Remote Desktop Problem

Obviously, the problem seems likely to be confined to the XP machine since two other computers face the same symptom when TSing into that machine. On that basis:

- Does the XP box show anything relevant in its event logs? (run EVENTVWR)

- Does the same issue happen straight after the XP box gets rebooted, and before you run any apps on it? (I'm trying to rule out resource shortages.)

- Have you perhaps "modded" the XP machine to allow concurrent console and RDP sessions?

If none of the above leads to useful new info, you might want to try generating a packet sniffer trace. The procedure: www.wireshark.com, install on XP, start network capture, repro connection problem from one of the other machines, stop wireshark capture, save, zip, upload here. Analysis of the trace may reveal more. (Don't be accessin' your Internet Banking while you're doing the capture :))

Hi there
question - when RDP'ing to a computer on a Lan are you using its internal LAN address e.g 192.168.0.2 or a fully qualified domain type of name for example dogsbody.computer.net

If you try and use a domain name on a local LAN you won't normally be able to connect.

Check also that the correct ports are open for RDP on both the W7 and XP machines and that you can ping / access the XP machine from the W7 one.

Also ensure firewalls and any AV software allows RDP. - While testing on a local LAN I'd turn all that stuff OFF until you've got everything working properly.

If you can have the same password and userid on the XP machine as the W7 one you've got a much better chance of making the whole thing work.

Networking on Windows is STILL even in W7 a real DOG. This is where Windows should have taken a lesson from Linux - SAMBA NEVER has any problems (or very rarely) and networking is a breeze.

Cheers
jimbo

I think the OP already fixed his issue mate :)

BTW, this has nothing to do with SMB. RDP does not rely on an SMB session.

LoL, I hope by now most folks have already realized that Windows XP uses an older version [5 if remember right] of RDP [or RDC whatever acronym you use we are talking the built-in ability to share and view one's Windows desktop via a network connection] and Windows Vista and above now use version 6 + [you really want to try and stay with version 6+ as you get things like encryption by default where version 5 does not support encryption at all]. If you want to use Windows XP you will have to set the Windows Vista [or Seven] Host machine you are connecting to to allow unencrypted connections [basically allow RDP v5 to connect]. Again I only post this here as it is the reason this issue occurred and if anyone else searches well here you go Also another thing to check is with Windows 7 Firewall you can set the option to not only port forward a port through the firewall, but you can also set the rule to only allow encrypted connections. So, if you set Windows RDP Server to allow unencrypted connections, but you still can't connect and know you have forwarded the port [on both server and client if client machine is behind a firewall you will need to port forward as well], and still can not connect go in to Windows Firewall on Windows 7 and check to see if the rule you set to allow the port has the encrypted connections option on or off. If all of this is checked and you still can't connect I would see if your network [either the clients, servers or both have proxy, filters or firewalls for certain types of traffic or the ports you are using. You can set the RDP port via Windows Registry [Google it], and that could be the last ditch effort see if your work, ISP, or other is blocking standard RDP port by changing it [you need to restart the Win 7 machine for the port change to take affect and then use my.example.com:<PORT i.e. 5346> in order to connect to the port you specified on the client. Last note: when on local network i Windows 7 you can usually use hostname.local for a Fully Qualified Domain Name [not needed here even just the computer's name [DNS] or IP [ie. 127.0.0.1] can also be used.

jimbo45 said:

Hi there
question - when RDP'ing to a computer on a Lan are you using its internal LAN address e.g 192.168.0.2 or a fully qualified domain type of name for example dogsbody.computer.net

If you try and use a domain name on a local LAN you won't normally be able to connect.

Check also that the correct ports are open for RDP on both the W7 and XP machines and that you can ping / access the XP machine from the W7 one.

Also ensure firewalls and any AV software allows RDP. - While testing on a local LAN I'd turn all that stuff OFF until you've got everything working properly.

If you can have the same password and userid on the XP machine as the W7 one you've got a much better chance of making the whole thing work.

Networking on Windows is STILL even in W7 a real DOG. This is where Windows should have taken a lesson from Linux - SAMBA NEVER has any problems (or very rarely) and networking is a breeze.

Cheers
jimbo

Umm, You can use a Fully Qualified Domain Name anywhere. Keep in mind on a LAN if you use a FQDN via an something like DynDNS you will in effect be going out of your network and then back in via the internet so if your connection the the internet is say 10MBps and your LAN [all computers inside the network] runs at 54 MBps [Wireless G] or 100MBps [Standard RJ-45 cable port. you will be using your external connection and be limited to only 10MBps [or whatever your upload bandwidth is]. Keep in mind for Windows you can also use your DNS.local to turn any IPv4 DNS in to a FQDN [ie. localhost is older DNS Localhost.local is newer FQDN] If you find you can not use FQDN on your local network most often there is a problem with your DNS server setup. I suggest using your gateway [usually something like 192.168.1.1 as your priary DNS, but use something like 208.67.222.222 Open DNS DNS server [208.67.220.220 is another]] OpenDNS is free, you can also sign-up for a free account with them and set filter rules and DNS "keywords" [type yahoo and get Yahoo! instead of having to always type it out]. Also BTW you think SAMBA never has issues LoL ROFL you have yet to use it outside a home network with very few machines. This is why Linux now uses CIFS due to issues with Samba. Not to mention have you seen "newbies" trying to figure out what an fstab is not to mention why they need to edit it and add command line info in most cases before Linux bothers to let you mount a network drive I hate to say it, but I hope the user's who are not that technically inclined need to please stick with WinBlows as it is harder [FOR THEM] to screw it up in an un-recoverable way.

Lastly, have no fear if you ping your home domain name and get something that says destination net unreachable as long as you get some address [ie. 100.200.100.200] then you prolly have the router set to ignore ping requests on it's WAN port [bet if you go home and ping your routers LAN address [that 192.168.1.1 gateway address] it will not only give the address but the times the ping packets took. So, as long as you don't get a two-liner stating the host cannot be found your computer is prolly out there and just disregarding pings. That should bout cover ALL of it I believe now LoL.