Can't set up a Remote Desktop Connection

[blue skies]

Hello, I have been trying for a very long time to set up a Remote Desktop Connection to my work server, and am unable to set it up and connect. I have no idea what the problem is.

The network administrator gave me the IP address for the server and I have double checked that it is correct.

He told me not to add anything else to the number when I set it up, but Windows Remote Desktop Connection setup wizard says it must have "https://" before the IP number so I put that in. I always get this error:

An error occurred. Contact your workplace administrator for assistance.

I thought it might be a Windows Firewall issue, so I went to check if it was allowed. It was not on the list like it is in the photo in this post: http://www.sevenforums.com/network-...sktop-connection-windows-7-a.html#post1200695

I couldn't figure out how to add it because when I clicked to add another program, it was not listed as an option.

I read this tutorial http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3922-remote-desktop-connection-rdc-network.html
and the first photo under "Option Two" in that post shows Advanced System Settings with a section on Remote Desktop. On my computer it only shows the "Remote Assistance" section and does not show "Remote Desktop" at all, and I'm not sure why.

My ISP is AT&T. I have DSL with a wireless router. Is it possible that AT&T is blocking the port I need to use?

I connect to the server at my office and know my credentials are good, but I don't even get to the point of being able to enter them when I try to set up the Remote Desktop Connection at home.

Thank you in advance for any advice!

 

[Shootist]

Ok your workplace more then likely uses a Router. The router has a public IP address on it's WAN port. It is that IP address you need. Not the IP of the server behind the router, which more then likely has a private IP address. Does the IP they gave you start with either 192 or 10 or 172? If it does then they have given you the private IP of the sever itself and not the public IP of the routers WAN port.
Then the router has to be setup to pass connections for the remote desktop port, 3389, to the IP of the server. And then that server must be setup to accept remote desktop connections on that port, which is the standard port and really shouldn't be used.

Your IT department should know all this and if they don't you need a new IT department.

You need to sit down with them and ask them exactly how to connect. More then likely they could show you all the steps needed, which on the client end isn't much but on the router/server end it is.

You also said something about not finding Remote Desktop Connection but remote assistance. Remote assistance is not what you want.

What version of Win 7 are you using at home.

 

[blue skies]

The IP address I was given begins with a 207. I am using Home Premium 64 Bit.

The company I work for is very small and we don't have an IT department. They just hire out the more complicated work. I think I am the only one who has had a problem connecting. The person who gave me the address was unable to advise me, other than telling me to set it up using the IP address he gave me and RDC.

I wish I knew what the problem is.

 

[Shootist]

Well it may be the router need to know what IP the request is coming from.
Most of the time they will accept requests for ANY IP. But maybe someone at your company set it up to only accept from "Known" IP addresses.

This should be fairly easy to figure out by logging onto the router and check the port forwarding rules and firewall rules.

 

[Carolyn]

ask the network administrator if a VPN (Virtual Private Network) is required.

 

[blue skies]

I have sent an email to ask. I will be surprised if that's the case though, because I don't think other people who connect to it from home have static IP addresses.

 

[blue skies]

ask the network administrator if a VPN (Virtual Private Network) is required.

I asked yesterday and he said no, I should connect through the RDC and not VPN. I have tried it previously a number of times and always got errors.

Thank you Carolyn and Shootist for your suggestions.

 

[blue skies]

First, I would verify your work server's RDP port. There are many free port scan sites. One of them is Online Port Scan | Port Scanning | Port Scanner | Port Checker. Enter the server IP address (207.x.x.x) into "Host name or IPv4 address" and check the "Microsoft Remote Desktop ..." box.

If it says "207.x.x.x is responding on port 3389 ().", try Remote Desktop Connection to connect the server. Don't use "https://" before the IP number. If it is not responding, your server's port is blocked. It might be NAT or firewall. Or, the RDP port number is not 3389 (default).

To make sure that your work server is accessible from your computer you can try Remote Desktop Assistant. The program uses Microsoft Remote Desktop Connections. Additionally, it provides connectivity monitoring. And you can see whether your remote RDP port is alive or not.
Download Remote Desktop Assistant 1.1 Build 261 Free - Manages Remote Desktop Connections - Softpedia

Thank you so much for the suggestions! I will try them tomorrow and report back.

 

[blue skies]

Well, I finally got it working. I think it may have been a Windows Firewall issue.

I had made a rule yesterday to allow port 3389, but noticed today that it listed "secure" which I changed to "all". I also mentioned above that it did not give me the option to allow "Remote Desktop Connection" in the program section, so I googled to find out that the program is mstsc.exe and to find it's location so I could specifically add the program to Windows Firewall.

I'm not sure which one of those things solved the problem, but it is finally working.

Thanks to everyone here for your help!

 

[ahspear]

This link might help too.
Tutorial on setting rdp for windows 7 hp


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