Windows 7: Remote Desktop 7 to XP

I have a laptop with win 7 home Prem, x64 and main system with XP prof. I have set up a remote desktop using the XP as the host. It works just fine on the wireless router system at the office but when I take it home and try to access it on my wireless router it gives "The remote desktop cannot connect to the remote computer for one of the following reasons. 1. Remote access to the server is not enabled. 2.The remote computer is turned off. 3.The remote computer is not available to the network. So, how dumb am I???

You are leaving out some important details. What network is the XP system on? If it is the home network...then is the problem that you can RDP into it when your laptop is at work, but not when it is at home, on the same local network? Let's simplify. Start with telling us what network the XP system is on.

I guess I am not sure what u mean. Both places have mediacomm cable with wireless routers.

I could pretty much say the same thing. Where is the XP system located...or do both systems move to both networks?

XP system is in the office accross town. Win 7 (laptop) roams around town.

Okay, so the XP system sits in an office somewhere...and you can access it from certain outside networks, but not others? That leaves the door open for plenty of variables, such as VPN connections being blocked, other necessary ports being blocked, other network configuration between the different places, etc. If you can access it from one remote network, than you know the XP system and the network it is on are configured correctly.

If you can't reconfigure networks, try using LogMeIn instead.

It makes no difference both home and office have the same provider, what you have to do is setup port forwarding at the office, in the providers' router, to allow traffic on port 3389 (default RDP Port) allowed to the XP Pro Desktop.

You are able to do this internally because it's on the same LAN (Local Area Network). Once you leave the office, you are on a WAN (Wide Area Network) and it different than the office.
You have to tell your office router to let outside traffic in....and on this case, that's port 3389 for Remote Desktop.

Do some google searching on port forwarding, remote desktop. Every provider's equipment is a little different, so programming one vs. the other will be different...the end accomplishment is the same.

I have Windows 7 Pro @ home and work... To get from home to work I use a VPN and RDP, to get from work to my home PC I use RDP and I setup my provider's router for port forwarding.

I also use strong passwords as well as a software firewall at home, too..

The only versions with the "server" of Remote Desktop is Professional and Ultimate. Home Premium does NOT have this.

so you must host from your xp pc and have the win 7 be the client you try that? disable firewalls even norton or mcafee anything that can block connection

here is microsoft link of features included in different version of win 7

Which one is right for you? - Microsoft Windows

Good point.
But he has XP Pro at the office, he wants to remote desktop into that, which he can.
Windows 7 Home has remote desktop viewer, just not "server" as you said.

This is a firewall/port forwarding issue, since it works on the LAN but not the WAN from home.