RDC to the
workstation in question, so I think the workstation is correctly
RDC-enabled. (And user acct. in question is authorized to
RDC-connect.)

What I am hoping to be able to do is, in my remote client's RDC
"Computer Name" box, be able to type [wan IP]:[workstation RDP port],
and have it connect directly to the workstation. It doesn't work,
stating "This computer cannot connect to the remote computer. Try
connecting again. If the problem continues, contact the owner of the
remote computer or your network administrator."

I think I have performed almost this exact scenario before, and it
worked. In that case though, the remote client was a different
computer, possibly with a different version of RDC Client on it.
Unfortunately I cannot access that workstation or reference its
configuration at this time.

(I see a lot of examples on the WWW using the [ip]:[port] format to
specify computer to connect to, but have yet to see any that aren't
connecting to an internal IP via this method.)

I have followed the MS instructions for how to edit the registry to
change the RDP listen port on the remote host workstation, as this
seems to be the means of addressing multiple workstations on a LAN
behind a single WAN IP. The remote host workstation in question
should be configured properly.

I am familiar with port forwarding and have read explanations of the
proper router configuration here
(http://theillustratednetwork.mvps.org/RemoteDesktop/Multiple_PC_RD.html)
and elsewhere. Also, I can see remnants of configuration made by a
previous administrator and my port forwarding settings conform to the
preexisting ones. It seems the router is configured properly.

Yet... it does not work!

I would appreciate any and all fix info, or tips on where to begin
troubleshooting this -- isolating the problem, etc.

Trying to get this working quickly, as CEO is leaving town on Thursday
and wants this access enabled at his destination. Right now I'm going
to have to give him the "RDC to server then RDC to workstation
solution", and I would really prefer a simpler alternative.

Thank you!
Click to expand...
 
Solved.

Remote host workstation had to be rebooted for registry edit of RDP
listen port to take effect.

MS "help and support" mentions nothing about that trivial requirement,
of course.

The clue was when netstat revealed that there was no TCP connection
listening on my newly defined, nonstandard port.

Thank you to all who read and responded!
I know it's a popular topic, but my situation seems slightly unusual, if
only for the reason that what seems to work for everyone else does not
work for me!

I want to use RDC to connect to a workstation on my company's private
LAN. I am using RDC Client 6.x on WinXP Pro SP3. Server is Win2k.
Remote workstation is WinXP Pro SP3.

I am able to RDC to the server by connecting to the WAN IP and
everything works as expected.

I am also able, from that server's desktop, to properly RDC to the
workstation in question, so I think the workstation is correctly
RDC-enabled. (And user acct. in question is authorized to RDC-connect.)

What I am hoping to be able to do is, in my remote client's RDC
"Computer Name" box, be able to type [wan IP]:[workstation RDP port],
and have it connect directly to the workstation. It doesn't work,
stating "This computer cannot connect to the remote computer. Try
connecting again. If the problem continues, contact the owner of the
remote computer or your network administrator."

I think I have performed almost this exact scenario before, and it
worked. In that case though, the remote client was a different
computer, possibly with a different version of RDC Client on it.
Unfortunately I cannot access that workstation or reference its
configuration at this time.

(I see a lot of examples on the WWW using the [ip]:[port] format to
specify computer to connect to, but have yet to see any that aren't
connecting to an internal IP via this method.)

I have followed the MS instructions for how to edit the registry to
change the RDP listen port on the remote host workstation, as this seems
to be the means of addressing multiple workstations on a LAN behind a
single WAN IP. The remote host workstation in question should be
configured properly.

I am familiar with port forwarding and have read explanations of the
proper router configuration here
(http://theillustratednetwork.mvps.org/RemoteDesktop/Multiple_PC_RD.html)
and elsewhere. Also, I can see remnants of configuration made by a
previous administrator and my port forwarding settings conform to the
preexisting ones. It seems the router is configured properly.

Yet... it does not work!

I would appreciate any and all fix info, or tips on where to begin
troubleshooting this -- isolating the problem, etc.

Trying to get this working quickly, as CEO is leaving town on Thursday
and wants this access enabled at his destination. Right now I'm going
to have to give him the "RDC to server then RDC to workstation
solution", and I would really prefer a simpler alternative.

Thank you!
Click to expand...
 
Back
Top