TSWEB, should I change the port?

  • Thread starter Thread starter James
  • Start date Start date
J

James

I have used remote desktop client to attach to my home
desktop (XP PRO) from work laptop (W2K).

My laptop harddrive crashed, and when I got a new
harddrive, I could not load the RDC onto it (my company
locks down the PC's). So I have to use the web connection.

I have gotten the web connection remote desktop to work
correctly for me. It is the only thing I am using IIS for
on my home desktop, I don't host any pages or sites etc...

My question is do I need to worry about using port 80, and
should I switch to a different port? And if so, how do I
do it? I have tried to play around with different ports,
but can't seem to make them work.

I go into IIS, and change the port on my default website
to XXXX (I've tried 8080, 8081 and 3389). I have made
sure that the port is open on my router. I go to another
machine (where it works fine with port 80) and try
http://mypcipaddres:XXXX/tsweb and get a can't find server.

Thanks in advance.
 
It sounds like you are doing the right thing to change the port, but
something obviously isn't right, 'cause it doesn't work!

With changing the port just for IIS, I don't think you need to restart for
the changed port to take effect, but you may need to restart IIS.

Don't use 3389, unless you are using an alternate port for RD itself,
because the activex control is still using 3389 for the communication, in
the end.

Your company isn't doing a very good job of locking you down if you can
still install the activex control, and still communicate out over port 3389.

In terms of safety, rather than obfuscating via changing ports, I'd rather
you paid good attention to basics:

Download and run MBSA:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/tools/mbsahome.mspx

Pay close attention to all the stuff it flags about IIS, and follow ALL the
recommendations--you may need to download additional tools--the lockdown
tool, for example.

Also pay attention to issues relating to numbers of admins, lockouts, and
security logging.

You should be able to change the port--I don't see what you are doing wrong,
from here. Can you test at home--between two machines? Just to rule out
issues with the router forwarding?
 
That should be all you have to do... The important step is getting
the fowarding correct in your router... One note - don't set IIS to
3389 without changing the Remote Desktop listening port.

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

Please post all responses to the newsgroups for the benefit
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