Remote Desktop Connection not working

  • Thread starter Thread starter Susan.h
  • Start date Start date
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Susan.h

Hello,
I am trying to get the office computer to connect to home computer. Both
computers have Windows XP Pro SP3 installed, I have made sure that the home
computer allows users to remote connect, windows firewall is off on both
computers. The error message i get from Remote Desktop Connection is:
This computer can't connect to the remote computer.
Try connecting again. If the problem continues, contact the owner of the
remote computer or your network administrator.
I have even tried UltraVNC to connect, this will not work either! I am at
the end of my rope, I do not know what is wrong!
 
Can you connect to the home PC with Remote Desktop (RDC) from a computer at
a friends or family members house? If so its possible the office network
admins are blocking TCP Port 3389 outbound. If that is the case check with
them if this is a legitimate work related need, ie. to connect to your home
PC from the office.

Are you calling the correct public IP for the home PC?

Is the home PC behind any firewall or router and if so is TCP Port 3389
forwarded/opened?

From the home PC go the http://www.canyouseeme.org and see if the test
passes.

--

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
 
Hi Al,
Thank-you for the advice.
1)I only have one other computer to try to connect into the home computer,
but it is on the same router/network as the home computer (and of course it
can connect with remote desktop connection).
2)Re: office network admins blocking TCP Port 3389, I am the office network
admin. I have checked the TCP Port 3389 on the office computer, and it seems
to be fine.
3)I believe I am calling the correct IP address.
4)Windows firewall is off on home computer, I don't know if it is behind a
router or not.
5)Port 3389 is open on home computer.
6)When I go to canyouseeme.org on both computers I get the same message:
Error: I could not see your service on 66.222.255.138 on port 3389.
Remote Desktop Connection still doesn't work.
 
Well, if your on the home PC and you go to the http://www.canyouseeme.org
site and the test fails then something is blocking TCP Port 3389 between the
public internet and the home PC. What type of internet connection do you
have at home? If its DSL then its possible the DSL modem is also a router.
Mine is. So in that case you either need to open TCP Port 3389 through the
DSL modem/router or put the DSL modem/router into a bridge or pass through
mode.

Its also possible, although unlikely, that your ISP is blocking TCP Port
3389 inbound to your home connection.

--

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
 
Hi Al,
Thanks again for your help.
I have DSL internet connection. So, I went to the homepage of my
modem/router, and opened up port 3389 inbound & outbound. Now, when I go to
canyouseeme.org, I still get the same message, that it could not see my
service on port 3389. I don't know how to put my modem/router into a
bridge/pass through mode. I will be able to try RDC in a couple of hours.
I will let you know if it works or not.
 
Your point number one (see below) implies you also have a router involved
between the DSL modem/router device and the home PC you want to access with
RDC and that you have two PCs on the LAN. Is that true and if so have you
also opened/forwarded TCP Port 3389 through that? If not that would explain
why the canyouseeme.org test is still failing. Also make sure the home PC
you want to connect to is using a static LAN IP. If its not its possible its
assigned private LAN IP is changing if you reboot the machine negating any
port forwarding scheme.

http://www.portforward.com/networking/staticip.htm

--

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
 
Hi Al,
No, I do not have a router between the Dsl modem/router.
Also, I have already set up a static IP for the home computer and the office
computer, using portforward.com instructions.
Still nothing!
Thanks again for all the help.
 
Well, again if you fail the canyouseeme.org test something is blocking TCP
Port 3389 on your home PC or on the DSL modem/router or your ISP is blocking
TCP Port 3389 inbound to your home connection.

I'm still confused by this statement...

--

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
 
Sorry Al,
I should clarify:
Office - 1 computer. This is the one I need to have connect to home server
computer.
Home - 2 computers on same DSL modem/router, 1 is the server that I want to
connect into, the other is at home temporarily - it will be going to the
office as well, eventually. This 'other' computer is the one that is able to
find the home server computer on Remote Desktop Connection.
I don't know if this clarifies anything, but there you go!
Clear as mud!
 
If you don't have a router between the DSL modem/router device how do you
share the DSL modem/router with the second home PC, ie with a switch or hub
or does the DSL modem/router have two LAN ports?

--

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
 
Yes, the DSL modem/router actually has two (maybe more!) LAN ports - it's a
Siemens Gigaset.
 
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